On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:04:42 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Aug 10, 3:42 pm, (Jonathan Ganz) wrote:
In article ,



wrote:
On Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:38:55 -0400, "Roger Long"
wrote:

Sounds like your cockpit is arranged quite a bit differently than mine. I'm
always using my jib winch when furling because I run a single turn of the
sheet around it to get a nice tight furl.

I can't see anything wrong with the way you are doing it though. The key
point is to have some "feel" which swigging provides. Too easy to over pull
with a winch. I was just looking at a broken Harken torque tube a couple
days ago.

Harken says that if you need to use a winch to furl, there is
something wrong with either your setup or your technique.

I find I have to use heavily padded gloves for that small diameter
furling line when the wind is up, but never had to resort to using a
winch.

Schaefer says the same thing, as do all the people I know with furlers.

I've never had to use more than regular effort to furl, even in 20kts. It's odd that there would be that much on the furling line.

Boat size, sail size, wind speed and fear all factor into this at some
level. The wind speed issue is big as the loads vary with V^2. Above
around 35' feet and/or offshore I'd strongly recommend that the
furling line have a fair lead to a free winch. I like Harken gear but
one of the reasons I don't use one of their furlers on my offshore
cruiser is that putting the furling line on a winch voids their
warranty. Profurl, Sailrite and several others specifically allow the
use of winches for furling and that is a good thing in my book.

Some reason a furler couldn't have a shear pin like an outboard motor?
Combine harvesters have a not very strong piece of lumber, about 1x2,
in the drive to the harvesting mechanism. Jam it and the board breaks,
instead of steel bending. The concept is widely known.

Casady