"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 14, 9:50 am, katy wrote:
Bart wrote:
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0507/422839.html

According to the family, the skipper of the boat was a careful and
experienced sailor...that storm was wicked..must have been horrible out
by Lookout...we were out at the Bay on the previous day and the wind was
enough to blow you over and the surf was huge and pounding...

The boat had a roller furling main, and jib. I bet they were un-
managable.
You see roller furling rigs all the time that get blown open and
people are unable to refurl them in a real storm. Many people make the
wrong assumption that they are safer than hank on sails. In most
situations roller furling is ok, but in severe situations they are
just to risky IMO. Proper sized and shaped sails for a storm is the
only way to go.

Let's hope they are still in a raft and get picked up soon.

Joe



For the main, I agree... if it's in the mast, well, that's just asking for
trouble... no way to drop it without cutting the sail. For a headsail, it's
easy to drop the jib with a furler... pop the halyard, you're done.
Typically, however, you're right that if bad weather is forecast, bringing
down the furler and using a hanked on storm sail is safer.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com