In "Roger Long" writes:

Hmm, must be something about going out on bowsprits in the middle of
the night that has warped my perspective.

Do you think someone who has grown up sailing only roller furling
boats with all line handling done from the cockpit can be considered a
competent sailor? This has some parallels with the GPS Vs pencil and
chart discussions.

Everybody can rig his boat the best way he knows about and there are
always some place for discussion. But anyone can have an opinion
about different alternatives to perform various tasks, I do not really
understand your reasoning.

I have all my controll lines, reefing lines and hallyards led after to
the cocpit. Still it does not mean, that I do not go to the foredeck.
I do not have a furling gear and unless I end up buying a +55 footer I
do not see why I should have one. Hoisting or lowering the jib has never
been a problem. On the other hand I have seen many problems caused by
the roller.

Quite a many couples sail with a crew of two. It is to me a good system
that the other can go if needed forward and still the other can pull the
ropes in the cockpit. For example by dowsing the jib or the main, it is
in many cases very convinient to have one handling the line from the
cockpit and the other one giving a hand to help the sail to come down or
letting loose a reefing line that is jammed. Even if you have a bundle
of kids to perform the task, one can do it from the cockpit.

Some people have the idea that if they have a furling gear they do not
have to change the sail. So far I have not seen a jib or genoa that is
strong enough to be used in 30 knots and light enough to be used in 6
knots of wind. Looks like most "sailors" solve this problem by motoring
as soon as the wind goes below 10 knots or above 20 knots.

At least my boat is sailing much better, not heeling so much and
pointing higher if I use a 15 square meter jib, that is made of fairly
heavy dacron and is cut very flat if the wind goes above 24 knots.
But when there is less than 12 knots of wind I like to have a bit more
sail, that is made from lighter material and is cut a bit fuller.

So far the furlers do not change the thicknes of the cloth but they
spoil the beautifull shape that the sailmaker has built in with so much
effort. Then I have a real storm jib that is only 7 square meters,
really strong and flat. So I end up changing the foresail once a while.
Then we cet the practice to go to the foredeck.

Even though it is important for the kids to learn to move around in the
boat, I have this funny idea, that it is more important to teach them to
sail properly, to learn about the trimming of the sails, getting the
sensation and the feeling of well trimmed sails and nicely moving boat.
Seems to me, that todays "sailors" with their furling gears have very
little time to sail, as they always have the wrong sail upp. Luckily
they feel it is so easy to roll it in, that they can start the engine
and drive home, but they can always hope that tomorrow we have the
optimal 10 to 16 knots of wind from a proper direction so they can sail
for a while.

- Lauri Tarkkonen