With out question, roller furling for the head sail. You will be on duty at
the helm anyway...though very nice, an Autohelm is not strictly necessary,
though might seem so on a long passage. I'm just thinking of those nights
at the helm with most of the crew sleeping, squally blowing in an seas
breaking over the front of your boat, and flowing down your lee deck. May
not be the time you would feel like strolling to the foredeck to shorten
sail.

Glenn.
s/v Seawing
www.seawing.net

wrote in message
oups.com...

Lauri Tarkkonen wrote:
In Lloyd Sumpter
writes:

On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:29:41 +0000, Mic wrote:

On a sailing craft which purchase would be a priority an AutoPilot or
a furling (head sail)? And why?

"Furler" I donno. Roller reefing, absulutely (on the headsail at
least). A
properly-balanced sailboat under sail doesn't really need autohelm
anyway:
I've sailed across Georgia Strait and never touched the helm. Having
roller reefing allows you to reef the headsail without having to go
forward.

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36

I would beg to differ, an autopilot is something that you can use for
most of your time afloat, the roller of the headsail is needed only for
a couple of minutes when you hoist and take your headsail down. If you
are interested in sailing then a partly rolled headsail is not a
satisfactory solution.

- Lauri Tarkkonen

I have both RF and AP on my 28' S2 and I bought the AP many yrs ago but
the RF just last year. It is my experience that the RF is used far
more than the AP and greatly increases the amount that I actually sail
because it can be unfurled easily when you get a light breeze and
easily furled when the wind dies. Sailing on close quarters where you
have to drop the jib a lot, say the ICW, the RF means you will sail
much more of the time because dropping the head sail every time you go
under a bridge is a pain whereas the RF is a breeze. For short or
single handed sailing, the RF means not going forward to deal with a
headsail so you can stay and steer while furling or unfurling the
headsail. I believe the RF will greatly improve your sailing
experience. Under these conditions, I also consider the RF to be a
safety enhancement. I can definitively say that RF has increased the
quantity and quality of my sailing.
The AP is very nice, but not essential for most coastal cruising. On a
recent 30 hour sail across the Gulf of Mexico (only about 130 miles),
we had 3 people aboard and rarely used the AP although we did use it
some. For shorter distances, you might like the feedback of using the
tiller. I have to admit, for those long hours of motoring when there
is little or no wind, the AP is nice. Note that it is also possible to
rig up a "self tending tiller arrangement" with bungees and line that
will keep you on a specific course with respect to the wind.
In short, if I was short of funds and had to make a choice, I'd go with
the RF and rig up a self tending device for the tiller.

Lauri Tarkkonen wrote:
In Lloyd Sumpter writes:


On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:29:41 +0000, Mic wrote:


On a sailing craft which purchase would be a priority an AutoPilot or
a furling (head sail)? And why?


"Furler" I donno. Roller reefing, absulutely (on the headsail at least). A
properly-balanced sailboat under sail doesn't really need autohelm anyway:
I've sailed across Georgia Strait and never touched the helm. Having
roller reefing allows you to reef the headsail without having to go
forward.


Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36


I would beg to differ, an autopilot is something that you can use for
most of your time afloat, the roller of the headsail is needed only for
a couple of minutes when you hoist and take your headsail down. If you
are interested in sailing then a partly rolled headsail is not a
satisfactory solution.

- Lauri Tarkkonen

Interesting quesyion. If you are daysailing and coastal cruising I would
think the roller furling is probably a better value. If you are
voyaging and sailing shorthanded 24/7 then the auto-piot is probably
better value. In my opinion!

The Auto pilot requires more than the price for the unit itself. Power
generation and power storage have to be increased. So if the boat isnt
already set up with good power, you will need to get the check book out
again.

Besides, if youre sailing short handed its useful. But most of the time
there is someone on board to take the helm.

DP
"Lloyd Sumpter" wrote in message
news
On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:29:41 +0000, Mic wrote:

On a sailing craft which purchase would be a priority an AutoPilot or
a furling (head sail)? And why?

"Furler" I donno. Roller reefing, absulutely (on the headsail at least). A
properly-balanced sailboat under sail doesn't really need autohelm anyway:
I've sailed across Georgia Strait and never touched the helm. Having
roller reefing allows you to reef the headsail without having to go
forward.

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36

d parker wrote:

The Auto pilot requires more than the price for the unit itself. Power
generation and power storage have to be increased. So if the boat isnt
already set up with good power, you will need to get the check book out
again.

Besides, if youre sailing short handed its useful. But most of the time
there is someone on board to take the helm.


....and, you need a sharp watchman anyway.

Terry K


DP
"Lloyd Sumpter" wrote in message
news
On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:29:41 +0000, Mic wrote:


On a sailing craft which purchase would be a priority an AutoPilot or
a furling (head sail)? And why?


"Furler" I donno. Roller reefing, absulutely (on the headsail at least). A
properly-balanced sailboat under sail doesn't really need autohelm anyway:
I've sailed across Georgia Strait and never touched the helm. Having
roller reefing allows you to reef the headsail without having to go
forward.

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36

"Terry Spragg" wrote in message
.. .
d parker wrote:

The Auto pilot requires more than the price for the unit itself. Power
generation and power storage have to be increased. So if the boat isnt
already set up with good power, you will need to get the check book out
again.

Besides, if youre sailing short handed its useful. But most of the time
there is someone on board to take the helm.


...and, you need a sharp watchman anyway.

Terry K

SNip

yep you're right. I reckon he should get the furler



DP

The question is better answered if we know what type of use you are doing
with your sailboat: daysailing, week end, long distance, the length of time
and the frequency of use.
Ideally you should have both the AP and the jib roller Furler
As for me the orders of priority a
1) husky boat fenders, for when you want to dock in against concrete Warf's
and locks.
2) AP when you are just you and your wife, more time to spent on vigil,
charting and cooking. Unless you are going upwind once your sails are up
and trimmed your boat is on course. When the weather get rough you balance
your boat with the proper sail and trim.
When you have to lower your sails, untangled and free your furler the AP is
your third hand.
3) Radar and GPS and back up, depending on your area, in land or on a lake
these are not a priority.
4) Dodger and Bimini, when you spent lots of time on the water it is wise to
protect your skin against sun damages
5) Roller furlers for the jib and main, when you no longer can get in front
to change sails drop the main and bag them, it is safer to have a good
furling system. Conversely if your furler get tangled or jammed and you
are alone your AP will serve you well.

Now days newer sailboats are all coming equipped with furlers and many have
AP, dodger and bimini.

d parker wrote:

"Terry Spragg" wrote in message
.. .

d parker wrote:


The Auto pilot requires more than the price for the unit itself. Power
generation and power storage have to be increased. So if the boat isnt
already set up with good power, you will need to get the check book out
again.

Besides, if youre sailing short handed its useful. But most of the time
there is someone on board to take the helm.


...and, you need a sharp watchman anyway.

Terry K


SNip

yep you're right. I reckon he should get the furler

DP

I maintain that a pull down line on the jib head, led aft to the
cockpit via a small block at the forepeak, is a better answer overall.

Pull jib down, sieze up downhaul, set main reef, rehoist jib is a
very safe manouver. It should also be easy for any fit sailor. No
boat should be sailing without consideration for crew fitness.

A well designed rig near the extreme of conditions will enable you
to sail well under a main trysail alone. If not, you should be
trailing warps or a drogue under bare poles, and warming up a can of
beans under your armpit, battened down, on deck or below.

A bare forestay is better in a blow than a baggy wrinkled genny
forcing your head downwind.

Terry K