Fine-Tuning the Roller-Reefing System
 

yea...some great points there rhys...thanx....
as i have thought in the past, roller reefing is
good for the "casual" sailor or racer...but for
hard core or serious sailor / racer, hanks
are just fine, thank you.....

Fine-Tuning the Roller-Reefing System
 

On 23 Oct 2005 09:10:59 -0700, "~^ beancounter ~^"
wrote:

yea...some great points there rhys...thanx....
as i have thought in the past, roller reefing is
good for the "casual" sailor or racer...but for
hard core or serious sailor / racer, hanks
are just fine, thank you.....

This is not to knock roller reefing at all. Let me put it this way: As
the owner of a racer-cruiser who doesn't "race" it except to cruise
efficiently (and who cruises "light" in crew and cargo regardless),
you couldn't pay me to install roller reefing.

But if the next boat has a reputable and properly sized reefing drum
and track installed, you couldn't pay me to take it off!

(The next boat is likely to be larger, heavier and completely
cruise-oriented, needless to say).

Hope this debate helps. As a side comment, I certainly wouldn't
install roller reefing on any boat sub-30 feet if I had decent hank-on
sails available to me, or unless I sailed alone constantly and was
older or physically unfit. The performance hit on smaller boats seems
bigger to judge by how the "cruisers who race" do.

R.

Fine-Tuning the Roller-Reefing System
 

rhys wrote:
On 23 Oct 2005 09:10:59 -0700, "~^ beancounter ~^"
wrote:


yea...some great points there rhys...thanx....
as i have thought in the past, roller reefing is
good for the "casual" sailor or racer...but for
hard core or serious sailor / racer, hanks
are just fine, thank you.....


This is not to knock roller reefing at all. Let me put it this way: As
the owner of a racer-cruiser who doesn't "race" it except to cruise
efficiently (and who cruises "light" in crew and cargo regardless),
you couldn't pay me to install roller reefing.

But if the next boat has a reputable and properly sized reefing drum
and track installed, you couldn't pay me to take it off!

(The next boat is likely to be larger, heavier and completely
cruise-oriented, needless to say).

Hope this debate helps. As a side comment, I certainly wouldn't
install roller reefing on any boat sub-30 feet if I had decent hank-on
sails available to me, or unless I sailed alone constantly and was
older or physically unfit. The performance hit on smaller boats seems
bigger to judge by how the "cruisers who race" do.

R.
There are actually 4 choices. A typical furler, a code zero type furler
(on a kevlar luff and foldable, hanks and a foil. Most racers use foils
that can be converted to furlers with the addition of the drum for
cruising. Cruiser should think twice about foils and furlers. A furler
when furled is serious windage and when you drop a sail on a foil the
entire thing except tack head and clew can go over the side. The
advantages of hanks are a matter of record despite the fact that they
are more work.