Some sailors are saying the a low friction sail track and slide system for
the main could be an acceptable alternative to an in mast main furler. Any
comments.

"Charlie Morgan" wrote in message
If I wanted a furling mainsail, I think I'd opt for the in-boom,
rather than the in-mast approach.

Firstly - regarding the low friction track & slide option - this works well,
but you still have to go up on deck to reef or tie down the sail - Perhaps
at night or in heavy seas. A big plus of furling mains is that they can be
operated from the cockpit.

I would agree that having any potential problems at a level where you can
fix them is a plus for in-boom furling. And having a full roach furling main
is a plus. But many of the earlier and perhaps even present in-boom designs
have had design problems.

One problem is the goosneck - This causes the tack of the mainsail to be
located 6 or 8 inches aft of the mast track. Early designs by Hood and
perhaps others used a somewhat flimsy plastic track to direct the mainsail
luff rope into the mast track. This caused problems.

Other designs use standoffs from the mast that located a new articulating
mast track (and halyard sheave) aft of the mast in line with the gooseneck -
This may work but "looks" like a work around and there is still the
possibility of the separate track coming loose or whatever and that is still
aloft. These designs sometimes have the furling drum on the aft end of the
boom - the furling line which has to be quite thin, goes through many
contortions and I have seen them fail.

Another aproach on some multihulls, was to have no gooseneck, but allow the
mast to rotate - I thing I saw this on Farrier trimarans. These units had no
furling drum, but used a crank operated through the mast to wind up the
main.

The in-mast furlers that we see on Catalinas and many other new designs do
look neat and look like a well engineered solution - I would like one on my
boat, even with the negative that mainsail area will be reduced with a
roachless main and there is always the possibility of a jam aloft.

But, one would think that better engineered in-boom furlers should be
possible, especially if the mast & boom are designed as a system. A well
engineered in-boom furler would then be my choice, but it would not likely
be suitable as a retrofit.

I do not much about in mast main sail fuller.
The comments I have heard were that many sailors like the convenient of a
main fuller but do not want to sacrifice the power of a main sail.
I am close in buying a new sailboat and I have to make a choice between
standard main or in mast main sail fuller.
The alternative I have is to get a main sail flaking system with a Strong
Track installed coupled with a 4'-9" fin keel and 29'-3 LWL. Otherwise, the
boat equipped with the main fuller has a 6'-00" fin keel with 31' LWL.
On a 350 NM crossing having a regular main sail may make a difference?


"Charlie Morgan" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:27:05 GMT, wrote:

Some sailors are saying the a low friction sail track and slide system for
the main could be an acceptable alternative to an in mast main furler.
Any
comments.


I have the "strong track" from tides marine. It makes a huge
difference in the amount of effort needed to raise the sail, and the
sail also comes down as if it was not attached to anything. It makes
sail handling easier, but I don't understand how anyone could compare
it with an in-mast furler. Two different aspects of sail handling.

If I wanted a furling mainsail, I think I'd opt for the in-boom,
rather than the in-mast approach.

CWM

"Charlie Morgan" wrote
Check out "Leisure Furl".

http://www.forespar.com

CWM

Charlie,

That is more or less what I was talking about, having seen the original
Danish unit that the newer Forespar and Profurl unit are modelled on. But
Forespar do seem to have improved on the concept.

wrote in message
...
I do not much about in mast main sail fuller.
The comments I have heard were that many sailors like the convenient of a
main fuller but do not want to sacrifice the power of a main sail.
I am close in buying a new sailboat and I have to make a choice between
standard main or in mast main sail fuller.
The alternative I have is to get a main sail flaking system with a Strong
Track installed coupled with a 4'-9" fin keel and 29'-3 LWL. Otherwise,
the boat equipped with the main fuller has a 6'-00" fin keel with 31' LWL.
On a 350 NM crossing having a regular main sail may make a difference?

I have heard favourable comments about the Strong Track system as well. The
Dutchman now makes a similar system which they feel is better. Both cost
around $1,500 to add to a main. A lot less than in-mast furling.
Personally I'd get the boat with the 6 foot draft and outfit a full batten
main with one of the above systems. You would have a boat that would point
better and be faster overall than the 4'9" draft boat.

On Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:15:35 GMT, "Gordon Wedman"
wrote:

Personally I'd get the boat with the 6 foot draft and outfit a full batten
main with one of the above systems. You would have a boat that would point
better and be faster overall than the 4'9" draft boat.

It depends on where you want to cruise. The Chesapeake, south Florida
and the Bahamas can be a struggle with 6 ft of draft.

On 2007-04-18 10:13:43 -0400, said:

I do not much about in mast main sail fuller.
The comments I have heard were that many sailors like the convenient of
a main fuller but do not want to sacrifice the power of a main sail. I
am close in buying a new sailboat and I have to make a choice between
standard main or in mast main sail fuller.
The alternative I have is to get a main sail flaking system with a
Strong Track installed coupled with a 4'-9" fin keel and 29'-3 LWL.
Otherwise, the boat equipped with the main fuller has a 6'-00" fin keel
with 31' LWL.
On a 350 NM crossing having a regular main sail may make a difference?

You're comparing different boats, so I can't comment on the choice. If
they *are* the same hull, I'd get the flaking system as it's a lighter
boat, more easily driven, and as another said, that extra foot of draft
can be a real PITA in some locales.

My primary problem with any furling sail is that they don't keep a good
shape when partially furled for heavier winds. I can sorta get by with
a smaller main though it's easier to shorten sail for strong wind than
expand the sail for normal winds, but if I'm reefing, I want that main
FLAT.

The speed difference may not be that significant, but the comfort
difference may be huge.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's new pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI pages: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

"Jere Lull" wrote in message
news:2007041901532916807-jerelull@maccom...
On 2007-04-18 10:13:43 -0400, said:

I do not much about in mast main sail fuller.
The comments I have heard were that many sailors like the convenient of a
main fuller but do not want to sacrifice the power of a main sail. I am
close in buying a new sailboat and I have to make a choice between
standard main or in mast main sail fuller.
The alternative I have is to get a main sail flaking system with a Strong
Track installed coupled with a 4'-9" fin keel and 29'-3 LWL. Otherwise,
the boat equipped with the main fuller has a 6'-00" fin keel with 31'
LWL.
On a 350 NM crossing having a regular main sail may make a difference?

You're comparing different boats, so I can't comment on the choice. If
they *are* the same hull, I'd get the flaking system as it's a lighter
boat, more easily driven, and as another said, that extra foot of draft
can be a real PITA in some locales.

My primary problem with any furling sail is that they don't keep a good
shape when partially furled for heavier winds. I can sorta get by with a
smaller main though it's easier to shorten sail for strong wind than
expand the sail for normal winds, but if I'm reefing, I want that main
FLAT.

The speed difference may not be that significant, but the comfort
difference may be huge.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's new pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI pages: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

It is a hard call, when I got my first new boat I declined to have a jib
roller fulling. Now everyone are using them.
The depth of the keel is a concern. As people have already said it 6 feet
could a struggle in some areas.
My present boat has a 4'-6" draft and I managed to get aground about twice
every season. The boats that are pointing better than mine all have 5' to
6' plus draft.

wrote in message
...
Some sailors are saying the a low friction sail track and slide system for
the main could be an acceptable alternative to an in mast main furler.
Any comments.

I have used both in mast furlers and slab reefing. I have not used in-boom
reefing. On slab reefing sails, I have used both rams horns and single
pennant systems, and low friction systems. For sail control I have used both
lazy jacks and the Dutchman system.

My conclusions:

Slab reefing with low friction sliders is much preferred over in-mast
furlers. Not only is loss of sail an issue, but slab reefing is less likely
to jam. An 82 degree angle is necessary to prevent jamming an in-mast
furler. A slippery slab reeefing system can be reefed while sailing on any
point of sail. An in-mast furler must be taken head to wind; this not only
powers up the sail as you head up, the engine must be turned on to keep the
boat head to wind.

Rams horns are preferred to single pennant systems. I have had the pennant
jam so that sail could not be reefed, nor could the reef be shaken out.
For those concerned about going forward, I also wear an inflatable harness
and would add a tether if single-handing, in heavy weather, or at night. If
single handing, the auto pilot or wind vane will keep the boat on course.

Either lazy jacks or the Dutchman are a boon to sail handling. I prefer the
lazy jacks, because they can be pulled out the way when not in use. The are
only necessary when lowering the sail.

My $.02.

Jack


--
__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
CYA Advanced Cruising Instructor
Director, Swiftsure Sailing Academy
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
__________________________________________________