On Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:16:43 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:55:06 -0400, wrote:

like the header sez...

I have a Harken, and it has been completely reliable and trouble-free
for over 10 years.

The Harken furler has consistently ranked near the top of tests and
surveys that I have seen. I'd recommend getting it professionally
installed by someone who knows it well.

In the fifties Lands End sold only sailboat stuff. Rigging parts,
compasses, various blocks, some by Harken. Only clothes were foul
weather gear and lifejackets.

Casady

On Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:42:50 GMT, (Richard
Casady) wrote:

On Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:16:43 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:55:06 -0400, wrote:

like the header sez...

I have a Harken, and it has been completely reliable and trouble-free
for over 10 years.

The Harken furler has consistently ranked near the top of tests and
surveys that I have seen. I'd recommend getting it professionally
installed by someone who knows it well.

In the fifties Lands End sold only sailboat stuff. Rigging parts,
compasses, various blocks, some by Harken. Only clothes were foul
weather gear and lifejackets.

Didn't see any shops but there were more wrecks than you could shake a
stick at.

On 2008-08-09 09:34:28 -0400, Gogarty said:

I also have a Harken. Came with the boat, which is now 27 years old.
Works very well most of the time except when the wind gets over 20 and
you can't blanket it behind the main. Even a flogging jib at that wind
speed is a heavy load.

Try working on straightening the lead of the furling line. It's amazing
how much drag an extra block or too-wide angle can add.

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

On Sun, 10 Aug 2008 02:16:33 GMT, in message
2008080922163375249-jerelull@maccom
Jere Lull wrote:

On 2008-08-09 09:34:28 -0400, Gogarty said:

I also have a Harken. Came with the boat, which is now 27 years old.
Works very well most of the time except when the wind gets over 20 and
you can't blanket it behind the main. Even a flogging jib at that wind
speed is a heavy load.

Try working on straightening the lead of the furling line. It's amazing
how much drag an extra block or too-wide angle can add.

Also take care to control the furling line on the roll-out -- it will
feed into the drum much more neatly with a little tension and be much
easier to roll up later.

Ryk

On 2008-08-13 13:35:59 -0400, Ryk said:

On Sun, 10 Aug 2008 02:16:33 GMT, in message
2008080922163375249-jerelull@maccom
Jere Lull wrote:

On 2008-08-09 09:34:28 -0400, Gogarty said:

I also have a Harken. Came with the boat, which is now 27 years old.
Works very well most of the time except when the wind gets over 20 and
you can't blanket it behind the main. Even a flogging jib at that wind
speed is a heavy load.

Try working on straightening the lead of the furling line. It's amazing
how much drag an extra block or too-wide angle can add.

Also take care to control the furling line on the roll-out -- it will
feed into the drum much more neatly with a little tension and be much
easier to roll up later.

That's a subject I intentionally left out. Since I use a small spare
winch as my snubber, it's easy to use it to control furling line line
tension. It's so lovely to watch the furling line wind up and down the
drum tightly as the sail pulls itself out.

Oh, GAWD, what a mess I've seen when the furling line randomly wound
up. Couldn't let the sail fully out as the line filled up the available
space too quickly. When hauling in, the line slipped under previous
wraps, making it impossible to furl the sail again.

I doubt anyone will make that particular mistake twice. It can make for
an entirely too-busy afternoon.

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

The furling line should end in a ratchet block and then lead forward to the
cleat. The ideal location is such that you are located about mid way
between the block and the first fairlead. You can then reach down and swig
the line while holding the free end to lock the ratchet block. This lets
you develop quite a bit of extra power without the risk of overdoing it with
a winch ($$$$) and pump in the first few rolls.

I would have been in a real pickle last fall when caught close too a nasty
lee shore in a sudden gust front if I hadn't just converted to this
arrangement. I couldn't run off and was suddenly overpowered enough that
I'm not sure I could have gotten the boat to tack. New Englanders can read
the full story in the October "Points East". Anticipation is an important
part of using a roller rig.

--
Roger Long

On 2008-08-10 07:22:14 -0400, "Roger Long" said:

The furling line should end in a ratchet block and then lead forward to the
cleat. The ideal location is such that you are located about mid way
between the block and the first fairlead. You can then reach down and swig
the line while holding the free end to lock the ratchet block. This lets
you develop quite a bit of extra power without the risk of overdoing it with
a winch ($$$$) and pump in the first few rolls.

On our boat, that would put that turning block well aft in the cockpit,
crossing sheets and the primary -- full-time. That disturbs me. Why not
just go around the primary winch for the short period? You won't have
the jib sheets on it at those times. (BTW, you just described another
form of winching.)

I happen to use a cabin-top winch as our "snub" for the furling line.
(When tying off, I wrap the line a dozen or so times around the winch,
many wraps overlapping previous ones, before going to the cleat.)

I can't winch with the winch as the lead is wrong (coming down), but
with only two blocks in the lead's run, I have very little drag and
have furled the sail in 25++ fairly easily.

I can get a little more power by bracing a foot against the bulkhead;
two feet and "lift with the knees" gives real power, yet I can feel if
the "haul" is wrong (usually the chute halyard wrapping up top).

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

Sounds like your cockpit is arranged quite a bit differently than mine. I'm
always using my jib winch when furling because I run a single turn of the
sheet around it to get a nice tight furl.

I can't see anything wrong with the way you are doing it though. The key
point is to have some "feel" which swigging provides. Too easy to over pull
with a winch. I was just looking at a broken Harken torque tube a couple
days ago.

--
Roger Long

On Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:38:55 -0400, "Roger Long"
wrote:

Sounds like your cockpit is arranged quite a bit differently than mine. I'm
always using my jib winch when furling because I run a single turn of the
sheet around it to get a nice tight furl.

I can't see anything wrong with the way you are doing it though. The key
point is to have some "feel" which swigging provides. Too easy to over pull
with a winch. I was just looking at a broken Harken torque tube a couple
days ago.

Harken says that if you need to use a winch to furl, there is
something wrong with either your setup or your technique.

I find I have to use heavily padded gloves for that small diameter
furling line when the wind is up, but never had to resort to using a
winch.

On 2008-08-10 13:38:55 -0400, "Roger Long" said:

Sounds like your cockpit is arranged quite a bit differently than mine. I'm
always using my jib winch when furling because I run a single turn of the
sheet around it to get a nice tight furl.

The 135 sheets to the primaries on the coming, and even if I were using
the 110 on the cabin-top secondaries, I can get the tight furl from the
port-side sheet. Remember, we're talking about furling in heavier
winds, a time when we'll obtain a tight furl anyway. In light airs, I
don't need to snub the furling line.

If that's not clear (somewhat expected), let's just say that it works for us.

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