Point to ponder: furling the jib

[Tom J]

We rode out a squall in Salem Harbor, MA, a few years ago, and, in the aftermath, we saw five or six sailboats with shredded jibs. I had noticed when we grabbed the mooring, that a lot of sailers favored leaving a bit of the jib unfurled. I have always furled the jib all the way, with at least three wraps of the sheets. I secure the sheets and tighten the furling line. Does leaving that handkerchief of jib sticking out lead to shredding, or more likely, did some sailers not secure their furling lines? Just something to ponder during midwinter doldrums.

 

[Roland5048]

Does leaving that handkerchief of jib sticking out lead to shredding, or more likely, did some sailers not secure their furling lines?

It can and probably. IMO you are doing the right thing. BTW, grew up in Scituate. Glad I'm in Fl. now.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Not sure leaving a sliver of jib out is intentional. Many sails won’t furl completely without conscious effort which is one of the reasons sailmakers sew some UV cloth to the tail.
it’s likely they simply didn’t expect the squall and left the furling line unsecured.

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

As I am looking at the shredded jib laying in my backyard, I am thinking it was an issue of the previous owner not properly adjusting the furler after the repairs he completed. He told me it need to be adjust again because he was not enough sheet wraps as it rolled up.

Like Don said mine was not properly stowed.

Lessons learned.
I know the PO cut every corner and pinched every penny during maintenance.
Inexperience and stupid tax is expensive.
Hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[Tom J]

it’s likely they simply didn’t expect the squall and left the furling line unsecured.

Yep. One of my dockmates routinely leaves both of his furling lines unsecured. Several times I have secured them for him.

 

[Roland5048]

it’s likely they simply didn’t expect the squall and left the furling line unsecured.

Why would one even do that?

 

[Roland5048]

BTW, grew up in Scituate. Glad I'm in Fl. now.

Maybe I should clarify that. Glad I'm not dealing with snow. Otherwise, I do miss New England.

 

[Tom J]

Maybe I should clarify that. Glad I'm not dealing with snow. Otherwise, I do miss New England.

Me too! I lived in Scituate for a while, then Plymouth and Florida before Hawaii.

 

[Tom J]

Why would one even do that?

I have wondered that, too. When they furl the jib, the furling line is in hand, and takes maybe 5 seconds to secure it. Dropping the furling line instead risks a shredded sail. Not worth it.

 

[thinwater]

Yup, I've furled sails for strangers. They forget.

 

[BarryL]

Hey,

I can't believe anyone would furl a headsail and not tie off the furling line.

I have seen numerous boats that leave some of the headsail exposed. Usually this is because the sail was furled in heavy air, which requires a lot of force to furl, and therefore requires more turns and more line on the furling drum. Sometimes you run out of line on the drum and some of the sail is exposed. Now you get strong wind and the sail flogs and gets destroyed,

If you don't have the sail completely furled, with some wraps of the sheets around the sail, you don't have enough furling line.

Barry

 

[PaulK]

We wrap the sheets two or three times around the furl, cleat off the furling line and tie off the sheets around the winches. Watching someone else's genoa shred itself to bits in a marina just once was enough of a lesson.

 

[JohnShannon]

I wrap the spinnaker halyard in the opposite rotation around the jib. That was after I got to buy a new jib.

 

[jssailem]

What happened before furlers… we removed the sail, folded it and stashed it safely away in a sail locker, hidden from the ravages of wild wind.

During winter wind storms I have been in the marina while sails that were not properly stored have whipped in the breeze flagging themselves to ribbons.

Is it the furler or the sailor responsible?

I’ve been a little short on wraps. I remove the sail and manually rotate the furler. Then reinstall the sail.

 

[sail sfbay]

.........I have always furled the jib all the way, with at least three wraps of the sheets. I secure the sheets and tighten the furling line.......

Ditto that..............never know when we will have a 70+ mph wind storm. Never had a jib sail unfurl, albeit a boat neighbor did resulting in a shredded jib sail.

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

I used the term "inexperience and stupid tax."

Yes sir learned an expensive lesson there. I also learned the Jib Sheet should be 3/8"x 50' in length. The one that is currently tied the the Jib is 5/8" x 35'. It is difficult to operate properly when you do not have the proper equipment.

 

[kappykaplan]

I’ve been a little short on wraps. I remove the sail and manually rotate the furler. Then reinstall the sail.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Like others, I put a few wraps on the furler, secure the furling line, and secure the sheets. Most of us here in windy Oz also tie another piece of line around the furler for extra assurance.
I have a Hood continuous furler, so I can add as many wraps as I like. No drum to run out of line.

 

[Sailfanatic]

....
I’ve been a little short on wraps. I remove the sail and manually rotate the furler. Then reinstall the sail.

An easy way to add wraps to the furler line on the drum without removing the sail, is to release the furler line, bring the sheets forward to the forestay, rotate the sail and sheets by hand in the direction that adds turns to the drum, when you have the extra turns on, cleat the furler line and reset you sheets.

See 10:30 in

 

[Tom J]

An easy way to add wraps to the furler line on the drum without removing the sail, is to release the furler line, bring the sheets forward to the forestay, rotate the sail and sheets by hand in the direction that adds turns to the drum, when you have the extra turns on, cleat the furler line and reset you sheets

I have done this once or twice over the years, like when I get a nice tight wrap and run out of furling line. Now, when I take the jib off the furler, I tie a line from the pulpit stanchions to the drum, keeping it in place for the next time.