Flaking The Main Question - Revisited.

higgs · Jun 25, 2010

From what I have observed many with those sails take the slugs out and roll it around the boom.

Don S/V ILLusion · Jun 25, 2010

I believe in your earlier post on this question, everyone already told you flaking carbon/mylar sails will damage the sail. There are no tips for how to do it without damaging them.

steveD · Jun 25, 2010

Ducati said:
Still looking for tips on how to flake the main. They are carbon-mylar racing sails and I usually sail single handed and wait until I get back to the dock to begin the frustrating process of flaking the main on the boom. I was thinking of rigging up some kind of clip that would be reattached over the sail/boom after each flake was draped. Is there such a thing, if not I may invent one.

I know there will be comments suggesting installing lazy-jacks or a dutchman however right now that is not going to happen

Thanks

Ducati, I am a very very new to sailing and i also have to do this myself. I have mylar main and I use a bunge cord and secure it at the end of the boom and as I flake, i slide it up toward the mast. As i move up the bunge, i use my sail ties as I work along. This is probably not very good for the "masters" but for me the novice, it works.

RichH · Jun 25, 2010

Disconnect from the track and then roll the sail is the only proper way to store a carbon fiber, any 'laminate' of 'racing grade' dacron sail.

Eric M · Jun 25, 2010

Flaking The Main

Since you asked for ideas on some sort of clip to help hold the flakes in place have you seen the Sail Lash Centipede (see link below to one source) I have used one on boats up to and including a Catalina 30 and they work well to help hold the sail in place once lowered / flaked. You can make a custom one out of a piece of line and several custom length bungies tied in along the length of the boom as necessary.

Good Luck,

--Eric

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=10102&subdeptNum=10215&classNum=10216

Ross · Jun 25, 2010

Re: Flaking The Main

It seems that the concern here is to avoid creasing the sail. The fabric is quite slippery and rather stiff and therefore difficult to hold . Those are the traits that must be overcome.

Ray T · Jun 25, 2010

I don't think a single person can roll a sail that large with good results. Rich is right that the best way to store a racing sail is to roll it. To look at the possible I would leave the sail slugs in the track and then flake the sail from the aft end. I can't roll the sail on my 216 by myself maybe I'm inept, anyway I use the method I mentioned. Let us know what you decide perhaps I'll switch.

Joe · Jun 25, 2010

Stand at the mast and alternate the folds from slug to slug as the sail comes down... you can hold the main halyard in one hand, or stand on it with you foot, to control the drop. Once the sail is down, go to the boom end in the cockpit and work your way forward, eveniing out the flakes along the boom... You know you're doing it right if the battens lay parallel to, or on top, of each other, because the battens butt into the slugs.

Have a couple of sail ties (gaskets) handy and secure the sail loosely as you work your way forward.. Then get up by the mast and clean up any uneven flakes or re-adjust the ties before putting on the cover.

If your main uses a bolt rope.... you must remove the sail from the channel completly before flaking it back on the boom. For my NACRA beach cat, which has a bolt rope, I just take it off, like any other headsail, lay it out and them fold in half near a middle batten (the sail has 9 of them!) then I lay the jib inside and roll it up towards the foot/headboard end.

RichBone · Jun 27, 2010

You didn't say if you had slugs or not. Being a racing sail I assume there are no slugs.

Rich