I am thinking of buying a new 2006 Hunter 31. I am a bit of a traditionalist. I believe that a full roach main will give me better performance than a mast furled main. It seems most Hunters today are furled mains. It is hard to get a deal on a full roach as they must be special ordered. The question to the forum is I am looking for input from furling main sailors. Would you do it again or do you now wish you had bought a full roach main for your boat. I must admit that the convenience of a furled main when sailing short handed seems attractive. Thanks
full roach main vs furling main
- Thread starter roan
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but.....
Thanks for the input, problem is the "stock" boats all have in mast furling, not boom furling. I am leery of a sail with no battans!
Thanks for the input, problem is the "stock" boats all have in mast furling, not boom furling. I am leery of a sail with no battans!
I love mine
I don't have any experience with boom furlers but my in-mast furler is great. It is only in very light winds that not having battens and a big roach seem to make much difference. Once winds get 10kts or more I'm not sure you loose much speed at all and when they get strong enough for folks to start reefing and you're moving around at hull speed, the battens and roach don't matter anyway. If anything, you're better off with the furler because it is much easier to control heel with the loose footed main and unlimited reefing configurations whereas with the traditional main you generally only have 1 or 2 sets of reef points to choose from. If you are a serious racer, then by all means go traditional. I single hand most of the time and the in-mast reefing/furling sure makes things easier.
I don't have any experience with boom furlers but my in-mast furler is great. It is only in very light winds that not having battens and a big roach seem to make much difference. Once winds get 10kts or more I'm not sure you loose much speed at all and when they get strong enough for folks to start reefing and you're moving around at hull speed, the battens and roach don't matter anyway. If anything, you're better off with the furler because it is much easier to control heel with the loose footed main and unlimited reefing configurations whereas with the traditional main you generally only have 1 or 2 sets of reef points to choose from. If you are a serious racer, then by all means go traditional. I single hand most of the time and the in-mast reefing/furling sure makes things easier.
Have to agree with Honeyman
If you must have a furling main, boom furling would be way better. If you run into a problem furling inmast, how do you get the sail in? At least with boom furling you still can drop the sail. Add to that the full sized main with battens. It's really a no brainer.
If you must have a furling main, boom furling would be way better. If you run into a problem furling inmast, how do you get the sail in? At least with boom furling you still can drop the sail. Add to that the full sized main with battens. It's really a no brainer.
Furling
Roan, I started to write a screed about the virtues of in-mast furling, but I realized you asked only a very simple question. My response - no I wouldn't do it any differently. Period.
Roan, I started to write a screed about the virtues of in-mast furling, but I realized you asked only a very simple question. My response - no I wouldn't do it any differently. Period.
Roan...
I may be wrong, but I thought furling boom was an option just the same as furling mast on newer Hunters. They certainly have delivered several of the larger models with boom furling. If you are talking about what is "stock" in a dealer's inventory, that is probably another thing. If you order a boat to be built, I believe it's your choice.
I may be wrong, but I thought furling boom was an option just the same as furling mast on newer Hunters. They certainly have delivered several of the larger models with boom furling. If you are talking about what is "stock" in a dealer's inventory, that is probably another thing. If you order a boat to be built, I believe it's your choice.
what is your boat
Pete I would like to know what type of boat you have, how long have you had it and have you ever had a problem with the in mast furler. Thanks
Pete I would like to know what type of boat you have, how long have you had it and have you ever had a problem with the in mast furler. Thanks
full roach bs furling main
According to my Hunter dealer, the smallest Hunter you can do in-boom furling on is the 36, not the 31 or 33. Cost differential is significant. In-boom furling is about 3.5 times more expensive. I've seen a couple of the new Doyle Zenith mains with vertical battens. Seems to be a nice compromise between traditional full roach mains and the battenless furling mains. Get back most, but not all, of the roach lost by going to the furling main but the ease of the furling main.
According to my Hunter dealer, the smallest Hunter you can do in-boom furling on is the 36, not the 31 or 33. Cost differential is significant. In-boom furling is about 3.5 times more expensive. I've seen a couple of the new Doyle Zenith mains with vertical battens. Seems to be a nice compromise between traditional full roach mains and the battenless furling mains. Get back most, but not all, of the roach lost by going to the furling main but the ease of the furling main.
Sorry Pete / I can't resist
roan, I have a 2004 306 with in-mast and really enjoy it. My experience with the 306 is that the jib drives the boat and use the main to point. I've not sailed a 306 without in-mast so I cannot compare the two. I will say that the the 306 is a cruiser not a racer and is a joy to sail. We refer to ours on occasion as a pudgy baby. I love the ease with which I can get underway, no cover to remove and store. I don't have to leave the cockpit at all (reef/furl/etc.)I can close the boat down back at the dock in less than ten minutes while drinking a beer. Looking at the spec diff between traditional and furling I cannot see enough potential performance advantage to the former to give up the convenience of the latter. Would I do it again...a resounding YES!! IMHO
roan, I have a 2004 306 with in-mast and really enjoy it. My experience with the 306 is that the jib drives the boat and use the main to point. I've not sailed a 306 without in-mast so I cannot compare the two. I will say that the the 306 is a cruiser not a racer and is a joy to sail. We refer to ours on occasion as a pudgy baby. I love the ease with which I can get underway, no cover to remove and store. I don't have to leave the cockpit at all (reef/furl/etc.)I can close the boat down back at the dock in less than ten minutes while drinking a beer. Looking at the spec diff between traditional and furling I cannot see enough potential performance advantage to the former to give up the convenience of the latter. Would I do it again...a resounding YES!! IMHO
Love my in mast furler
Roan, Your buying a "cruising" boat not a "racer" so my suggestion is if you are concerned about light air performance then buy a drifter or a 160% genny.. I will never go back to a regular main! There is a sister ship to my boat that I sail against all the time and usually I'm beating the pants off of them. The difference.... I have a 150% genny and an in mast main with wing keel and they have a 135% genny and a full batten main with the deep keel. I think it really comes down to who's better at sailing and "tweaking" for speed. I know the owner of the sister ship to mine gets very angry because theoretically he should be faster but he's not... The big benefit of the furling main is that I can have my sails "both" put away in under a minute and be at the bar with a drink in my hand before my sister ship even leaves the boat. I can also reef incrementally and ideally match my sail area to the wind........ It's your decision but if it were me I would just opt for the larger head sail and in mast furling and call it a day!
Roan, Your buying a "cruising" boat not a "racer" so my suggestion is if you are concerned about light air performance then buy a drifter or a 160% genny.. I will never go back to a regular main! There is a sister ship to my boat that I sail against all the time and usually I'm beating the pants off of them. The difference.... I have a 150% genny and an in mast main with wing keel and they have a 135% genny and a full batten main with the deep keel. I think it really comes down to who's better at sailing and "tweaking" for speed. I know the owner of the sister ship to mine gets very angry because theoretically he should be faster but he's not... The big benefit of the furling main is that I can have my sails "both" put away in under a minute and be at the bar with a drink in my hand before my sister ship even leaves the boat. I can also reef incrementally and ideally match my sail area to the wind........ It's your decision but if it were me I would just opt for the larger head sail and in mast furling and call it a day!
an off the wall thought
Although I have in-mast furling, which I love, my mast has an external track on the aft side. It looks like you could have a full battened, roached main with slides made for the track and use the topping lift for an extra halyard. I don't need the topping lift because I have a solid vang. You would have to disconnect the outhaul from the furled main and connect it to the traditional main but that would be no problem. If you race, or are real concerned about light air performance, this could be an attractive option also. You could keep the furling main rolled up and use the other for racing. Seems like the only sacrifice is some additional weigt in the mast. Wonder if anyone has tried this setup.
Although I have in-mast furling, which I love, my mast has an external track on the aft side. It looks like you could have a full battened, roached main with slides made for the track and use the topping lift for an extra halyard. I don't need the topping lift because I have a solid vang. You would have to disconnect the outhaul from the furled main and connect it to the traditional main but that would be no problem. If you race, or are real concerned about light air performance, this could be an attractive option also. You could keep the furling main rolled up and use the other for racing. Seems like the only sacrifice is some additional weigt in the mast. Wonder if anyone has tried this setup.
306
I am actually looking at either the new H 31 or a H 33. I appreciate your comments on a similar boat to what i am looking at. Many have commented about the problem of dropping the sail if the furler jams. Have you had or heard of any furling jam issues on recent model Hunters? Thanks Roan.
I am actually looking at either the new H 31 or a H 33. I appreciate your comments on a similar boat to what i am looking at. Many have commented about the problem of dropping the sail if the furler jams. Have you had or heard of any furling jam issues on recent model Hunters? Thanks Roan.
H33 numbers
I went sailing yesterday. Windspeed NEVER exceeded 9.8 knots. Boatspeed was around 5 knots with a max of 6.27. The single best improvement on my boat over previously-owned boats is the in-mast furling mainsail. Typically, I sail in more than 10 knot winds and I would be sailing with a reefed main, so the lack of battens and roach just is not an issue. The ease of reefing IS a really BIG issue. As for jams, I'll just say that I maintain my boat really well, and the only jam on it is what we put on toast at breakfast. Halyard tension is very important for proper operation.
I went sailing yesterday. Windspeed NEVER exceeded 9.8 knots. Boatspeed was around 5 knots with a max of 6.27. The single best improvement on my boat over previously-owned boats is the in-mast furling mainsail. Typically, I sail in more than 10 knot winds and I would be sailing with a reefed main, so the lack of battens and roach just is not an issue. The ease of reefing IS a really BIG issue. As for jams, I'll just say that I maintain my boat really well, and the only jam on it is what we put on toast at breakfast. Halyard tension is very important for proper operation.
Roan
My in-mast is 9 years old although I have only owned the boat for 3 years. The original owner is a friend of mine and between the 2 of us, we have not had a situation where the main would not furl. There have been times when unfurling was difficult because of creases in the sail that developed when the sail was too loose as it was rolled up. After you get some experience, this problem becomes pretty rare. On this forum, I asked for any stories from someone who had actually faced an emergency where the main wouldn't furl. There was no response. You frequently hear from someone who has "heard" horror stories but I would be interested in hearing from someone who has actually experienced a big problem. It's kinda hard to believe that there is this great danger when most newer boats for charter have furling mains. These are sailed by people with all levels of experience/inexperience. The only problem I can think of would be if the main jammed when it was partially furled and would not go in or out because when it is fully unfurled, it can be dropped just as easily as a conventional main.
My in-mast is 9 years old although I have only owned the boat for 3 years. The original owner is a friend of mine and between the 2 of us, we have not had a situation where the main would not furl. There have been times when unfurling was difficult because of creases in the sail that developed when the sail was too loose as it was rolled up. After you get some experience, this problem becomes pretty rare. On this forum, I asked for any stories from someone who had actually faced an emergency where the main wouldn't furl. There was no response. You frequently hear from someone who has "heard" horror stories but I would be interested in hearing from someone who has actually experienced a big problem. It's kinda hard to believe that there is this great danger when most newer boats for charter have furling mains. These are sailed by people with all levels of experience/inexperience. The only problem I can think of would be if the main jammed when it was partially furled and would not go in or out because when it is fully unfurled, it can be dropped just as easily as a conventional main.
Thanks Bill
You are giving me confidence to make the decision re furling. Thanks again. What a beautiful summer day for sailing here. Went out early this morning for a couple of hours and after my sons hockey practice, will head out again!
You are giving me confidence to make the decision re furling. Thanks again. What a beautiful summer day for sailing here. Went out early this morning for a couple of hours and after my sons hockey practice, will head out again!
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