Furler question

[Mac Bentley]

Getting a new headsail and want to take the old one off. Much too windy today. I'm wondering, will it be as simple as attaching a messenger line to the internal halyard to bring the sail down and then raise a new sail? I've tried looking at as much manual stuff as I can online, but can't get it straight in my head. The boat is an H23. I'm confused about the role of that black thing in the picture.

Thanks, Mac

 

[Sailvayu]

I would think you should just be able to pull the sail down and hoist the replacement. Not sure why you need a messenger? Your halyard should be long enough for this. I think the black thing is a luff feeder to help guild it into the groove.

Capt. Wayne Canning, AMS
www.projectboatzen.com

 

[Warren Milberg]

Depends on the type of furler you have. Most conventional furlers do not need a messenger line attached to the halyard as Wayne notes, but CDI furlers with internal halyards do.

 

[Mac Bentley]

Without a messenger line, it seems like I'd need about 30 more feet of halyard. What's in the picture is all there is, maybe a couple of feet.

 

[Paul F]

Agree with you. I would attach a messenger and then pull down the sail part way and see if you can pull it up again. By doing this you should be able to determine how it works.