Furler sail choice - opinions wanted

rbmcintire · Apr 16, 2012

longterm said:
I doubt I'll do that much at all; if the day is too windy to singlehand, I'll bring someone with me or not go at all. Saturday we had some really high winds, and had a fun day of sailing--this was with a 110 though and not a 135, and there were 3 of us.

I might be inclined to sail on just the jib someday though... Never say never...

Since I'm converting from hank on jib to a furler, could my existing jib halyard do what you were describing? I'm not familiar with it.

Stu says the ProFurl unit as its own halyard restrainer built-in, so I believe you'll be fine. Measure twice on the available luff dimension (also known as Max Hoist) after the furler installation if you're ordering over the phone or web. I'm wondering how that will compare with the current hank-on sail's luff length. Significant difference or not?

Rob

dj2210 · Apr 16, 2012

rbmcintire said:
Measure twice on the available luff dimension (also known as Max Hoist) after the furler installation if you're ordering over the phone or web.

Rob

I second that! Better a hair short than a hair long otherwise you'll be having it back to the sailmaker. I ordered mine before the furler was installed and based the dimension on calculations. I'm about an inch too long and will have to modify the tack

rbmcintire · Apr 16, 2012

longterm said:
So here are my questions:

If I were to buy a sail from North (or elsewhere), how do I know for sure that it would fit?

The local sailmaker told me to have the furler put on, then get a measure from pin to pin.

So here is another thought: if I get my 150 cut for the furler, I'll end up with essentially what, a 145? 140?

If so, that would be fine for me, assuming the sail's in good condition.

My sails are 1984 vintage and I spent about $130 getting some patches done and some new letters. My feeling as a newbie was that I wouldn't appreciate the difference had I gone out and bought new ones. Plus, I had way more pressing repairs that needed funding. The $130 was relatively nominal. If I was in your shoes though, with that gorgeous boat, I'd be leaning towards a new headsail. You'll be a least halfway towards a new one with the needed mod's, on 22 yr old cloth, to boot. You can't ignore that.

If you do the measuring, you set the specification. Before they fufill the order, they must measure to see that it meets your spec. Use VISA. Tell'em you expect them to send a return shipping receipt and that they will re-credit the card if it doesn't fit, OR if they're sending an unused, but re-cut sail. Ask your local guy about this, he or she should be able to identify that. Hey, after all this, the stock sail might just fit, as is! You'll know the hoist measurement. And as morty and jeff will tell ya, don't forget Catalina Yachts in FL; they've supposedly got mucho deals on sails in the warehouse. Good Luck!

Dave Groshong · Apr 17, 2012

Most sailmakers have gone to Rope Luff, luff stiffener, the foam is not durable enough, breaks down over time. Our Doyle built 135% with UV cover, rope luff stiffener, adjustable leechline, telltales and a bag is $1737.

mortyd · Apr 17, 2012

longterm, yes.

Stu Jackson · Apr 17, 2012

Do you have long link plates on the bottom of the drum on your ProFurl? If so, you tack will be pretty high above the deck. The windows in one of our sails is useless because the sail itself is so high above the deck that the window is also so high.

Think also about the importance of the luff length. On our boat, both headsails (85 and 110) are shorter than the max hoist on the extrusion. I find this to be very good, since I raise the sails as high as they can go with the halyard and then I have attached a length of strong thin line at the tack and use this to tighten the luff once I unfurl the jib. The line goes from the tack of the sail to the top of the drum. Instead of using the halyard for luff tension, I use this line.

Lots a visibility forward when the sails are up.

You have a lot to think about on this topic, but I would caution you to dump the old sails and buy new.

Measure, measure, measure...

Stu Jackson · Apr 17, 2012

One other thing, part of my earlier posts on page one. Check carefully the position of the clew as it compares to the forward-most position of your jib fairlead car track. If your clew is too low, the track won't be far enough forward and the top of the sail will flog going upwind because you won't get enough leech tension. It's all about the geometry, and why I suggest that folks use local sailmakers who can come and see all of this, or unless you know what you are doing.

Good luck on your quest.

mortyd · Apr 17, 2012

stu, i think he was asking about a window for the telltales and not forward vision. my sailmaker made two of them and they really help see the telltales behind the jib.

jackhararis · Apr 17, 2012

Go to thesailwarehouse.com. They have a full stock of sails for your boat and for your furler. Check the prices, better than most private sail lofts. I have used them for years and they are great.

Bad Obsession · Apr 18, 2012

Use dark colored tell tales, you should be able to see them through the sail. I don't have windows but I can see both telltails this way.

Actually, I bought the red and green tell tails from west marine and stuck them on. I hate, Hate, HATE yarn tell tails because they get stuck on fibers, get wet and stick to the sail, and many other issues.

mortyd · Apr 18, 2012

wherever you live there must be sun on both sides of the jib, or your genny is made out of sexy lace. when the sun is behind the sail i can see the talltales fine, but when the sun is on the side of the sail i'm sitting, fuggetaboutit. also, my wind vane came with a sun attached because most of the time i look up, all i see is sun. now; if i can just figure out how to take pieces of sailcloth the sailmaker cut out to make my windows and have them block the sun thats always behind my wind vane.....

Stu Jackson · Apr 18, 2012

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=120

I can see ours thru the sail, due to the strange angles we get with our sun here on the Left Coast!

Maybe all the fog helps?

While it's more difficult to see the outboard telltale, you can sail by inboard ones alone, simple head up until they start to flap and then bear off a tad. Pretty hard to see both without a window, but most windows are at the base of the sail and we have three sets up the luff of each of our jibs. I have no problem seeing both of them, the two higher up.

Maybe you just need to get old, thin, worn out sails to see them both!

mortyd · Apr 18, 2012

stu, i always had a hunch i was wrong to replace my genny when the old one was ripped apart in a storm. she was a good sail. one year a sailmaker told me she was shot, the next year the same sailmaker told me the same sail was just fine. that's a good sail. in any event the new genny came with two windows before i had a chance to do anything about it. i also wanted a window for forward visibility until i looked and realized the window would be too high to be of use.

Bad Obsession · Apr 18, 2012

It has nothing to do with the sun. It may have to deal with where you are sitting on the boat too. I have a hard time seeing my tell tails unless I am on the sides of the cockpit. It is hard to see from directly behind the helm. It is easiest to see on the weather rail and not the leeward rail.

mortyd · Apr 18, 2012

bad, my boat came with the largest wheel that can fit a catalina 30 so i sit on the rail conning with one hand. believe me, it's the sun. if it ain't i welcome all guesses.

mortyd · Apr 18, 2012

bad, on a cloudy day i can see all telltales fine.

Furler sail choice - opinions wanted

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