Have a Hunter 38 with in mast main sail furling in northern Michigan. When I cradle the boat over the winter can I keep the main in the mast or should I remove it and store it in my basement?
Fear not about opinions that vary from yours here. All sides of the sailing issue are explored and respected here on SBO.I am sure I will get flamed for my opinion, but what you ask is viable.
Are you in Michigan?I have had such a main on my 44 DS for 13 years and I always struck it, folded it gently, and stowed in a nice cozy spot in my basemen. I can't imagine leaving it in the mast.
Ice Breaker. I had a Hunter 38 from 2007 until 2019 cruising the Texas gulf, Florida and the Bahamas. I always kept the main in the mast and went through four hurricanes with no damage to the sail or halyard both docked and on to the hard. The fifth hurricane was hurricane Dorian in the. Abaco islands and the boat was totaled and of course dis masted. I now have different Hunter 38 in Northern Michigan and would like to leave the main in the mast but not sure about mildew etc. Any thoughts?I have done it both ways. On our 41 the main is a beast. I have stored at home, but generally leave it in the cabin over the winter. Last winter, as an experiment, I left it in the mast. There was zero damage, and my de commissioning/ commissioning life was much better. I have always dreaded dealing with the main. I plan to leave it up this year again. If you look at all the warm water boats out there, many of those never come down for years. I would be more worried about mildew in the summer, but that has never been a problem for us.
I am sure I will get flamed for my opinion, but what you ask is viable.
Pat:Ice Breaker. I had a Hunter 38 from 2007 until 2019 cruising the Texas gulf, Florida and the Bahamas. I always kept the main in the mast and went through four hurricanes with no damage to the sail or halyard both docked and on to the hard. The fifth hurricane was hurricane Dorian in the. Abaco islands and the boat was totaled and of course dis masted. I now have different Hunter 38 in Northern Michigan and would like to leave the main in the mast but not sure about mildew etc. Any thoughts?
You are going away on a 4 month vacation, and have 2 choices :Pat:
The only mildew that I have experienced is around and under the spreader patches. This all happens in the summer. Last winter was the first time that I left the main up and when we unfurled for the first time everything was fine. So my experience is limited, but given your first hand experience, in TX, leaving it up in norther MI or norther WI, should be much better. I do wash the sails every couple of years to get the bugs and mildew out. Also, I am sitting on a cradle all winter, so there are no sail stands to worry about. There was another commenter talking about the top webbing rotting out, but at our latitudes, the winter UV is Zero. I believe that you will have good success with what ever you choose to do. And just for everyone to understand I do drop the sail every year to lube the bearings and do inspections.