Convenience vs. performance
If you sail upwind alot you may not like a furling mail - it really depends on how demanding you are about boat performance. The lack of battens means the main will not be flat along the leach, and it tends to 'cup' the wind. SO.... if you crank the main in to run close-hauled it tends to make you heal-over alot without going any faster. You'll find yourself saying "But my old boat would point higher!" On the flip side, if you're short-handed it is SOOOOOO much easier & safer to shorten sail by just cranking in 2-3 feet. You never have to leave the cockpit. For me it comes down to a trade-off between performance and convenience, with a touch of concern for reliability. (I.E. what happens if something fails with the furling gear and you can't bring the main in?). In the balance, I think it's a good trade-off for coastal cruising couples. For a round-the-world cruiser with more than two on-board, I'd probably go with a traditional system.
