I am going to ask this question again in a little different way to solicit some different answers. I have in-mast furling on my 426. When do you need to use the ratchet? I have always used it when furling the sail (different boat) - answers to a previous question about having to go forward to set the ratchet and the potential problems this has in heavy seas garnered the concensis that you don't need to use it and that the tention on the furling drum is enough to keep the sail from playing back out - is this the case? Seems like a lot of tention on a line that has only 1/2 of a wrap on a smooth drum, especially if the wind is 30 - 40 knots? If this is the case when do you use the ratchet mechanism - if ever? Thanks for any enlightenment on this issue. Currently I use it when reefing - but if it isn't nessasary I won't bother - the problem I am having is that "it is there" which makes the engineer in me think it is there for a reason. Ed
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Daniel Jonas
Ratchet
Ed, I think that use of the ratchet setting while furling is probably a good idea. It does require a trip to the mast (although a very short trip) but if you are reefing early (don't we all), that should not be much of a problem. And, when you think about it, you really don't need the ratchet back off until you are ready to shake the reef out. By then, a trip to the mast might be a good indicator of your real interest in shaking that reef out right then. I agree that the single small line wrapped halfway around the drum is a little less authority than I would want to have in more extreme situations. I do think and have experienced that it seems to work well in most of our sailing conditions (so I do not use the ratchet most of the time). But if I were offshore, in building winds and seas, and/or with a crew that might lift a lever without confirming the line, I would opt for the safety of the ratchet. Just my thoughts. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
Ed, I think that use of the ratchet setting while furling is probably a good idea. It does require a trip to the mast (although a very short trip) but if you are reefing early (don't we all), that should not be much of a problem. And, when you think about it, you really don't need the ratchet back off until you are ready to shake the reef out. By then, a trip to the mast might be a good indicator of your real interest in shaking that reef out right then. I agree that the single small line wrapped halfway around the drum is a little less authority than I would want to have in more extreme situations. I do think and have experienced that it seems to work well in most of our sailing conditions (so I do not use the ratchet most of the time). But if I were offshore, in building winds and seas, and/or with a crew that might lift a lever without confirming the line, I would opt for the safety of the ratchet. Just my thoughts. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
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warren feldstein
use the rachet when
at the dock. I recall reading somewhere that the boat should not be left unattended without the rachet set as the sail could come out on its own. An email to Selden could be helpful. I am sure we would all be interested in their response
at the dock. I recall reading somewhere that the boat should not be left unattended without the rachet set as the sail could come out on its own. An email to Selden could be helpful. I am sure we would all be interested in their response
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Joe
Reefing
I agree that the drum will not hold the sail in heavy wind. I have a 410 with in mast furling. First when reefing it is a good idea and second when you do have it reefed that last thing you want is for the sail to pay back out in heavy wind. If everything is adjusted right and the ratchet is off that will happen. I always release the ratchet to pay out the sail and then set it again riught away. I am then ready toi reef whenever the wind pipes up.
I agree that the drum will not hold the sail in heavy wind. I have a 410 with in mast furling. First when reefing it is a good idea and second when you do have it reefed that last thing you want is for the sail to pay back out in heavy wind. If everything is adjusted right and the ratchet is off that will happen. I always release the ratchet to pay out the sail and then set it again riught away. I am then ready toi reef whenever the wind pipes up.
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Deac
Mast Rachet on in-mast furling
Am I missing something here? DO I have a different system than you guys? I have a 356 and I leave my mast rachet set in the 'rachet' position at all times. With that I can furl and unfurl the mainsail without anyproblem by using the outhaul line to deploy the sail (keeping tension on the furler line so it doesn't deploy erratically) and then when I wan to reef I use the inner port winch with a continuous loop line that feeds to the mast-furler-winch (keeping tension on the outhaul line for a good wrap). This has worked fine all summer. The only PROBLEM I have had and it ALWAYS happens at the WORST time is that the furler line seems to pop off the mast winch right when the wind is building fast. NOT GOOD!!!.....NOT the time you want to be going up to the mast as the sail re-deploys in increasing winds !! I have adjusted the winch shield on the mast winch to try to keep the line in place, but it still manages to squirt out. We now think that they gave us a line that was too thin for the job. ANyone else had this problem??
Am I missing something here? DO I have a different system than you guys? I have a 356 and I leave my mast rachet set in the 'rachet' position at all times. With that I can furl and unfurl the mainsail without anyproblem by using the outhaul line to deploy the sail (keeping tension on the furler line so it doesn't deploy erratically) and then when I wan to reef I use the inner port winch with a continuous loop line that feeds to the mast-furler-winch (keeping tension on the outhaul line for a good wrap). This has worked fine all summer. The only PROBLEM I have had and it ALWAYS happens at the WORST time is that the furler line seems to pop off the mast winch right when the wind is building fast. NOT GOOD!!!.....NOT the time you want to be going up to the mast as the sail re-deploys in increasing winds !! I have adjusted the winch shield on the mast winch to try to keep the line in place, but it still manages to squirt out. We now think that they gave us a line that was too thin for the job. ANyone else had this problem??
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warren feldstein
Yes, you are missing something.
The drum at the mast has two positions. One runs free in both directions. The other position will only turn in a direction that brings the sail in. Take a look. Good luck, Warren Feldstein
The drum at the mast has two positions. One runs free in both directions. The other position will only turn in a direction that brings the sail in. Take a look. Good luck, Warren Feldstein
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H. Nels
Main Sail Ratchet
The main sail furling ratchet and drum is a great concept but be careful in high winds (25 knots plus). I have had the line come off the drum, I have had the sail unfurl because the setting was on "free" instead of "ratchet", I have had the sail bind up in the mast and couldn't move the lever from "ratchet" to "free" and when I did the handle slipped out of my hand, spun around and almost broke the back of my hand. The design needs some improvements.
The main sail furling ratchet and drum is a great concept but be careful in high winds (25 knots plus). I have had the line come off the drum, I have had the sail unfurl because the setting was on "free" instead of "ratchet", I have had the sail bind up in the mast and couldn't move the lever from "ratchet" to "free" and when I did the handle slipped out of my hand, spun around and almost broke the back of my hand. The design needs some improvements.
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Mark Brunner
Ratchet School
My Hunter dealer never went over the ratchet system with me when I bought my Hunter 340. The first time the "inhaul" line came off the drum in high seas and high winds, I had a nightmare trying to figure it out. If tension is not kept on the inhaul lines at all times, the line can fall off of the drum and has to be placed over the drum by hand. That means that you must crawl up on the deck to do it. You should also make sure that the winch handle supplied is capable of turning the winch when you have get the inhaul line back in place. My winch is located below the boom and will not make a complete turn because the boom is just about two inches too low. You have to remove the handle and reposition it about every 300 degrees. That is a real pain on a bouncing deck. You would think that they would have thought about that... I know, the answer to that is to get a shorter winch handle, but you should not have to, heck, it's a Hunter.
My Hunter dealer never went over the ratchet system with me when I bought my Hunter 340. The first time the "inhaul" line came off the drum in high seas and high winds, I had a nightmare trying to figure it out. If tension is not kept on the inhaul lines at all times, the line can fall off of the drum and has to be placed over the drum by hand. That means that you must crawl up on the deck to do it. You should also make sure that the winch handle supplied is capable of turning the winch when you have get the inhaul line back in place. My winch is located below the boom and will not make a complete turn because the boom is just about two inches too low. You have to remove the handle and reposition it about every 300 degrees. That is a real pain on a bouncing deck. You would think that they would have thought about that... I know, the answer to that is to get a shorter winch handle, but you should not have to, heck, it's a Hunter.
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