In Mast reefing or Lazy bag

[Sailing Poodles]

I am knocking on a bit now and my wife and I have decided that the time to do the Blue Water stuff is now here and we are leaving for the Caribbean in October next year from the French Med.

All that is irrelevant to the question:

I have a Hunter 41 DS, and I have dificulty in reaching the end of the boom to close the lazy bag. It's a very high boom above the stern arch and I need to be a three armed chimp to hold the ends together, close the zip and then pull it. Once I've got it going, no issue, it's the initial bit, balancing on the arch without going through the bimini.

So my wife says, "let's change to in-mast reefing". Now I'm not sure having been a strong advocate of the lazy bag system but now...

Are they now good enough without the jamming clitches of old, or do I stay with the balancing act?

 

[Kordie]

Can you have the bag reworked to make closing it less of a challenge? I can't really suggest anything without seeing it but I marine there are experts who have seen this issue quite often.

The expense of retro fitting in mast furling must be quite expensive. New mast to start with ...

I only have limited experience of in mast furling, just on a boat I race regularly with friends. But every week we seem to have two of us guiding and assisting the mainsail in and out smoothly to avoid it jamming. When it works great then it works great. But when it does jam then it does mean extra work for a couple of us.

I imagine it would be considerably more annoying were we cruising short handed and trying to reef the main in heavy weather and then dealing with it sticking.

 

[alexco38]

Reverse the zipper and put a ring on the zip head.

You can start the zip at the mast end. By the time you get to the end of the boom, use a boat hook on the ring.

I never like those bag.

 

[Sailing Poodles]

Reverse the zipper and put a ring on the zip head.

You can start the zip at the mast end. By the time you get to the end of the boom, use a boat hook on the ring.

I never like those bag.

Brilliant, why didn't I think of that.

Thanks I'll talk to my sailmaker and find out the 55 different reasons why it can't be done.

Thanks again. see it's the simple ideas that win every time

 

[bananabender]

The 'Mack Pack' lazy bag has the zip on a 'continuous' cord with a turning block at each end. Doesn't matter then where you are along the boom, you can still close the bag.

 

[Nodak7]

I am knocking on a bit now and my wife and I have decided that the time to do the Blue Water stuff is now here and we are leaving for the Caribbean in October next year from the French Med.

All that is irrelevant to the question:

I have a Hunter 41 DS, and I have dificulty in reaching the end of the boom to close the lazy bag. It's a very high boom above the stern arch and I need to be a three armed chimp to hold the ends together, close the zip and then pull it. Once I've got it going, no issue, it's the initial bit, balancing on the arch without going through the bimini.

So my wife says, "let's change to in-mast reefing". Now I'm not sure having been a strong advocate of the lazy bag system but now...

Are they now good enough without the jamming clitches of old, or do I stay with the balancing act?

Sailing, why don't you take the aft Bimini cover and have it modified with a zipper opening you can open and reach up to get to the end of the boom? I have the same problem when trying to reach the leech line. Have to stand on the pulpit rails to reach it. I plan on doing this as soon as I get an opportunity.

 

[Viktor Eysselein]

I have major problems with in mast furling on my Hunter 45CC. It worked for 3 years but now I always have trouble furling in and out. The sail double folds. I got a professional rigger but still major problems. Wold not advice in mast furling!

Good luck! Viktor

 

[Nodak7]

I have major problems with in mast furling on my Hunter 45CC. It worked for 3 years but now I always have trouble furling in and out. The sail double folds. I got a professional rigger but still major problems. Wold not advice in mast furling!

Good luck! Viktor

Viktor, sorry to hear you are having such problems. Could you sail be stretched? Have you taken the mast off recently? Have you greased the furling bearings recently? Have you checked your vang adjustment? It looks like your boom is at a very high angle to the mast. BTW professional riggers are notorious for not knowing anything about in mast furling systems.

Nodak