Jib Furling dificult

FastOlson · Jul 9, 2015

Sag in the headstay can make the furling a lot more difficult, too.
Take up on the backstay or however you tension the headstay if you have B&R rig.
Slack it off when at the dock; I sail with about 1K # on the headstay and in stronger winds take it up to 2K. I have a '95 vintage Harken Mk 2 furler. I admit to sometimes using a winch as a snubber, but rarely. Also our final turning block for the furling line is a small Harken switchable ratchet.
How are your stanchion line leads? If they are "eyes", do change them out for the Garhauer double-sheave leads. Not expensive and they keep the line outside the stanchions and as low as possible.

Regards,
LB

cajon409 · Jul 9, 2015

Same issue, head down wind,no winch, also installed a ratchet cleat so I could relax and catch my breath if there was a concern.

bobscaggs · Jul 9, 2015

weinie said:
why didn't you just furl it when you were hove to?

Too much pressure, the furler would not wind. Looking back now I should have tried on the downwind side. I really want to do some practice sessions join this but conditions like this are not always there.

IH82BL8 · Jul 13, 2015

I was about to wrap the winch on the reef line.

Am I missing something? I always use a winch to furl the jib. There's not a lot of tension on the furler line, but it's still a lot easier than furling by hand.

Bryan C. · Jul 13, 2015

You should be able to furl by hand. Using a winch means you have too much of a load on if for whatever reason.

Others have covered most of the bases. Your forestay must be tensioned properly (too much tension and it creates friction and too little tension and headstay sags, making it almost impossible to reel in because it is not straight). Don't try to force it in with pressure on the sail -- even heading upwind creates a huge amount of tension. Instead, head downwind until the main blankets the jib so it is basically hanging loose. As you furl it in, you should tension the jib sheet in between rolling up the sail so it lays nicely around the roller furling extrusions (tubes).

If the jib is blanketed with no pressure on it and it still won't roll in by hand, then you have a problem with the set up. It can be the forestay tension or an improperly set up furling system.

IH82BL8 · Jul 13, 2015

I am able to furl by hand, it's just easier to use a winch.

Jeff10528 · Jul 14, 2015

I have sailed for many years in many types of boats from an Alcort Sailfish to a Hylas 51. Most of my sailing now is aboard my H430 with my wife. I pretty much sail it singlehanded, sometimes she helps out.

I do this by following a philosophy of using Mother Nature as a friend not the enemy. As a former aircraft pilot I have been trained to be safety conscious and try my utmost to be easy on the equipment so it lasts longer and does not let me down when I need it most.

I often set the auto pilot to hold me just off the wind. Using the electric winch to haul the main out haul, after easing the vang and sheet, and maintaining tension in my hand on the curler line.

Once set, I ease off a bit more and release the jib furler line keeping hand tension on it while letting the wind fill the Jenny or give it a bit of help with the sheet. Once the sails are set for the conditions we adjust as necessary for performance.

Reducing or furling all sail is done in just the opposite order. No surprises, strain, damage, or disaster.

bobscaggs · Jul 15, 2015

BrianC, Jeff10528,FastOlson and others, I am not the OP but wanted to say "Thanks a bunch" for your input on this thread, I have learned some valuable techniques.

ptmurphy · Jul 22, 2015

I sail a hunter 38 and have found that furling the jib in winds is much easier by bearing off the wind. ie; when on port tack, turn to starbord which will depower the jib and enable it to be furled by hand.
I also had the same problem with the main sail furling line clutches were labeled wrong and the sail woulf wrap the wrong direction. Manual refers to the corect rotation for furling the main.

TFlight said:
Hi All,

I'm new to the "Big Boat" division. I just bought a 2007 Hunter 41DS.

I was in a 20kt blow and was trying to reef in the jib and it was almost imposable to pull by hand. I know this is a much bigger boat then I'm use to but should it really be that hard?

I latter checked the reef line alignment, blocks and anything that could have been holding it up but found nothing wrong. I did later spay the drum with silicon spray hopping it would help.
Maybe the jib halyard is too tight or too loose.

Is this normal in 20kts of wind??

Another issue I found was with the Main in-mast furling.
Some how the continuous furling line clutches (in/out haul) were labeled backwards of the mast furling drum and they had the main sail rolled in the opposite direction.:bang: That was a learning experience figuring that out on a new boat.

TFligh