I am looking at a 376 and found myself asking, is there a Main furling system that would ease my our work load with two small kids on board. Simply pulling hard with a power winch does not 'feel right' but I am sure it works. Does anyone have a Furling Main? Who's and of course How Much? Thanks! (from sailor who has Barbie and Barnie on board)
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A furling main is UNSAFE
A furling main is an *extremely* unsafe piece of equipment. It can jam in a way that can take hours, even at the dock, to remedy. Such a task becomes virtually impossible in a seaway; I've tried it and damn near got killed doing it. Instead, consider: 1. A Dutchman system or lazy jacks. 2. An electric or hydraulic halyard winch. 3. Harken Battcar slides. All of this equipment costs a LOT less than a furling main, is much safer, and is almost as convenient. I personally will not leave the dock on a boat with a furling main, and I certainly would never consider taking a child on such a boat. Please resist the temptation to trade safety for convenience. MC
A furling main is an *extremely* unsafe piece of equipment. It can jam in a way that can take hours, even at the dock, to remedy. Such a task becomes virtually impossible in a seaway; I've tried it and damn near got killed doing it. Instead, consider: 1. A Dutchman system or lazy jacks. 2. An electric or hydraulic halyard winch. 3. Harken Battcar slides. All of this equipment costs a LOT less than a furling main, is much safer, and is almost as convenient. I personally will not leave the dock on a boat with a furling main, and I certainly would never consider taking a child on such a boat. Please resist the temptation to trade safety for convenience. MC
VERY SAFE!!
In all due respect to the gentleman writing the previous post, his is the first example I have ever heard of where a furling main jams to the point of causing harm or injury. There are some very simple rules: Always keep bearings clear of dirt Do not attempt to furl with excessive wind in the sail. Not only is this my third furling main, I have convinced other boat purchasors whom were going to get full battens etc. to reconsider. They thank me regularly. One of the people who didn't believe in its merits is now seriously considering purchasing another boat, as they find the main on their 376 too onerous. The nice thing as well about the furling main is that when the wind clocks up, it is virtually zero effort to dial in your sail a bit. From a safety standpoint, I find nothing more unsafe than having to go up on deck in bad seas to wrestle a sail down
In all due respect to the gentleman writing the previous post, his is the first example I have ever heard of where a furling main jams to the point of causing harm or injury. There are some very simple rules: Always keep bearings clear of dirt Do not attempt to furl with excessive wind in the sail. Not only is this my third furling main, I have convinced other boat purchasors whom were going to get full battens etc. to reconsider. They thank me regularly. One of the people who didn't believe in its merits is now seriously considering purchasing another boat, as they find the main on their 376 too onerous. The nice thing as well about the furling main is that when the wind clocks up, it is virtually zero effort to dial in your sail a bit. From a safety standpoint, I find nothing more unsafe than having to go up on deck in bad seas to wrestle a sail down
Hey Arthur
What types of furling mains have you used/recommended, e.g., boom furling v. mast furling, were the retrofits or standard equipment? I'm investigating adding main furling on my H31 and would appreciate any advise. Thanks.
What types of furling mains have you used/recommended, e.g., boom furling v. mast furling, were the retrofits or standard equipment? I'm investigating adding main furling on my H31 and would appreciate any advise. Thanks.
Sigh..........Arthur.....read this please.
Arthur, I guess you've never had to untangle one of these things. When you finally do, you aren't going to like it one bit. I just hope this occurs at the dock and not at sea for your sake. The fact that yours has not jammed doesn't mean it isn't going to some time in the future. If it happens to do that when you need to reef, you are going to be in a world of hurt very quickly. The fact that people are grateful to you means that their systems have not jammed yet either, and they like the convenience. I can reef my main without ever leaving the cockpit as my reefing lines and halyards are led aft. Also, my main is cut properly, which means all things being equal, I can go upwind faster than someone with a furling main. If you want to depend on your furler, so be it. I'll stick with gravity - it has a better track record. MC
Arthur, I guess you've never had to untangle one of these things. When you finally do, you aren't going to like it one bit. I just hope this occurs at the dock and not at sea for your sake. The fact that yours has not jammed doesn't mean it isn't going to some time in the future. If it happens to do that when you need to reef, you are going to be in a world of hurt very quickly. The fact that people are grateful to you means that their systems have not jammed yet either, and they like the convenience. I can reef my main without ever leaving the cockpit as my reefing lines and halyards are led aft. Also, my main is cut properly, which means all things being equal, I can go upwind faster than someone with a furling main. If you want to depend on your furler, so be it. I'll stick with gravity - it has a better track record. MC
Go Furling Main!
Jay, We have a 376 with a SELDEN Furling Main. We have had a jamb and we have worked it out. I will admit that at first, we didn't do every correctly and we had a jamb. That was two years ago. We use our boat from early March to late November, practically every weekend. We have not had a problem since. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend the furling main. It is very well matched to the 376! You will love it! I wondered originally about potnetial hangups. I witnessed a Sailing vessel at sail that couldn't get their Main down due to a batten interlaced in the backstay or shroud. As long as our main is extended, we can drop it also. I would not allow ignorance of the system cause undue fear in your decision. Mike D.
Jay, We have a 376 with a SELDEN Furling Main. We have had a jamb and we have worked it out. I will admit that at first, we didn't do every correctly and we had a jamb. That was two years ago. We use our boat from early March to late November, practically every weekend. We have not had a problem since. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend the furling main. It is very well matched to the 376! You will love it! I wondered originally about potnetial hangups. I witnessed a Sailing vessel at sail that couldn't get their Main down due to a batten interlaced in the backstay or shroud. As long as our main is extended, we can drop it also. I would not allow ignorance of the system cause undue fear in your decision. Mike D.
Questions for Arthur and Michael ..
These may seem to come from the opposite direction, and they do, but nonetheless. First, for Arthur. If you aren't supposed to furl when there is too much wind in the sail, what SHOULD you do when there is too much wind in the sail? Yeah, I know, furl facing into the wind. Sometimes easier said than done. There you are furling, the boat falls off unexpectedly, and then ..? Michael, I have no experience with furling mains. The only furler that ever jammed on me when the wind piped up was the jib of a Hunter 34. That was NOT a fun walk forward to clear the drum. But if we can put up with furlers on jibs, why not on mains? Surely it is no worse walking to the mast to deal with this than all the way out to the very point end? And it seems the same arguments are repeated: convenience vs. performance and the risk from a jam. (Which isn't to say that they are equally valid in both cases.)
These may seem to come from the opposite direction, and they do, but nonetheless. First, for Arthur. If you aren't supposed to furl when there is too much wind in the sail, what SHOULD you do when there is too much wind in the sail? Yeah, I know, furl facing into the wind. Sometimes easier said than done. There you are furling, the boat falls off unexpectedly, and then ..? Michael, I have no experience with furling mains. The only furler that ever jammed on me when the wind piped up was the jib of a Hunter 34. That was NOT a fun walk forward to clear the drum. But if we can put up with furlers on jibs, why not on mains? Surely it is no worse walking to the mast to deal with this than all the way out to the very point end? And it seems the same arguments are repeated: convenience vs. performance and the risk from a jam. (Which isn't to say that they are equally valid in both cases.)
Response to Been There
We can put furlers on jibs with less risk mainly because it is very difficult although not impossible to overpower a boat under jib alone. You can also usually (but not always) drop a jammed jib, and you can *always* just let the sheet go and depower it completely. This may wreck the sail but may also save your life and your boat. You *cannot* depower a main completely without reefing it or dropping it all the way, and the typical furler jam won't let you do either of these things; you are just stuck with the damn sail up there, although I suppose a knife is always an option. Letting the mainsheet out all the way and dropping the traveler all the way is not enough - if it were, we would not need reef points. There is, of course, a risk associated with any furling gear on any sail. I believe that the risk is generally acceptable on headsails since you can completely depower them in case of a jam, and unacceptable on mainsails because you cannot do that. Hope this answers the question... MC
We can put furlers on jibs with less risk mainly because it is very difficult although not impossible to overpower a boat under jib alone. You can also usually (but not always) drop a jammed jib, and you can *always* just let the sheet go and depower it completely. This may wreck the sail but may also save your life and your boat. You *cannot* depower a main completely without reefing it or dropping it all the way, and the typical furler jam won't let you do either of these things; you are just stuck with the damn sail up there, although I suppose a knife is always an option. Letting the mainsheet out all the way and dropping the traveler all the way is not enough - if it were, we would not need reef points. There is, of course, a risk associated with any furling gear on any sail. I believe that the risk is generally acceptable on headsails since you can completely depower them in case of a jam, and unacceptable on mainsails because you cannot do that. Hope this answers the question... MC
Addendum
I note that the people advocating furling mains, with one exception, have never had one jam, and take that as proof of the safety of the system. With all due respect, that logic is inherently flawed. The mere fact that something has not yet happened does not mean that it will not happen. The consequences of a jammed main in adverse conditions are very severe, and this should be taken into account when deciding whether or not to use such a system. Sacrificing safety for convenience is poor seamanship at a minimum. Sailing has always and will always involve work, art, and skill, and that is what differentiates us from those with powerboats. If convenience and minimal effort are your main goals, then by all means consider a powerboat. Aside from safety, some other factors mitigating against using mainsail furling include high cost, increased maintenance, increased windage, increased weight, and decreased boat speed. MC
I note that the people advocating furling mains, with one exception, have never had one jam, and take that as proof of the safety of the system. With all due respect, that logic is inherently flawed. The mere fact that something has not yet happened does not mean that it will not happen. The consequences of a jammed main in adverse conditions are very severe, and this should be taken into account when deciding whether or not to use such a system. Sacrificing safety for convenience is poor seamanship at a minimum. Sailing has always and will always involve work, art, and skill, and that is what differentiates us from those with powerboats. If convenience and minimal effort are your main goals, then by all means consider a powerboat. Aside from safety, some other factors mitigating against using mainsail furling include high cost, increased maintenance, increased windage, increased weight, and decreased boat speed. MC
the crusade
jay, be advised that there are a few people on this site who are conducting a crusade against in-mast furling systems. you've heard the arguments, and i hope are sensible enough to recognize hyperbole when you read it on the internet. this is what it means to be part of the sailing community: that there will always be those who rail against new technologies. other *extremely* unsafe technologies that have been introduced to sailboats, over the years, include: auxilary engines, spade rudders, fin keels, jib furlers, self-tailing winches, propane stoves, unstayed masts, B&R rigs, et cetera. Can an auxiary engine, even a diesel, catch fire? yes. are you safer having one on your boat anyway? absolutely. I guess the point is to communicate with boat owners who use the systems, and find out what the problems are with them. I have a Seldon furling mast on my 410, and absolutely love it. I feel that it is safer than the slab-reefing systems I've experienced on previous boats because it makes shortening sail so much easier, faster. One never needs to leave the cockpit to tie sail gaskets around the boom or haul down on the luff of the main, should it be stubborn about dropping. The downside is a small loss of power since the sail can't be battened. The question seems to be whether you anticipate sailing more in heavy winds or in light air. If you anticipate needed to reef a lot of the time, in-mast furling becomes a highly viable option. You will need to teach yourself how to furl it properly, so that it won't bunch up, but a day or two of practice will teach you all that you need to know. It's not that hard, and these "jams" that we keep hearing about are really not that big a problem. If there are boat owners out there who are having problems with their systems, please let us know, and tell us what sort of system you have (such as seldon, hood, or z-spar). I think you'll find, Jay, that the people who own boats with in-mast furlers tend to love them and have little or no trouble with them.
jay, be advised that there are a few people on this site who are conducting a crusade against in-mast furling systems. you've heard the arguments, and i hope are sensible enough to recognize hyperbole when you read it on the internet. this is what it means to be part of the sailing community: that there will always be those who rail against new technologies. other *extremely* unsafe technologies that have been introduced to sailboats, over the years, include: auxilary engines, spade rudders, fin keels, jib furlers, self-tailing winches, propane stoves, unstayed masts, B&R rigs, et cetera. Can an auxiary engine, even a diesel, catch fire? yes. are you safer having one on your boat anyway? absolutely. I guess the point is to communicate with boat owners who use the systems, and find out what the problems are with them. I have a Seldon furling mast on my 410, and absolutely love it. I feel that it is safer than the slab-reefing systems I've experienced on previous boats because it makes shortening sail so much easier, faster. One never needs to leave the cockpit to tie sail gaskets around the boom or haul down on the luff of the main, should it be stubborn about dropping. The downside is a small loss of power since the sail can't be battened. The question seems to be whether you anticipate sailing more in heavy winds or in light air. If you anticipate needed to reef a lot of the time, in-mast furling becomes a highly viable option. You will need to teach yourself how to furl it properly, so that it won't bunch up, but a day or two of practice will teach you all that you need to know. It's not that hard, and these "jams" that we keep hearing about are really not that big a problem. If there are boat owners out there who are having problems with their systems, please let us know, and tell us what sort of system you have (such as seldon, hood, or z-spar). I think you'll find, Jay, that the people who own boats with in-mast furlers tend to love them and have little or no trouble with them.
depowering mainsails
Michael makes the interesting point that a jammed jib can be depowered by letting go the sheet, something that he thinks cannot be done to a mast-furling main. Wrong. All in-mast furled mains are loose-footed, meaning that they are not attached to the boom via a slotted track. All one would need to do, to allow a loose-footed main to flog, is to release the outhaul. My preference, in either of these cases, would be to turn into the wind and luff, and then heave to while the problem is being fixed. If, however, one wanted to flog the main, which would destroy the sail fairly quickly in high winds, one could certainly do it with any loose-footed mainsail.
Michael makes the interesting point that a jammed jib can be depowered by letting go the sheet, something that he thinks cannot be done to a mast-furling main. Wrong. All in-mast furled mains are loose-footed, meaning that they are not attached to the boom via a slotted track. All one would need to do, to allow a loose-footed main to flog, is to release the outhaul. My preference, in either of these cases, would be to turn into the wind and luff, and then heave to while the problem is being fixed. If, however, one wanted to flog the main, which would destroy the sail fairly quickly in high winds, one could certainly do it with any loose-footed mainsail.
Proper furling technics?
I just exchanged my full batten main for a Seldon inmast furling system. Having never used one before, I would appreciate some do's and don'ts from those of you who have successfully used yours for a period of time. The dealer gave me a brief overview, but due to job constraints I have not had the opportunity to use it yet. Thanks Mark Johnson PS if you prefer to email me my address is mpjmrmbox@aol.com
I just exchanged my full batten main for a Seldon inmast furling system. Having never used one before, I would appreciate some do's and don'ts from those of you who have successfully used yours for a period of time. The dealer gave me a brief overview, but due to job constraints I have not had the opportunity to use it yet. Thanks Mark Johnson PS if you prefer to email me my address is mpjmrmbox@aol.com
Depowering
Sure, you can let the foot go on a furling main, and even the sheet. That will in fact depower the sail to some extent, but it does not address the problem of the luff, which is still going to be attached. I don't think you can completely depower a furling main by letting the foot and the sheet go. MC
Sure, you can let the foot go on a furling main, and even the sheet. That will in fact depower the sail to some extent, but it does not address the problem of the luff, which is still going to be attached. I don't think you can completely depower a furling main by letting the foot and the sheet go. MC
Michael..I don't understand?
Have been following this thread closely because I just converted to a furling mast. Your last post indicated that you can depower the furling main to certain extent by letting the foot go as well as the sheet, but the luff is still attached. On a previous post of yours you said that you depower a jib completely by letting the sheet go. My question is the luff on the jib is still attached so what is the difference? It seems to me that with the loose footed furling main all you have is two genoas basically. Mark Johnson
Have been following this thread closely because I just converted to a furling mast. Your last post indicated that you can depower the furling main to certain extent by letting the foot go as well as the sheet, but the luff is still attached. On a previous post of yours you said that you depower a jib completely by letting the sheet go. My question is the luff on the jib is still attached so what is the difference? It seems to me that with the loose footed furling main all you have is two genoas basically. Mark Johnson
Main sail furlingI have
I have a new 460 with the Seldon furling unit. By completely releasing the out haul line, the main is substantially depowered. In addition, a line can be attached to the clew or out haul car on the boom and in an emergency the out haul car can be pulled to the mast and the bottom portion of the main can be manually bundled and secured to the mast. Hopefully, this will never be necessary but in emergencies it's nice to have options. The Seldon unit is top of the line gear and very well made. I would highly recommend this furling system. Over the years, I have sailed only with traditonal main sails and for me the furling main has been great. It's obviously a matter of personal choice but shouldn't be based upon unjustified fear or lack of understanding.
I have a new 460 with the Seldon furling unit. By completely releasing the out haul line, the main is substantially depowered. In addition, a line can be attached to the clew or out haul car on the boom and in an emergency the out haul car can be pulled to the mast and the bottom portion of the main can be manually bundled and secured to the mast. Hopefully, this will never be necessary but in emergencies it's nice to have options. The Seldon unit is top of the line gear and very well made. I would highly recommend this furling system. Over the years, I have sailed only with traditonal main sails and for me the furling main has been great. It's obviously a matter of personal choice but shouldn't be based upon unjustified fear or lack of understanding.
response to mark
The main will fetch up against the spreaders, and you will still have some power. The forestay has no spreaders. MC
The main will fetch up against the spreaders, and you will still have some power. The forestay has no spreaders. MC
technicques
in reply to mark johnson's request: -make sure you have your inhaul spliced into a continuous, constant-diamater line. seldon will fax you instructions if you've never done such a splice. many riggers are unfamiliar with it, i've found. -before you furl the main, loosen the vang and mainsheet a bit so that the wraps can spiral upward easily -while furling, keep slight pressure on the outhaul in order to keep the wraps tight. not too much, or you'll get wrinkles in the folds. it's going to take a bit of practice in various winds to get the pressure right. don't just let the outhaul free, or it will tend to want to flog, and that donut that goes up against the clew block could do some damage. -i've found it handy to mark my sail at a few convenient reference points so that i knew, for example, when i'm 80% reefed. you might ask your sailmaker to do this. -contrary to popular belief, telltails can be sewn into the leach. i had two sailmakers tell me that they'd rip off right away, but i talked the second one into trying anyway, and assured him that i wouldn't ask for a refund ($20) if they ripped out. They've lasted over a year now, which is much more than i expected. they don't work quite as well as on a battened sail, but... -it's much easier to furl the sail upwind. if you want to take in a reef, keep sailing by the jib and let the mainsheet out just enough to luff--don't let it flog. then take it in until it's just a little smaller than you think you need. -outhaul tension is much more critical than on a conventional sail. you can get a decal to put back by the clew to mark the settings in one-inch increments. very handy. in general, you want the foot to be about four inches or so off the boom. when reaching in light winds, slack the outhaul a bunch in order to give the sail some belly. this is a neat trick that can only be done with loose-footed sails. also, the best way to reach is to put an outboard lead on your jib and then trim it, then to match the curve on the foot of your main to the foot of your jib by adjusting the outhaul. on long ocean passages, you'll find yourself adding 20 or 30 miles per day by using this technique. ..............I encourage other "old hands" at these systems to add to the list. i always want to learn new tricks.
in reply to mark johnson's request: -make sure you have your inhaul spliced into a continuous, constant-diamater line. seldon will fax you instructions if you've never done such a splice. many riggers are unfamiliar with it, i've found. -before you furl the main, loosen the vang and mainsheet a bit so that the wraps can spiral upward easily -while furling, keep slight pressure on the outhaul in order to keep the wraps tight. not too much, or you'll get wrinkles in the folds. it's going to take a bit of practice in various winds to get the pressure right. don't just let the outhaul free, or it will tend to want to flog, and that donut that goes up against the clew block could do some damage. -i've found it handy to mark my sail at a few convenient reference points so that i knew, for example, when i'm 80% reefed. you might ask your sailmaker to do this. -contrary to popular belief, telltails can be sewn into the leach. i had two sailmakers tell me that they'd rip off right away, but i talked the second one into trying anyway, and assured him that i wouldn't ask for a refund ($20) if they ripped out. They've lasted over a year now, which is much more than i expected. they don't work quite as well as on a battened sail, but... -it's much easier to furl the sail upwind. if you want to take in a reef, keep sailing by the jib and let the mainsheet out just enough to luff--don't let it flog. then take it in until it's just a little smaller than you think you need. -outhaul tension is much more critical than on a conventional sail. you can get a decal to put back by the clew to mark the settings in one-inch increments. very handy. in general, you want the foot to be about four inches or so off the boom. when reaching in light winds, slack the outhaul a bunch in order to give the sail some belly. this is a neat trick that can only be done with loose-footed sails. also, the best way to reach is to put an outboard lead on your jib and then trim it, then to match the curve on the foot of your main to the foot of your jib by adjusting the outhaul. on long ocean passages, you'll find yourself adding 20 or 30 miles per day by using this technique. ..............I encourage other "old hands" at these systems to add to the list. i always want to learn new tricks.
Practical Experience
Let me throw my experiences with furling mains into the mix. A previous boat that I bought (used) came with a furling main. One day when out sailing with two friends, we were hit by an unexpected squall. The high winds whipped up steep waves in the shallow water we were sailing through, close to shore. Between the wind and the waves, this small boat (LOA in the 20s) and its OB engine were totally overpowered. The main furling system jammed, and we did all of the things described in previous posts. However, with the main flogging wildly, the outhaul line was whipping across the middle of the deck dangerously. It injured one person. After long and exhausting effort, we were able to wrap a line around the sail and the mast, but it still billowed out and flogged badly. The sail was destroyed by this. In all of the intense effort required to somewhat subdue this very small mainsail, we almost lost the boat to running aground on coral. We sold that boat soon thereafter. By the way, you absolutely cannot manually bundle a large mainsail against the mast in heavy wind, as suggested in another post. A second experience was in a Beneteau 440 charter boat in the Grenadines. As we rounded the southern end of Grenada, we were hit by heavy winds and needed to furl the main to depower. In these conditions, the furling system was very balky, and required the tandem efforts of two 200+ pound guys on the winch to get the thing in. So, what do I take from these experiences? I personally believe that these systems have improved from past systems, so that they are more efficient and reliable than they used to be. I also believe that one must be zealous in the regular inspection and maintenance of these systems, in order for them to remain as efficient as possible. And I believe that, while they add to safety by allowing one to easily reef the main early in controllable conditions, when truly unexpected and extreme conditions occur, their design makes them less safe than conventional mains. My $.02. Robert Pancza
Let me throw my experiences with furling mains into the mix. A previous boat that I bought (used) came with a furling main. One day when out sailing with two friends, we were hit by an unexpected squall. The high winds whipped up steep waves in the shallow water we were sailing through, close to shore. Between the wind and the waves, this small boat (LOA in the 20s) and its OB engine were totally overpowered. The main furling system jammed, and we did all of the things described in previous posts. However, with the main flogging wildly, the outhaul line was whipping across the middle of the deck dangerously. It injured one person. After long and exhausting effort, we were able to wrap a line around the sail and the mast, but it still billowed out and flogged badly. The sail was destroyed by this. In all of the intense effort required to somewhat subdue this very small mainsail, we almost lost the boat to running aground on coral. We sold that boat soon thereafter. By the way, you absolutely cannot manually bundle a large mainsail against the mast in heavy wind, as suggested in another post. A second experience was in a Beneteau 440 charter boat in the Grenadines. As we rounded the southern end of Grenada, we were hit by heavy winds and needed to furl the main to depower. In these conditions, the furling system was very balky, and required the tandem efforts of two 200+ pound guys on the winch to get the thing in. So, what do I take from these experiences? I personally believe that these systems have improved from past systems, so that they are more efficient and reliable than they used to be. I also believe that one must be zealous in the regular inspection and maintenance of these systems, in order for them to remain as efficient as possible. And I believe that, while they add to safety by allowing one to easily reef the main early in controllable conditions, when truly unexpected and extreme conditions occur, their design makes them less safe than conventional mains. My $.02. Robert Pancza
End to End Splice Fiasco (humor?)
John, Jay, et.al. I have a H380 and really like the in-mast furling of the main. I've not had any problems except that the continuous furling line came apart at the splice. So I decided to replace the line and do my own end-to-end splice. It can't be that hard I figured. Wrong in some ways... I bought Brion Toss's book on knots and spices ($14.95). It was of some help but I bought his video tape as well ($29.95). Unfortunately, the vcr ate my tape. I was able to fix it once but the second time the vcr did an outstanding job of eating the tape. So...New VCR at $239 (I can't buy low, need bells and ...)and another tape at $29.95. Also bought line, fifty feet, about $40 worth. I also bought Brion Toss's wand or fid at $49.95. However, even after watching the tape several times, when I got to the boat I did it wrong and broke the fid! So I bought another one at, you guessed it, $49.95 and broke that one too. Don't ask and I won't tell. I did get the damn splice done and it looks pretty good. I'm pleased with it, but my wife wants to know, can we have someone else come in and do the next splice? She thinks I being too expensive. On the other hand I still like the furling main. What a life.
John, Jay, et.al. I have a H380 and really like the in-mast furling of the main. I've not had any problems except that the continuous furling line came apart at the splice. So I decided to replace the line and do my own end-to-end splice. It can't be that hard I figured. Wrong in some ways... I bought Brion Toss's book on knots and spices ($14.95). It was of some help but I bought his video tape as well ($29.95). Unfortunately, the vcr ate my tape. I was able to fix it once but the second time the vcr did an outstanding job of eating the tape. So...New VCR at $239 (I can't buy low, need bells and ...)and another tape at $29.95. Also bought line, fifty feet, about $40 worth. I also bought Brion Toss's wand or fid at $49.95. However, even after watching the tape several times, when I got to the boat I did it wrong and broke the fid! So I bought another one at, you guessed it, $49.95 and broke that one too. Don't ask and I won't tell. I did get the damn splice done and it looks pretty good. I'm pleased with it, but my wife wants to know, can we have someone else come in and do the next splice? She thinks I being too expensive. On the other hand I still like the furling main. What a life.
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