Mainsail furler: any tips?

Rob2435 · Jul 29, 2012

Is the tack of the sail connected to the shackel at the bottom of the fuller?

Benjamin Disralei · Jul 30, 2012

John F

Please post photo's of your sail up and we may be able to see the problem and come up with a course of rectification.

Rob2435 · Jul 30, 2012

And a bit more information would be needed. Is the sail new? Is the van sheet as tight as can be...I am trying to picture your problem and will run some tests on my boat this week.

DougM · Jul 30, 2012

I don't have a furling main, but I thought the clew was attached to a slug that rode in the boom track. If so, is that absent?

cymeyer · Jul 30, 2012

We have a furling main and would never buy another boat without it.
If you want to talk about this, send me your phone number to cymeyer1@gmail.com

Wonder if you have the boom too tight?

I am sure this can be fixed...

Chris

Ron20324 · Jul 30, 2012

John_F said:
...The foot of the sail sits really high above the boom... when I furl up the main, it seems like it sits high above the boom, higher than other Beneteau boats ...so the foot stays closer to the boom? quote]

Are you sure this is the right sail, if a replacement, or if you bought from a PO?

Bob846 · Jul 30, 2012

Some of the Beneteaus require you to tip the rear of the boom up so that it is not exactly horizontal. This is normal in some respects and I find the sail actually rolls in and out easier this way. It is just the way the sail is cut. My older 36CC let me keep the boom more horizontal than my current 423. If you find this boom angle really objectionable, then you may want to a new mainsail where the clue is cut lower.

bob_pattison · Aug 22, 2012

Furling Mainsail Height

The In-mast furling mains are cut with about 1" of rise to 1' of boom length, so on a 311 for example the clew is 14" higher than the tack. This is done, so the sail furls up at the bottom like a barbershop pole and not just stacking up at the tack (if the tack angle was 90degrees) and making the furled sail too thick to fit in the extrusion.

Now: As far as the clew being above the boom. The furling line should lead through the block on the track, up to the block on the clew of the main and then come back down to the block on the track and tie off there. Make sure this knot is small and tight.

There is nothing to prevent the boom from rising up to the sail when you pull the outhaul on tight...except the mainsheet and boomvang. So once the sail is all the way out, make sure both mainsheet and vang are fully loose and then pull on the outhaul more...the boom will rise to meet the sail.

I hope this helps.
Bob Pattison
Neil Pryde Sails

John_F said:
I have a Beneteau 31 with a roller furling mainsail. The foot of the sail sits really high above the boom when I sail, putting a large belly in the main. No matter how much I try to tension the outhaul to bring the foot closer to parallel, it doesn't work.

Also, when I furl up the main, it seems like it sits high above the boom, higher than other Beneteau boats or others with the furling main.

Are there any tips on rigging the boat or what I should be doing so the foot stays closer to the boom?

Thanks.