Opinions On In-Mast Furling Main
- Thread starter jviss
- Start date
Inspect the inside of the mast when furled. Do you see about 2" of free space at the spot of maximum furl? If not it is probably an old baggy stretched out main sail. Your main sail must be stiff/slick and not stretched or frayed.
For a good discussion on the mechanism and even pictures...
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/in-mast-piece-of-crap-furling-system.175976/
Jim...
For a good discussion on the mechanism and even pictures...
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/in-mast-piece-of-crap-furling-system.175976/
Jim...
I just looked up Sparcraft.
http://www.sparcraft.com/uk/products/masts/furling_masts/recommendations/default.asp
Looks just like Z-Spars and Selden to me.
Mine is Z-Spars.
Jim...
When you have in mast furling, it's all about the in-mast furling. The boom angle, the vang, the halyard tension, the halyard line, the tack you furl on, the tension on the outhaul, the roach of the main, the battens, the batten pockets, the age of the main. At what point do you kick this needy crew member off the boat?
As mentioned, the in mast furling was designed for the cruisning sailor, not for racing. All good comments. One thing to mention, the in mast furling mast must never have a prebend over 1 degree. I tried when tuning these masts as a dealer keeping them straight but determining the proper rake. Food for thought.
Interesting. The boat I'm looking at has an in-mast furled main, and also a hydraulic, backstay tensioner. Make sense?
That is odd it may not do anything since the sail is basically held by the furling rod
Not really. They were designed to basically be straight with no more than a 1 degree of bend based on one of the designers of the original in mast furling. Does not make sense with a backstay tensioner. If the mast has more bend aft, think of it this way, the sail will not furl in and jam after so much.
Well, if it bends the mast it will flatten the sail, but I assume you'd have to release the backstay tension before furling.
We were in a race a couple weeks ago in relatively high winds. It was a 2 lap course, and windy enough that we wanted a reef going upwind, but full sail on the reaches and runs. We started with our in mast furler furled about 2 feet. After rounding the top mark we let the sail all the way out. At the bottom mark we pulled it back in again. If we had slab reefing there's no way we could have repeated without being exhausted and giving up time luffing to reef and shake it out. With the in mast furler it was no fuss.
Now I'm not going to try to tell you that the advantage we had that day outweighs the reduced sail area we deal with all the other days when it's only blowing 5-10, but it was fun. We went through the furling and unfurling 4 times in nearly 20 kt winds without paying any attention to halyard tension, vang, tack or boom angle. I'm here to say it can be done.
Now I'm not going to try to tell you that the advantage we had that day outweighs the reduced sail area we deal with all the other days when it's only blowing 5-10, but it was fun. We went through the furling and unfurling 4 times in nearly 20 kt winds without paying any attention to halyard tension, vang, tack or boom angle. I'm here to say it can be done.
Not necessarily the sail is not held by the mast extrusion itself and the amount of bend needed to influence the furling rod would be I think more than a backstay adjuster could do. I could be wrong though!
NotCook
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- Dec 29, 2008
- 806
Just this past Friday, I was asked by a friend to move his boat into a marina for hurricane season. He is in Colorado, and his boat is down here in the Virgin Islands. So, myself and some of the boys decided we would sail his boat down inside of the reef to a cut, then sail down to the marina. After checking the fuel we started the engine just in case before casting off the mooring. We attempted to unfurl the jib, but it wouldn't unwind from the furler. We didn't want to force it, but our guess was it wasn't rotating at the top, and we didn't want to put a twist in it. So, we then tried to pull out the main on the in-mast furler, and it would not budge! So, what we had expected to be a pleasant sail ended up being a brisk motoring to the marina. In the back of my mind was, "sure glad the engine is working!", as I mentally reviewed deploying the anchor in case the engine quit...
We have been contemplating behind-the-mast furling for our Mizzen. I don't want in-mast, for all the obvious reasons, but I do want the convenience the furler provides. Besides, with our main engine exhaust going up the inside of our mizzen mast, we actually can't have in-mast furling. Given the mast is already there and disrupting the airflow, would the furler behind the mast be any less efficient? Anyone have any familiarity with these, or aware of why not to have one?
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NotCook
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- Dec 29, 2008
- 806
Interesting point. I'm wondering if my friend's mast as any significant bend in it. I'm going to have to go check it out. Could explain why he has had such a difficult time furling and unfurling his main...
Most people who have problems don't know how to use the in mast furling system. My sail is a bit baggy and I have been stuck a few times, but not so bad I couldn't deal with it from the cockpit. I just work it in and out until I get the sail out. You can avoid it all by being careful furling it in. You have to have a tight halyard, put some tension on the outhaul when furling, and keep the boom angle correct. If you do that, then you won't get the sail stuck. With a new sail, it is more forgiving as the bagginess is not there. I am effectively a single handed sailor all the time as my wife rarely touches a sheet on our boat.
I understand the frustration of those who have problems, but that is like shooting the messenger when you don't like the news. It's about knowing how. Compared to getting on the deck and wrestling a sail, in-mast furling is a lot easier and safer. I've had both and wouldn't be without my fuller. By the way, I'm 70 years old and been sailing 20 years, 15 of which I've had in-mast furling.
I understand the frustration of those who have problems, but that is like shooting the messenger when you don't like the news. It's about knowing how. Compared to getting on the deck and wrestling a sail, in-mast furling is a lot easier and safer. I've had both and wouldn't be without my fuller. By the way, I'm 70 years old and been sailing 20 years, 15 of which I've had in-mast furling.
