proper unfurling & furling mainsail and jib, Hunter 41

[OpusXC37]

Would like to learn how to properly unfurling and furling mainsail & jib with Hunter 41 sailboat.

Just bought the sailboat and have attended a few classes. But none of them talked about Hunter 41 particular.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

 

[Bill Roosa]

Can't speak to the main but should be a similar process just different lines.

To unfurl the jib you have to release the furling line, decide which side of the boat you want the jib on, and then pull on the sheet on that side. The furling line is the one that runs from the drum at the bottom of the forestay back to the cockpit. It usually runs along the toe-rail and is cleated near the cockpit. This needs to be uncleated to unfurl the jib.
To furl it all you need to do is free up the sheet from the winch then pull on the furling line while maintain light tension on the jib sheet. Continue to furl till you get the sheet to wrap around the forestay at least once.

To unfurl the main you need to free up the shaft that it is rolled up on then pull the outhaul. furling is just freeing up the outhaul then pulling on the furling line.

FWIW, if this is your first boat you might want to consider having at least one crew that knows what they are doing with you the first couple of times you go out. If you are having trouble just getting the sail up I'm a little concerned that a 41' boat may be a little much to handle as a first attempt.
Ask around the marina for knowledgeable crew and let them know that you need someone who knows his stuff. Most crew will assume that YOU know how to handle your boat and you could end up in a blind leading the blind situation.
Good luck

 

[seadaddler]

Main

You should have a set of line stoppers on port side next to port winch and on the line stoppers is a continous line on 2 of these stoppers that is the furling which gos to the mast controlling the sail to furl in and out and need to fully open both to furl out of the mast.
Next to the the port side winch is also set of line stoppers with one line that is the outhaul that you will pull all the way out until the main is all the way out but also keeping tension on the continouis line so the sail doesn't fly out too fast and banging.
Hoping they showed how to reef and adjust the outhaul depending on wind.
Nick

 

[stephen Penny]

Assuming it is a Selden mast and a continuous furling line from a winch at the base of the mast to a cockpit winch, when you furl it out:

1. Make sure the winch at the base of the mast is in the “free” or right position otherwise it will not come out.
2. You want to be on a very slight starboard tack to ensure there is no friction where it comes out of the mast as the sail can get stuck.
3. Winch the outhaul out to unfurl the main while maintaining tension on the continuous furling line. The latter will avoid the sail puffing up in the mast and getting stuck.

When you furl it in:

1. Make sure the winch at the base of the mast is in the “in” or left position otherwise the sail could unfurl out.
2. You also want to be on a slight starboard tack to ensure there is no friction where it is furled into the mast.
3. Winch the continuous furling line in to furl the main in while maintaining tension on the outhaul so it furls tight otherwise it might not all get furled in.

These steps are really important if you have partial vertical battens as the battens can get stuck in the mast and that could require a mast climb to unstuck them.

 

[gfrazzle]

41 Furling

On my boat, the outhaul is on the starboard side, otherwise as above.
It takes some practice to get the tension just right when furling/ unfurling. My boat has full vertical battens- the slight starboard tack as suggested above is a big help. Once you get it right the furling/ unfurling can usually be done by hand, little if any winching required (in light winds anyway).

 

[Nodak7]

Re: 41 Furling

Opus,

This is our second boat with a furling main. You do not mention what year your 41 is but ours is a 06. Our main furlers are on the port side and the outhaul on the starboard. The descriptions above are correct and the only thing that I can add is when deploying the main keep some tension on the furler or the mainsail can "fill" and pull the sail out more quickly and violently than you would like. We love our furler and it makes sail adjustments (reefing) a breeze. Good luck with your new boat.

 

[stephen Penny]

Nodak7,

FYI my outhaul is on the port side, same as the continuous furler lines. Would that might make furling easier?

 

[Nodak7]

Stephen. I really don't think it makes that much difference which side it is on. The furler itself is mounted on the mast so which way the lines run really makes little difference. The line runs could be easily changed to either side.