About a month ago the roller furler headsail on a boat two slips down was blown out in a heavy storm. It was in shreads. A similar case was noted in a story posted on this site. My question: is there a roller furler "brake" that can be applied to a roller furler to stop it from unwinding if the tension rope breaks. One could tie a rope around the furled sail, but that seems a bit unconventional.
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I always secure mine
When I get back to the dock I always secure mine with a bungee that matches the sunbrella fabric. Like you said, a bit unconventional, but I've never considered myself a conventional sailor.
When I get back to the dock I always secure mine with a bungee that matches the sunbrella fabric. Like you said, a bit unconventional, but I've never considered myself a conventional sailor.
Bungee
I also secure my sail everytime (even at anchorage) with a bungee. It seems like an easy precaution. Peter
I also secure my sail everytime (even at anchorage) with a bungee. It seems like an easy precaution. Peter
Furling Line Itself
Paul, Unless you have a continuous loop furling line, the furling line should simply be cleated off. Remember how you unfurl your sail: you use the jib sheets to get it out. Unless you un-cleat the furling line, the jib sheets won't do diddly. Seems like you already have a brake right in the furling line. Maybe I missed your point about the "tension line," so if the tesnion line is the furling line and it broke, yes, you'd be SOL. Seems just tying some 1/2 inch line around the sail when furled would do the trick, at the height of the clew if you can get to it from your pulpit. Stu
Paul, Unless you have a continuous loop furling line, the furling line should simply be cleated off. Remember how you unfurl your sail: you use the jib sheets to get it out. Unless you un-cleat the furling line, the jib sheets won't do diddly. Seems like you already have a brake right in the furling line. Maybe I missed your point about the "tension line," so if the tesnion line is the furling line and it broke, yes, you'd be SOL. Seems just tying some 1/2 inch line around the sail when furled would do the trick, at the height of the clew if you can get to it from your pulpit. Stu
Wrapped
Yes Stu, that's the problem I see. The furling line which winds up the sail and keeps it wrapped up, breaks and the sail blows out and shreads. This is the only way I could figure out, as to, what happend to the boat two slips down from mine. A stong wind will unwind the sail if it can get in and turn the roller furler. I admit that a good furling line cleated off should prevent this from happening. But since the wind has unfurled a sail, it sounds like a reasonable response is to tie the sail up as you suggest as close to the clew as possible. It is just one more step in securing the boat in its slip.
Yes Stu, that's the problem I see. The furling line which winds up the sail and keeps it wrapped up, breaks and the sail blows out and shreads. This is the only way I could figure out, as to, what happend to the boat two slips down from mine. A stong wind will unwind the sail if it can get in and turn the roller furler. I admit that a good furling line cleated off should prevent this from happening. But since the wind has unfurled a sail, it sounds like a reasonable response is to tie the sail up as you suggest as close to the clew as possible. It is just one more step in securing the boat in its slip.
I would consider removing...
...the furling sail when leaving the boat for long periods or when heavy weather is imminent.
...the furling sail when leaving the boat for long periods or when heavy weather is imminent.
Harken Unit has a "lock"
My Harken roller furling unit has a "lock" of sorts for just this purpose. There is a hole in the lower half of the rotating part, and a hole in the housing. You just line them up and drop an appropriately sized pin through the hole, and the unit can not unwind, even if the furling line is undone. I use the sort of captive pin that is used to secure trailer hitch pins. I NEVER leave the boat without securing this pin and all the seacocks. Steve Christensen
My Harken roller furling unit has a "lock" of sorts for just this purpose. There is a hole in the lower half of the rotating part, and a hole in the housing. You just line them up and drop an appropriately sized pin through the hole, and the unit can not unwind, even if the furling line is undone. I use the sort of captive pin that is used to secure trailer hitch pins. I NEVER leave the boat without securing this pin and all the seacocks. Steve Christensen
Look at Reef Rite
Have you looked into the Reef Rite furler? The one I installed on my Cal 27 was far superior to the Shaefer unit I now have on my Cat 320,in my opinion. It has an intregal pawl that locks the unit at any position and eliminates the need for a a cleat or clutch. It is released by a Hyfeld lever and comes comlete with everything needed for an owner install. No additional hardware to buy and a very robust unit that can be owner installed and maintained. I now wish I hadn't been too lazy to swap them out when I purchased my 320. If you are not familiar with them, Brian Cleverly in Sacramento is the US distributer. Check his site at www.anzam.com
Have you looked into the Reef Rite furler? The one I installed on my Cal 27 was far superior to the Shaefer unit I now have on my Cat 320,in my opinion. It has an intregal pawl that locks the unit at any position and eliminates the need for a a cleat or clutch. It is released by a Hyfeld lever and comes comlete with everything needed for an owner install. No additional hardware to buy and a very robust unit that can be owner installed and maintained. I now wish I hadn't been too lazy to swap them out when I purchased my 320. If you are not familiar with them, Brian Cleverly in Sacramento is the US distributer. Check his site at www.anzam.com
two things
first, there should be enough length in the sheets to put 8 or 10 wraps around the furled sail. that gives a great amount of security. all of the sails i have seen blown out were because the furl was loose with no extra wraps. the other thing i do in hurricane watch or severe storm warnings, is take the spare jib halyard and wrap it the opposite way around the furled sail. this is easy to do. it ends up looking like a candy cane that goes the full length of the sail. by going in the opposite direction, it prevents air from getting under the sail leech.
first, there should be enough length in the sheets to put 8 or 10 wraps around the furled sail. that gives a great amount of security. all of the sails i have seen blown out were because the furl was loose with no extra wraps. the other thing i do in hurricane watch or severe storm warnings, is take the spare jib halyard and wrap it the opposite way around the furled sail. this is easy to do. it ends up looking like a candy cane that goes the full length of the sail. by going in the opposite direction, it prevents air from getting under the sail leech.
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