Roller furling failure

Feb 4, 2015
5
Beneateau 49 Newport
I was sailing in 20 -25 kts and my furling line came loose. I had no way to furling the sail. What is the best way to deal with this situation.
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
I was sailing in 20 -25 kts and my furling line came loose. I had no way to furling the sail. What is the best way to deal with this situation.
Blow the sheet and go forward to manually roll up the sail.
I think...
 
Feb 4, 2015
5
Beneateau 49 Newport
tried heading into wind and rolling the drum by hand. but with 25 kt winds it was too difficult. then tried dropping the halyard but forgot about the second clutch on the mast. then wind dropped to 12, so I motored with the wind, dropping apparent wind to 3 kts. sail began to luff. I then was able to furl the drum by hand. A very stressful day.
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,523
Hunter 27_75-84 Sandusky Harbor Marina, Ohio
High wind sure makes everything harder!

How about some detail on how the furling line came loose? Thinking of how to prevent the root cause…

Thanks.
 
Jan 19, 2010
1,169
Catalina 34 Casco Bay
undawg the fore hatch, release the halyard, bring the sheets forward, open the fore hatch and drop on the sheets, pull the sail down and stuff it in the open hatch ....
 

Ward H

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Nov 7, 2011
3,645
Catalina 30 Mk II Barnegat, NJ
I’ve seen this method done and then I had a chance to do it myself.
Drive the boat in circles letting the wind push the sail around the furler. It takes a while but it does work.
When the sail is wrapped around the furler, lash it up tight, recover and rewrap the sheets if needed. Correct the issue then unfurl and continue to sail.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
My first go to would be to drop the sail while head to wind. Having completed this maneuver many many times, it is my go to. In high winds, I will be wearing my PFD and be tethered to the deck while working the sail.

In a rush lashing the sail to the lifelines serves. If the conditions are likely to last, and green water is not rolling over the foredeck, then pushing the sail down into the forecabin through the forward hatch is a good trick. If the bow is breaking serious waves, opening the hatch is a no no.

The driving the boat in a circle is a clever solution.

In 20 knots with gusts I had my old furler back wrap my genoa. We had plenty of water to the lee so I headed downwind, with the genoa under the lee of the main sail, I proceeded to manually clear the sail by turning the furler by hand. Once released, I was able to wrap the furler up and return to course. Having plenty of water between you and a lee shore gives you lots of choices.

When faced with needing to power through a narrow passage that was directly into a 25-30 knot breeze, I decided to drop the main and furl the genoa. The main was a new loose footed sail no lazyjacks or other resources, I headed the boat into a headland that gave me a wind shadow beneath the high cliffs. Was able to safely secure the sails and then proceed under power through the tidal currents of the passage.

As with most boating challenges there are options that you employ or as is often the case discover, because you now have a need.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I’ve seen this method done and then I had a chance to do it myself.
Drive the boat in circles letting the wind push the sail around the furler. It takes a while but it does work.
When the sail is wrapped around the furler, lash it up tight, recover and rewrap the sheets if needed. Correct the issue then unfurl and continue to sail.
That is an interesting maneuver…I have a CDI furler with integrated halyard that would be hard to lower under these circumstances…so my choices would be to try and roll it up by hand, or your circle technique. Good one to remember.

When I pulled my furling drum apart over the winter to replace my furling line, I was surprised to find the furling line is held in place by a stopper knot and the furler drum halves are tightened around it.

Greg
 
Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
Drop the sail. I’m not a fan of going head to wind to roll up or drop the head sail. Too much flapping especially in big wind. I prefer to go down and blanket the head sail with the main. Nice and quiet. You do have to plan ahead a little .
 
Jun 11, 2004
1,621
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
My first go to would be to drop the sail while head to wind. Having completed this maneuver many many times, it is my go to. In high winds, I will be wearing my PFD and be tethered to the deck while working the sail.

In a rush lashing the sail to the lifelines serves. If the conditions are likely to last, and green water is not rolling over the foredeck, then pushing the sail down into the forecabin through the forward hatch is a good trick. If the bow is breaking serious waves, opening the hatch is a no no.

As with most boating challenges there are options that you employ or as is often the case discover, because you now have a need.
Yes. Just do it the old fashioned way and drop the sail.
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,399
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
I would never do this head to wind. First, I would try manual furling on a very deep reach or even DDW. Minimum aparent wind and the sail behind the main. Failing that, pull it down, but still on a deep reach. Head to wind the AW is much greater and the flogging will beat you to death. You will not be able to do anything. Yes, I have done this (both manual and pulling it down), yes, in that much wind on a 34-foot cat.