Don My Catalina 320 has a Schaeffer-2100 roller furler on the jib. Someone recently told me these roller furling jibs are not designed to reduce sail area, rather they are just to store the jib away. Frankly, everyone I've ever talked to or sailed with uses their furler to reduce sail area when conditions worsen -- and I certainly do, too. Any thoughts? --RonD
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Terry
Don, many skippers reef their head sails using...
furlers. It works by reducing sail area depending on the type of furling system that you have and trimming the sail once you reduce it. We have a dual line furler and I have to lock the drum from spinning, otherwise the drum will not hold on the line and the sail will unwind. Single line furlers seem to work better. Once you reduce sail you need to adjust the clew fairlead in order to shape the remaining sail. Your fairlead track may not allow enough adjustment to achieve proper shape. These things need to be checked out. Terry
furlers. It works by reducing sail area depending on the type of furling system that you have and trimming the sail once you reduce it. We have a dual line furler and I have to lock the drum from spinning, otherwise the drum will not hold on the line and the sail will unwind. Single line furlers seem to work better. Once you reduce sail you need to adjust the clew fairlead in order to shape the remaining sail. Your fairlead track may not allow enough adjustment to achieve proper shape. These things need to be checked out. Terry
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Trevor - SailboatOwners.com
Furlers, reefers
Hi RonD - I installed a Shaefer furler on my old Islander 28 and used it frequently as a reefer. Most furlers are designed to reef in addition to furling (stowing the headsail), and I believe Schaefer is no exception. On another boat I owned, I replaced a Hood LD (line drive) furler which used a continuous loop to furl the sail around the drum of the furler. This system, by contrast, is only used to stow the sail, not for reducing sail (reefing) in a blow. I tried to open just a little bit of sail once and the entire sail opened up! I quickly replaced it and have never looked back. Enjoy reefing in heavy air with that Schaefer! Best, Trevor
Hi RonD - I installed a Shaefer furler on my old Islander 28 and used it frequently as a reefer. Most furlers are designed to reef in addition to furling (stowing the headsail), and I believe Schaefer is no exception. On another boat I owned, I replaced a Hood LD (line drive) furler which used a continuous loop to furl the sail around the drum of the furler. This system, by contrast, is only used to stow the sail, not for reducing sail (reefing) in a blow. I tried to open just a little bit of sail once and the entire sail opened up! I quickly replaced it and have never looked back. Enjoy reefing in heavy air with that Schaefer! Best, Trevor
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Don Guillette
Roller Furler
Ron: Yup, Trevor has got it right. There are reefers and furlers. My C30 has a "no name brand" furler and I would never attempt to reduce sail with it. I just don't trust it. In my case, the jib is either in or out. Also, the jib is the engine on a masthead rig like mine so if I'm trying to control the boat that is the first sail I roll up. I'm not sure if the Schaefer is a reefer but I'm sure there are listers that could and will tell you. Also, I'm not a fan of the continous line reefer or furler. It is just a personal preference but it seems to me they are more apt to slip. I like the single line furlers.
Ron: Yup, Trevor has got it right. There are reefers and furlers. My C30 has a "no name brand" furler and I would never attempt to reduce sail with it. I just don't trust it. In my case, the jib is either in or out. Also, the jib is the engine on a masthead rig like mine so if I'm trying to control the boat that is the first sail I roll up. I'm not sure if the Schaefer is a reefer but I'm sure there are listers that could and will tell you. Also, I'm not a fan of the continous line reefer or furler. It is just a personal preference but it seems to me they are more apt to slip. I like the single line furlers.
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RonD
Thanks
You've confirmed what I knew by experience, as I've used that single-line Schaefer to reduce sail area (reef the jib) in winds up over 30 knots already. Never been a problem. Since the C320 comes equipped with a dual (inboard/outboard of the shrouds) track for adjusting the fairlead, it seemed to me that the rig was designed for that purpose. Nevertheless, there was nothing in the boat manual to indicate whether that assumption was correct or not. --RonD
You've confirmed what I knew by experience, as I've used that single-line Schaefer to reduce sail area (reef the jib) in winds up over 30 knots already. Never been a problem. Since the C320 comes equipped with a dual (inboard/outboard of the shrouds) track for adjusting the fairlead, it seemed to me that the rig was designed for that purpose. Nevertheless, there was nothing in the boat manual to indicate whether that assumption was correct or not. --RonD
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Tom D
Furl at your own risk
Ron - I disagree with what you guys are saying about reefing headsails on the furling system. True there are systems that are designed for this, but it is the sail that you need to be most concerned with, not the furling system. Special provisions are made in the construction of roller/reefing headsails to handle the changes in the locations of the loads on the sail and to maintain proper luff tension. The tack, head and clew of every genoa is reinforced to handle the loads on the sail. When you partially furl a sail, you change the location of those forces on the sail to points up the leach and foot which are not designed to handle the loads - and you are typically doing it in conditions that are already challenging the boat and sail. This can damage the sail by stretching it. In addition, where you would normally want a very flat and depowered sail in heavier air, a typical, partially furled sail is very full in the middle and along the luff. This is because there is no point of attachment at the luff. Now, you can no longer control the shape of the sail using normal controls like halyard tension and/or backstay if you have one. The fairlead adjustment is the only control you have. And finally, if you do choose to roller reef like this, make sure that you have plenty of line in your furling drum. I knew of a friend who was sailing with a partially furled sail and as the wind continued to increase they decided to put the sail away completely. What they found out was that the sail under load had stretched so tightly around the headfoil, they did not have enough line left in the drum for the number of turns now required to get rid of the sail or roll it up completely. Instead, they were faced with unfurling the whole thing to take it down. They were not pleased. Be careful and think about buying a working jib. Tom D
Ron - I disagree with what you guys are saying about reefing headsails on the furling system. True there are systems that are designed for this, but it is the sail that you need to be most concerned with, not the furling system. Special provisions are made in the construction of roller/reefing headsails to handle the changes in the locations of the loads on the sail and to maintain proper luff tension. The tack, head and clew of every genoa is reinforced to handle the loads on the sail. When you partially furl a sail, you change the location of those forces on the sail to points up the leach and foot which are not designed to handle the loads - and you are typically doing it in conditions that are already challenging the boat and sail. This can damage the sail by stretching it. In addition, where you would normally want a very flat and depowered sail in heavier air, a typical, partially furled sail is very full in the middle and along the luff. This is because there is no point of attachment at the luff. Now, you can no longer control the shape of the sail using normal controls like halyard tension and/or backstay if you have one. The fairlead adjustment is the only control you have. And finally, if you do choose to roller reef like this, make sure that you have plenty of line in your furling drum. I knew of a friend who was sailing with a partially furled sail and as the wind continued to increase they decided to put the sail away completely. What they found out was that the sail under load had stretched so tightly around the headfoil, they did not have enough line left in the drum for the number of turns now required to get rid of the sail or roll it up completely. Instead, they were faced with unfurling the whole thing to take it down. They were not pleased. Be careful and think about buying a working jib. Tom D
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Alan
Tom D has it spot on
....and another problem that has not been mentioned is the location of the partially furled headsail. As the headsail is furled, the remaining sail area is moved farther up from the deck which is exactly where you don't want it to be. The center of effort of a working and storm jib is much lower and creates much less heeling.
....and another problem that has not been mentioned is the location of the partially furled headsail. As the headsail is furled, the remaining sail area is moved farther up from the deck which is exactly where you don't want it to be. The center of effort of a working and storm jib is much lower and creates much less heeling.
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Tim Welsh
Toerail in the water
I've had my toerail in the water with no main just about half of my jib out. If it was lower down the ride would have been much better.
I've had my toerail in the water with no main just about half of my jib out. If it was lower down the ride would have been much better.
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