Spinnaker furlers

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Jan 30, 2012
1,123
Nor'Sea 27 "Kiwanda" Portland/ Anacortes
I use my asymmetric whenever I can and since I am in light wind country that is pretty often. I do not use a snuffer and I do not have a spinnaker crane so the sail gybes exactly the same as a standard hanked on headsail - behind the headstay. So far all fun and no problems.

Nevertheless, I am interested in a spinnaker furler so:

What is the difference/advantage between a top down and a luff line furler?

How does one trim the tack height of the sail when rigged with a furler?

Charles
 

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
The newer free flying 'luff line' furlers have the furling drum attached to the sail's tack, enabling the use of a tack line control, allowing the tack of the sail to be raised or tightened to meet the requirements of wind strength and course direction ... although the tack must be brought to the stem so that the furler drum can be operated.

Since your boat is set up ... and you prefer 'through the foretriangle' gybing ... the furler drum on a free flying furler is bound to foul on the headstay; free flying furlers are usually set up in front of headstays, etc. and usually work better with 'out and around' or in front of the headstay gybing. Of course with a free flying furler, you can fully furl or partly furl before an 'out and around' gybe to avoid or lessen a 'spinnaker wrap(s)' around the headstay.
Without a spinnaker crane and with 'out and around' gybing, just make sure that the top swivel doesnt become fouled at the mast head ... the sail will need some 'clearance' at the head and when and does require that the tack line be pulled tight when gybing. Mast cranes are easily welded to a mast head cap (when the mast is down).
 
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