Converting to external mast furler

[PyotrBee]

I have a 37' catamara 22' beam. Standard rigging. The sail needs replacing within the next year or two.

Im considering changing to a external mast furler for a variety of reasons:
-Internal mast furlers can be difficult to unjam
-Internal mast furler would require me to replace my mast
-Easier reefing
-Easier single handing.

1) Are my assumptions correct

2) Can such a boat be easily modified?

3) Are there any major downsides?

4) Other?

[PyotrBee]

Also maybe an external boom furler might be better for even easier maintenance? And a boom furler allows battens.

[Sand crab]

Answer to 3 & 4.
Weight aloft.
No battens so poor sail shape.

The plus side is there are bunches of these and masts with inmast furlers available from the marine salvage dealers. It seems less people are buying them than are getting rid of them. That should tell you something.

+1 on the boom furler.

[PyotrBee]

Ok so the boom furler looks like the better option. Any downsides to this vs a standard sail? Can most boats be easily retro fitted?

[Richard Jordan]

Originally Posted by PyotrBee

Ok so the boom furler looks like the better option. Any downsides to this vs a standard sail? Can most boats be easily retro fitted?

Drawback to in boom furling is weight on gooseneck. On a 37-foot cat I think a standard rig still makes the most sense. Adding an electric main winch will make sail handling easier. Also in terms of cost, an in-boom furler wil run you at least 20k USD.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by PyotrBee

Ok so the boom furler looks like the better option. Any downsides to this vs a standard sail? Can most boats be easily retro fitted?

$$$$ for boom furls.
But a good battened sail on track slides or Strong track with the use of lazy-jacks or stack-pack would probably serve you better.

[PyotrBee]

The winching isnt really the issue. In a pinch we can pull the rope down and use the anchor windlass. The reefing is a real pain and single handing the boat would be quite challenging. Some of our crew are often older and often we have family sails. So looking to make things a bit easier to single hand.

[PyotrBee]

Thanks. The stack pack looks interesting, thats another chore too single handed is getting the thing in the sail bag! Will also check out the type of battens you suggest as that seems quite different than the normal battens we have and sounds interesting.

[PyotrBee]

Is the stack pack different from just a sail cover with lazy jacks? That loosk an awful lot like what we have. The sail never comes down and "auto folds" like the nice pictures lead you to believe... sure it comes down in a lump and stays on top of the boom though

[delmarrey]

Here take a look.>>> Add a StrongTrack https://www.tidesmarine.com/sail-track.shtml

Doyle Sailmakers: StackPack

[PyotrBee]

Thats what I looked at. Aside from the battens being attached to the slides, it looks pretty similar to what we have. The sail drops for sure, but never folds perfect like those drawings. But I will say it stays on the boom and doesnt go all over the deck as on boats without lazy jacks. The sail ends up on top of the boom, but its still a lump that has to be manhandled into a compact form and into the sail bag. It almost never fit and it had a zipper which IMO is a horrible idea. We removed the zipper, added a few inches to the top of the sailbag and used velcro. Works a lot better.. but still can be a bit of work in conditions.

[delmarrey]

There is always the Dutchman system for better flaking. Some swear by it others ????

Doyle Sailmakers: Dutchman

But you sound like a candidate for the boom furl........ http://www.forespar.com/leisurefurl/history.html

[PyotrBee]

The boom furler is sounding really nice.... But based on price its a few years off. But I think I can get another 2 years out of my mail sail anyways so maybe time will be right then. Main sail was burned as part of a lightening strike. Patched it back together and its working for now.

[delmarrey]

Here is a video for the dutchman system.

The Dutchman - YouTube

MVBinfo · Dutchman Sail Hardware

[Sand crab]

Something like this.

Harken Battcars - YouTube