First Winterization Question

[GreggL]

First winter with my hunter 33. Since its new I was advised to not pull the rig down for the winter. It's currently on the hard. My question is about the sails, I have an In mast furling and a roller furling jib. Should these come down or out or leaving it as is is okay? My yacht yard says leaving it is fine.

[Sailmonkey]

We don't pull for the winter, but IMHO it's insanity to leave the sails on when on the hard for any extended length of time. Think of all the extra exposure that's unnecessary. In the grand scheme it'll take you less than an hour to drop, fold and bag them. A small price to extend their life.

[Mark1977]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

We don't pull for the winter, but IMHO it's insanity to leave the sails on when on the hard for any extended length of time. Think of all the extra exposure that's unnecessary. In the grand scheme it'll take you less than an hour to drop, fold and bag them. A small price to extend their life.

+ 1.

[Jake Tanley]

SM's got it. Since you're on the hard now. wait for a very calm day, and then take them down. Sails are not cheap to replace. Store them in a warm and dry place for the off season. After cleaning, we just keep ours at the sail loft. Hope you made out OK with Sandy.

[Vasco]

I'm lazy so I'd leave the main in the mast. The jib I'd bag and leave it down below. Also I'd take all the canvas off.

[klem]

It is a little worrisome that your yard said that it would be fine not to take them off. Besides protecting them, taking them off greatly lessens the chance of a boat tipping over on the hard. Even properly furled, they add significant windage up high and if they get loose, there is a very good chance that your boat will tip over. I would not be happy if the boats around me had them up for the winter.

[Vasco]

I don't think leaving the main in the mast adds any windage. Furl it in as far as possible, some folks wrap what's left out around the mast. I've stored a boat for eight summers with the mainsail in the mast.

The boat is already on the hard. Take care if you're taking the sails down in these circumstances. Make sure there is absolutely no breeze.

[Mike OReilly]

Almost everyone up here strips all their sails, and most take their masts down. I've never had in-mast furling, but it seems to me a no-brainer to take all sails off. Store them in a nice dry place, which could be inside the boat if it's dry over the winter.

[sailorboy1]

normal to take them down, but you can leave them on - be sure the head sail is rolled up tight and is tied to keep it from blowing out

exposure sure, but come on now people leave their sails up all year long in lots of parts of the world

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

exposure sure, but come on now people leave their sails up all year long in lots of parts of the world

True, but in January when you're crunching around in the snow thinking about sailing, I'll be letting the UV eat my sails. I'll be sailing on water that isn't hard!

[Cotemar]

On our Catalina 380 we always took down the jib and folded for storage below.
In mast furling main sail was always rolled all the way in and wrapped with canvas at the lower 6 feet of the sail just above the boom.
Aluminum Mast never have to be taken down. Every few years I called a rigger to check and replace as needed. It never needed parts replace in the five years I owned her.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

True, but in January when you're crunching around in the snow thinking about sailing, I'll be letting the UV eat my sails. I'll be sailing on water that isn't hard!

well that sucks for me

but has nothing to do with having to talke the sails down for winter lay-up

besides I sure all the warm weather CF members are going to be offering us coldies time on their boats this winter

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

but has nothing to do with having to talke the sails down for winter lay-up

:

So are you telling me you go up the mast and slide down the forestay putting ties on the sail every few feet so the sail can't catch the wind anywhere?

It just worries me to no end the thought of sails on furlers on the hard for the whole winter.

[GreggL]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm going to see if I can get those down myself.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

So are you telling me you go up the mast and slide down the forestay putting ties on the sail every few feet so the sail can't catch the wind anywhere?
.

Nope I take the head sail off for the winter. But if I did leave it on there would at least 4 wraps of the sheet lines around it. Besides we get gails up here all year long and don't running to the boat each time to strip it down.

I did leave the main sail on all last winter with no issue. I figure between the sail cover and the tarps covering the boat it would be fine and it was!

Do you run down to your boat and take all the sails and canvas off each time there is going to be high wind?