Head Sail

[McSea]

I'm thinking about changing from roller reefing to hoisting and changing headsails according to conditions on my 30 ft mast head sloop.
I will be racing single handed mostly close hauled heavy going offshore work.
Anyone know of a system other than hank-on that will give me a clean luff line.

[perchance]

I thought they used a two groove foil and hoisted the replacement sail inside the original sail before pulling it down.

[Pete7]

Might be worth looking at what the petit bateau or mini transats use. They are small boats used for long distance and often single handed. They will have found solutions to the roller or hank on problem for single handed sailing.

Pete

[Jim Cate]

G'Day McSea,

Years ago I was heavily involved with SH ocean racing around San Francisco, sailing a Yankee-30. I used a thing called a "K-Z Foil" which was sold by the legendary Bob Graham in New Zealand. This thing consisted of a foil with two male t-tracks and a gap near the bottom. Into the gap one stuck a magazine loaded with little bronze slides which replaced hanks on the sail. Each sail had its own magazine, and one loaded sails on alternate sides -- say the #1 on the starboard track, the #2 on the port and so on. Once the sail was hoisted, one could remove the now empty magazine and replace it with the one for the next sail, and then do an inside-out sail change. It worked really well, wasn't too dear, and was trouble free. Eventually put one on our next boat, an IOR one-tonner that we took cruising... it was about ten years before I succumbed to aging and put a furler on that boat!

I doubt if they are still made, but if interested, Bob still manufactures furlers under the trade name Reef-Rite (great furlers, BTW), and he just might have one lying around somewhere.

Cheers,

Jim

[s/v Moondancer]

Having changed head sails a dozen times in the English Channel in gales I think that anyone that goes on the foredeck to change head sails when hard on the wind in an off-shore gale has a death wish...especially a single hander!

[Hydra]

McSea,
A colleague of mine changed his Tuff Luff system for hanks on his First 31.7 a few years ago in preparation for the TransQuadra two-handed transatlantic race, because he tought hanks are more reliable. IIRC, he didn't mention any trouble after the race.

Alain

[Rex Delay]

HeadFoil Home Page

Used one of these for years, no issues.

[McSea]

Thanks Guys, for all the feed back.
The one about a friend changing to hank-on is interesting. As I'm not just looking for the fastest Boat speed. The thought of sitting there with too much head sail up as the green stuff comes over the bow and knowing I will have to change down...Not pleasant ! (point taken death wish) but the idea of a 2760 mile beat with a 160% Genoa half furled just isn't on.
So I know about hanks, used them many years ago. Know v/little about Foils and never used them, other than feeding my 160% Genoa on to the furling gear at the start of the season; So what to do?
(Staying at home not an option "death wish")

[Rex Delay]

Walk the docks, find a boat with a headfoil, talk to him and hopefully crew on it to try it out.

[Hydra]

I have hanks on all my headsails (30' boat). This summer, I have had to change headsails when the sea was moderate to rough. Of course, it took longer than furling but it was much safer than changing foil headsails: even when the clew of a sail went overboard, the whole luff was held on the forestay.

I also wonder about the reliability of foil systems: a long time ago, I met a racing yacht that dropped out of a race because the feeder failed at the base of the stay. Then, they could no longer hoist a headsail. I am not sure if these systems can be repaired aboard a cruising yacht.

Alain

[Jim Cate]

G'Day again McSea,

I would avoid simple foil systems for singlehanded sailing... or even doublehanded, as in many cruising situations. The chances for sails being lost or damaged when loose on deck are WAY too high.

If you decide to use hanks, consider using Witchard hanks... the ones using a spring-wire gate instead of a piston for closure. They both allow easy single-handed (literally) snapping onto the stay and never get stuck as the pistons so often do. I found them to be a big improvement.

Cheers,

Jim

[Hydra]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

If you decide to use hanks, consider using Witchard hanks... the ones using a spring-wire gate instead of a piston for closure. They both allow easy single-handed (literally) snapping onto the stay and never get stuck as the pistons so often do. I found them to be a big improvement.

+1
Spell "Wichard" (French brand).
One hand sail snaps

I only have these on my sails. Just have to be careful when running with a symmetrical spinnaker, for these hanks are able to catch the foot of the 'chute.

Alain

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Hydra

+1
Spell "Wichard" (French brand).
One hand sail snaps

I only have these on my sails. Just have to be careful when running with a symmetrical spinnaker, for these hanks are able to catch the foot of the 'chute.

Alain

thanks for the correction and the link

Jim

[scubastu]

No reason you cant have several sails cut to fit on the furler. i have a No1 and No2. No2 is on most of the time but if i know its going to be a light wind day I put on the No1. Takes no longer than hanking on a iib.
In your case get a No 3 cut and your set.