Continuous line furling

[admiralslater]

Even though I motor almost 100% of the time, I have to install 2 continuous line furlers (CLFs) this year and as I have no experience with them I have couple of questions.
My plan was to not have it on a winch and to let it out fast ala Ac 45s but without the capzing . On Pdq 36 the screecher is about 600 sq ft on a harken and on the Outremer 1200 on a profurl top down
I had planned to use harken slippery rings (technical term) as the return as
the line is lazy on one side .
Can I furl without a winch
when I unfurl can I just let it go as long as the feed angles are ok as I plan to furl when gybing

[Sailmonkey]

I can't speak to that size, but on a much smaller unit, we do just as you suggest, when setting the screacher just let her rip!!
It did require attaching a turning block on a bungee at the aft end of the continuous loop though to keep it running fair.


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[tomfl]

Originally Posted by admiralslater

Even though I motor almost 100% of the time, I have to install 2 continuous line furlers (CLFs) this year and as I have no experience with them I have couple of questions.
My plan was to not have it on a winch and to let it out fast ala Ac 45s but without the capzing . On Pdq 36 the screecher is about 600 sq ft on a harken and on the Outremer 1200 on a profurl top down
I had planned to use harken slippery rings (technical term) as the return as
the line is lazy on one side .
Can I furl without a winch
when I unfurl can I just let it go as long as the feed angles are ok as I plan to furl when gybing

The answer to your questions is maybe.

I have my screecher set up with a continuous furler. The lines lead to the steering station and at the end there is a pulley secured with a bungee cord to limit what you seem to be calling the lazy line on one side. I understand your concern about the correct feed angles. The important thing to remember is time is the biggest factor. I also like to keep a little tension on the sheet as I am winding the sail up using the continuous furler, I do this by putting the sheet under my foot to produce a little friction while pulling the line controlling the continuous furler. It does not take a lot of effort to pull the line as long as the friction from my foot is not to great.

There can be a problem if the sheet is completely lose and the sail if flailing around, not so much from needing a lot of effort to pull the line on the furler. Rather the sail can wrap up in what I will call bunches where it is way too lose and then tighter. If you have a crew member who can control the tension/friction on the sheet with their hands instead of single handing the way I do it is a much easier.

I am not sure how you have set up your head sails but on my boat I have a working jib and a screecher on a bowsprit. If tacking or gybing I do not have to completely roll up the screecher, just get it forward of the jib, and let it out once it has moved to the other side.

All in all I would never be able to single hand at my age with out the modern doohickies.