Leisure Furl Coastal

[TBW]

I have a new to me 2004 Morris M36. It has a Leisure Furl Coastal in boom furling system. It has been causing me fits. I have communicated with LF at some length and read most of the web site and many youtube videos.
I still do not feel that I have a good grasp of the system or a good source of reliable information.
My problems start with rolling the sail in the boom and then hoisting it.
Any guidance very much appreciated.
Tom

[sogin]

Originally Posted by TBW

I have a new to me 2004 Morris M36. It has a Leisure Furl Coastal in boom furling system. It has been causing me fits. I have communicated with LF at some length and read most of the web site and many youtube videos.
I still do not feel that I have a good grasp of the system or a good source of reliable information.
My problems start with rolling the sail in the boom and then hoisting it.
Any guidance very much appreciated.
Tom

We have a leisure furl in boom system on a Sabre 426. Initially we had major problems and the solutions did not come from LF. If you describe the problem I would be happy to share what we learned. We have come to like the LF system but the solutions did not come from LF.

[TBW]

Thank you for the help. I am floundering around in the land of the lost.
I put on a new luff tape. Got the sail up about ten feet at most to find that I had already torn the new luff tape on the corner of the little entryway fitting.
I trial sailed a M36 last fall and it had a piece that was a bit forgiving - flopped back and forth side to side - as the sail went up. My boat has about a ten inch piece that flexes almost zero. After many pictures and discussions LF swears this is the latest greatest system. The man I bought the boat from is the original owner and did not make any modifications to the LF system. Hard to believe that a 14 year old system is the latest and greatest.
Hard to get the sail rolled even and tight enough but not so tight that the halyard cannot pull it out.
All in all it looks like this is just not ready for prime time even though it has been around for some time.
Hard to use a sail (luff tape) like kleenex.
Thank you for any and all suggestions / comments or ideas.
Tom

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by TBW

it had a piece that was a bit forgiving - flopped back and forth side to side - as the sail went up. My boat has about a ten inch piece that flexes almost zero.

You're talking about the "flex feeder". I understand earlier versions had a shorter, stiffer one, and latest and greatest being somewhat 'flexier'. 10 inches sounds about the same as mine. There should be a little snubber line for the flex feeder - make sure that's not too tight.
Have you read through the instructions? : https://www.leisurefurl.com/wp-conte...ct-12-2016.pdf

[TBW]

Thank you Lodesman
Yes, I have the 10 inch stiff one. Snubber line is 'loose'
Have read everything on the website; will look at your link.
Just seems that what is really needed is a miniature "funnel" to feed the sail in the track without the possibility of catching or hanging up.
Tom

[keepondancin]

I have had a couple of bolt rope repairs on my main, using a Leisure Furl. Have you used SailKote on the luff tape to reduce friction? I use a lot on the bolt rope. Also, I have a short piece of bolt rope that I attach to my halyard, with a down haul, and run it up and Dow occasionally to make sure the track is free. Upon install, one splice in the track was squeezed, and I tore the luff tape on a rough spot. Lastly, do you have some sort of cover to put on the gooseneck and the head of the sail where it is exposed from under the sliding sail cover? The head of the sail can suffer UV damage from being exposed. Leisure Furl has a couple of YouTube’s don my Alan Massey about set up and adjustments t. I watch it every year when I reinstall my main. Mine works quite nicely and I don’t have to make many adjustments after I reload the main on the boom.

[keepondancin]

By the way, nice boat!

[Time2Go]

Boom to Mast Angle
is Super Super Critical
it has to be set at Exactly 87 Degrees
You need a hard vang and a topping
lift (for a safety back up) to set this
up correctly
The halyard path is so convoluted that
you will need an electric winch.
Cheers
Neil

[sogin]

Originally Posted by TBW

Thank you Lodesman
Yes, I have the 10 inch stiff one. Snubber line is 'loose'
Have read everything on the website; will look at your link.
Just seems that what is really needed is a miniature "funnel" to feed the sail in the track without the possibility of catching or hanging up.
Tom

It is important to maintain finger tight tension on the furling line when you raise the sail otherwise the sail can be too sloppy when it enters the feeder. In addition, without that modest tension on the furling line it will not wrap properly on the furling drum. When our system was new we ripped two luff ropes within two or three weeks despite having carefully set the angle of the boom and following directions including a visa from the LF representative who blamed the failures on "operator error". It turned out our mast is sufficiently tall that when the sail was raised, the furling line in the final turns around the drum bound to the faring that surrounds the furling drum. This placed enormous tension on the luff rope causing it to rip from the sail. The issue was quickly solved by switching to a thinner furling line that did not bind between the furling line wraps and the fairing when the sail was fully raised. The lesson is to make sure there is just the right amount of tension on the furling line when raising the sail.

[Kestrahl]

I haven't dealt with the smaller coastal system but with many of the normal systems.
The flex feeder normally has a S/S cone at he entry, does yours have this? It works better than the older feeder.
A special high abrasion luffrope has to be used. Some sailmakers will just use a standard polyester luff tape which will tear very fast. Forespar sell a woven dyneema luff tape which is a bit better but also tears. The best one is a webbing luff tape which will last as long as the sail.

[TBW]

Thank you Kestrahl
Any more words of wisdom for "webbing" luff tape.
I can find:
1. polypropylene - no good.
2. "hydranet" which is dacron inside and hydranet outside; hydranet being dyneema and poly. Sail people seem to think hydranet will be a big improvement.
Whew!!
I feel like I just bought a new Rolls Royce, got to the first light, stepped on the brakes and sailed through the light and wrecked the car. The dealer then told me that I was not stepping on the brakes just right.
Tom