sails stuck in mast furling help

[nortonscove]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

That's what knives are for.
Try keeping that "perfect tension" furling your in mast furling in these typical conditions!

Pretty typical in my neck of the woods. In fact those waves aren't standing as straight as I'd expect over a bar. Fortunately my inmast hasn't ever not furled and often it's right on the bar that we do.

[robert sailor]

If these systems are properly set up with a decent sail they are almost fool proof but some folks are going to have issues no matter what. I'll be the first to admit that I prefer a normal mainsail with slab reefing with a real large overlapping roach But my wife wanted an in mast furler and as much as I disliked it I went along with her. Obviously with a hollow roach it doesn't power up like a standard main but it is so easy to reef it under virtuality any conditions that after a couple of years I'm sort of getting used to it and maybe I might even sort of like it now. Youve got lots of good suggestions on how to release it so now you should be learning how to properly operate it in the future so that it never happens again. Good sailing..R

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Hello Freedom12, welcome aboard CF.

We have sailed on OPB's with in-mast furling, and those sails require careful handling or they get jammed. We have seen some of those sails being cut away in boat yards, and riggers working on the furlers, at $100-150/hr. If your sailing will be close to services, find and dandy, but if you are planning on long passages, you may well be better off with slab reefing. Your choice, of course, but there may be an expensive, inconvenient, and possibly scary learning curve with the furling, that the simplicity of slab reefing avoids.

Ann

Hi Ann, they don't require careful handling, they require correct handling. We have had this discussion many times on the forum.

As I'm relatively new to inmast furling (15mths) I feel I have some decent understanding of the stages, going from "oh my God this thing will jam and I'll lose my mast" to"this thing is cool and I'm quite confident that I with it".

If you know little about them your fear gets in the way. Once you take the time to understand them the whole thing changes.

Like all thing boats they must be maintained, eg bearings must be washed out and sail must be changed when stretched.

Now that I understand how my system works I operate it well with no issues.

Lack of maintenance is a big thing on boats and often from a lack of understanding. How many cruisers take their headsail furler apart, wash the bearings and have good look over it and forestay attachments? Anything not maintained well on a boat becomes a danger.

If you maintain a inmast furler and operate it correctly it will be a reliable piece of kit.

The example I use are Amels. A boat created by God apparently, how many of these ocean cruising boats have circumnavigated, all sails on furlers and electric at that.

[Jim Cate]

But, for a cruising boat, who cares!

Well, ME for one! On a mainsail driven fractional rig the upper part of the sail is really a big contributor to drive.... and lots of cruising boats sport that sort of rig these days... ours for instance.

Jim

[Markhunter1097]

The new 3Di NorDac fabric from north sails is ideal for in mast furling. I also highly recommend that any sail that furls should be coated with McLube sailkote, it is a Teflon coating that removes friction and reduces the size of the furl

[Symphony]

I have sailed a lot of boats, two with in mast furling. the early Benetaeu furling with blown out sail was a mess to furl but possible.
the Amel 53 with reasonable sails - we jammed it the first time, paid our dues getting it unjammed, never jammed it again in 2 weeks of blue water voyaging. There is a lot of maintenance for in mast furling: bearings, the motor, salt, just as everyone has said. but the great thing is for night sailing, with one hand on watch - well with slab reefing we always put a reef in the main before it gets dark. But on the Amel we never worried about reducing sail at night. with a big flashlight and the power furling one man/woman could quickly furl before the squall was too much, and just as quickly unfurl.

We furled and unfurled many times daily over 14 days. There were no internal conversations about "should I reef now?" Whoever was on watch just simply sailed with as much or as little cloth as kept the boat on her feet and moving.

The rule of boats:
You will learn to use it.
You will also need to service/repair it.
Whatever "it" is at the moment.

the more systems you have the more options and the more maintenance.
enjoy.

[David B]

Originally Posted by captaingregger

This is one area that I'm sad to say I have a lot of experience in.

In-mast furlers are a pain. I tolerate mine but I don't think I would ever buy another one.

Depends on the furler perhaps. Ours is a Selden, and seven seasons on, we have yet to have a jam. Love our in-mast - means the sail comes out at the slightest temptation, rather than 'too much trouble for this short trip/this little wind' etc

I just ensure when it furls in, it is a tight furl, and when it comes out, it is a controlled un-furl.

For the original post, once you get it out, check that the sail is not too stretched, check the halyard tension, check the boom angle is not such that the foot hem is winding on top of itself (therefore making the rest of the sail baggy in there).

Hope that helps.

[Scatterling]

I, too, have Selden in-mast furling. Nobody has mentioned this, so I will. Selden has very explicit furling instructions. I have to be on port tack with the sail filled before I start furling. On the occasions I’ve forgotten the rule and furled on starboard tack, I’ve had issues deploying the sail.

[Markhunter1097]

In mast Mailsails should be coated with mclube sailkoteplus, this helps achieve the tighter curl that everyone is recommending.

[sailcrazy]

That's a lot of McLube! Does that stuff have any effect on the sailcloth? Especially if it is a synthetic? How long does a coating last under use?

[Eder]

I jammed my main for the first time at 2 degrees north after trying to dodge & minimize 14 squalls over a 24 hour period. I was furling 1st reef to 2nd in the dark before squalls hit...by morning my main was jammed hard & I ripped a seam trying to get it released.
Made the last 600 miles to Hiva Oa with a double reef but a stiff 25 knot breeze there unjammed the sail and lengthened the tear to about 5 feet.
Was my own fault....I needed to unfurl entire sail after every few squalls I would have been fine.

[Markhunter1097]

Originally Posted by sailcrazy

That's a lot of McLube! Does that stuff have any effect on the sailcloth? Especially if it is a synthetic? How long does a coating last under use?

The active part Teflon the rest evaporates away. Allpied from a 5 gallon drum with a spray gun. It lasts a lot longer than you think it should, at least a couple of years. No issues with it in the sails, that is what it was designed for. Check out the McLube website for SailkotePlus, that will give you all the benefits.

[Markhunter1097]

[URL=http://www.mclubemarine.com/sailkoteplus/