Furlers vs Hank on for long range liveaboard cruisers

[daletournier]

I have both main and jib on furlers, and im a fan,couldnt imagine having hank on sails again. I specifically like them when it comes time to reef, so easy, i do use winches on both to furl.
When i first got my boat both furlers were a little stiff. I ran warm water with a little vinger through all bearings, this helped a lot. Salt build up happens.

[Cthoops]

I love our hank on jib and wouldn't go back to a furler, but our boat is only 30 feet. Given that you have a 40 foot boat, I would stick with a furling system.

[sailingfarmer]

There is no question about it.... I would only use hank on's to go racing... Roller furling is the only way to go.... especially if you don't have an experienced crew.

[Pete7]

The Royal Navy sail training vessels HR34s and Victoria 34s have hank on sails. Why? well asking young service personnel to crawl up to the bows at night time when sailing into the teeth of a gale to change a head sail is character building. Also they tend to sail fully manned so you need to find something for the crew to do, hence also tiller steering and no auto pilots.

On longer passages, UK to Canaries we became quite good at changing sails and there was rarely a dull moment on board. Now 30 years later, I have furling sails.

Pete

[daletournier]

The op asked specifically about long distance cruising and furler application.

Here's one eg. Between Cocos Keeling and Chagos in the middle of the Indian ocean last year we had a gale build over a 14 hr period. It eventually ended up in the high 40's.

I was able to slowly furl both sails bit by bit as the wind build until I had nothing up. No need to go on deck, all safely done from the cockpit, no turning into the wind. Also you have infinite reefs, bit by bit.

Another eg. I don't reef down at night. The reason being is it's very simple and quick to reduce sail with both on furlers, if it blows up quickly the sails get reefed quickly.

Actually now have three furlers, the code zero is on a continuous line furler, still learning this one.

[gjordan]

Having had furling on a new (to me) 44 foot boat , that worked great until I got hit by the first squall and it did the almost impossible to roll trick, I ended up putting new bearings and it worked great again for about 2 years and I had to replace bearings again. Roller furling that works is wonderful and when it doesnt work, it is a nightmare. They rarely jam in nice gentle weather and dropping a luff groove sail in a blow with just a mom and pop crew is scary and can be very dangerous. When you drop a sail out of the foil, it is only held on 3 corners and is easy to loose control in a blow. When you drop a hanked on sail , it is controlled all along the luff and can be mostly stuffed into the bag before you start taking the hanks off. It is all a compromise, but if you replace your furler you might look at it like you would an anchor (take the dealers recommendation and then go 1 or 2 sizes larger) for more reliability. Oh Yes, you mentioned a storm jib stuffed in the bottom of a locker. Please pull it out and make sure the hanks are free (they corrode in storage) and set it just to make sure you have all of the sheets and blokes to use it. Learning when you really need it, is not the best way. Just my 2 cents worth of advice. ____Grant.

[sailingfarmer]

Lesson Number 1 about furling systems... don't go cheap.... Harken, Pro Furl, etc.... no cheap stuff...

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by daletournier

The op asked specifically about long distance cruising and furler application.

Good point. On the larger RN Nicolson 55ft yachts; offshore it was necessary to turn head to wind to enable the foredeck crew to gather in the lager Genoas. There was also a risk when moving the new sail from the forepeak up to the deck and stowing the downed sail below through the forepeak hatch.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by billknny

You will still find cranky old timers who will not use them,

Guilty as charged!
Actually some of us cranky old sailors are really jealous... if those furlers work reliably...

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by mikesailin

Steer up dead into the wind to furl not downwind.

Not a very good idea in strong wind as the genoa will flog itself to death.
It would be enough to round up to a 60-70 deg wind off bow, free the sail enough to be possible to roll without excessive flogging.
This + all the advice already given of refurbishing/cleaning the furler!

[robregje]

Dear Fursoc and CF adicts,


Decide with a full yes and everybody's advice is just their opinion. As Thimothy Leary used to say, "Think for yourself and question authority".





The follow links might help.


Dan and Cath's sailing adventures: Hank on sails vs Roller Furling
Most people think we are crazy for thinking of switching............. the point of no return and we are looking forward to try it this Summer and see how it goes.


https://www.riggingdoctor.com/life-a...-on-vs-furling
................seems to dominate the scene. Almost every sailboat has ..................can not rust, so the entire system is immune to the corrosive environment of the bow.


Right or wrong is in the head f the beholder.


Grtz R.

[mikesailin]

meirriba you are correct. My point is that one must luff up to furl rather than turn downwind. Once the jib begins to luff it is time to begin the furling and by the time the boat is headed into the wind the furling operation is complete. On our 48' ketch I never had to use a winch to furl.

[Siberian Sea]

I have a 40 ft mono hull sloop. When I first purchased the vessel it had hank on. Because I was new to sailing and this was the sails the boat had this is what I used. Moving forward 12years have passed and I have solo circumnavigated the world 1.5 times now. Along the way sails and rigging needed to be replaced and upgrades came along. One of the first things was a ProFurl for my Genoa. This included of course a new sail as my old Hank on would not work. So fast and with little effort from the safety of the helm I can set, trim and take in that sail. I cannot imagine going backwards to the old system. Yes, i said «**going backward*». There must be something wrong with your furler system. I can roll mine in 40kts+. I have a classic Pro Furl #42 with a 120% Genoa. Perhaps you should contact a good rigger to have a look at your system for advise.

[jharding]

I love my schaefer roller furlers, some times I have to use a winch to get started then can do it by hand. You need to keep some tension on the line when pulling sail out so furler line winds on drum nice. I always turn down wind to furl, this blankets the genoa with the main sail, you get no flogging of the genoa and the apparent windspeed is reduced greatly. If your furler doesn't work smoothly fix it or replace it

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by fursoc

Hi all, I am hoping to hear from people who do or have lived aboard and cruise(d) long distances, rather than in reference to day/race/weekend sailing. When we move aboard next year, we (wife, 2 young kids) will be sailing long distances, then spending plenty of time in the one place where possible. I have very little experience with hank on sails, and not much more experience with furling systems. ie. I just don't have that much experience

Let me start by introducing my boat as a new to me 40ft cat that currently has a furling system with a 130% genoa and an inner forestay for a hank on storm jib in the sail locker that I have yet to get out.

Anyway, the experience I have had with the furling system on my boat is that it is very difficult for me to furl up even in 15kts of wind. The boat must be pointed directly downwind to get it in, and that's using a winch to finish it off. Is this normal? I haven't had to furl it in any more wind than that, and very glad about it. My wife has no chance above 10kts.

So basically, on a purely safety point of view, I feel like a hank on genoa would be better. If the wind suddenly piped up to 25-30kts I could just release the halyard and down it comes. Or is there more to it than that?

The main reason why this is all coming up now is because I'm replacing the rigging with dyneema and I need to make a decision about the forestay. Keep the furler and grab a new wire stay, or should I do it all in dyneema with a hank on system.

Thanks for all your help and opinions!

Keep in mind it may not be down it comes with it blowing and someone needs to be on deck to stow it.