Furling boom

[slipaway2.0]

No, but the summary from this thread is that downwind reefing is not an option or it is unadvisable, but I am happy to be told otherwise.

I understand that many people are better sailors than me and will never reef downwind, but I have to take my limitations into account, I make mistakes

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by slipaway2.0

No, but the summary from this thread is that downwind reefing is not an option or it is unadvisable, but I am happy to be told otherwise.

I understand that many people are better sailors than me and will never reef downwind, but I have to take my limitations into account, I make mistakes

No one is a good enough sailor to magically never find himself in a position where the wind and seas have been building, you find yourself overcanvassed and in need of a reef, but the waves are now so big you don't want to head up.

Anyone who has never been in that position has never done any real offshore sailing.

This is one situation where I thank God and Mr. Selden for my in-mast furling, which allows me to deal with the situation from the cockpit.

But it's not hopeless with other systems. Try heaving to. Hove to you will be ok in big waves, and your deck will be magically more peaceful and stable and you will be much safer going forward to get the mainsail down or put a reef or two in it.

Another tip: if you suspect things might get like that, just get rid of the mainsail before it gets too bad. Sail with a bit of jib, or better yet, with a storm jib. It's more stable anyway because the center of effort of the sail plan moves forward, greatly reducing the risk of a broach.

Then you won't need to go forward at all, won't need to heave to, or worry about anything at all, at least not until the waves start to break.

[Symphony]

I still wonder if anyone who now sails with a boom furler, and is sailing deep broad or downwind, and prior to gale force winds decides to reef -
can you not sheet in the main to the furling angle while maintaining heading? This will depower main as long as you control against jibe with the tight sheet and tight preventer.
If breeze is too strong and boat tender, then head more downwind as the mainsheet comes in, depowering the main until the boom is at preferred furling angle.

Once the sail is retracted to your reef point resume course and sheet out to power up the main.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Symphony

I still wonder if anyone who now sails with a boom furler, and is sailing deep broad or downwind, and prior to gale force winds decides to reef -
can you not sheet in the main to the furling angle while maintaining heading? This will depower main as long as you control against jibe with the tight sheet and tight preventer.
If breeze is too strong and boat tender, then head more downwind as the mainsheet comes in, depowering the main until the boom is at preferred furling angle.

Once the sail is retracted to your reef point resume course and sheet out to power up the main.

Controlling against a gybe is next to impossible in anything over 20 feet long if there’s any kind of wind up. The forces are simply too great.

I could do some stuff with my 20 foot Auatral that would rip my arm off if I tried them in the current boats.

[Symphony]

Originally Posted by GILow

Controlling against a gybe is next to impossible in anything over 20 feet long if there’s any kind of wind up. The forces are simply too great.

I could do some stuff with my 20 foot Auatral that would rip my arm off if I tried them in the current boats.

Thanks. Yes of course, GILow.
i have sailed Amels and FPs and controlled gybes by opposing the sheet and preventer. The Amels have mast furling, the FPs have slabs and lazies, so i haven’t ever executed the tactic on a boom furler but can imagine the evolution.

[donradcliffe]

To reef an in boom, in mast, or slab reefed mainsail in heavy air when going downwind, first take the load off the mainsail by oversheeting the jib, then head up a bit until the main starts to luff. It is going to be wetter and more rolly than remaining on a downwind course, but a luffing sail is far less likely to jam, or rip, or break the battens on the shrouds.

In Boom furling can let the luff of the sail creep forward as you roll it up, and the bolt rope will eventually jam at the tack UNLESS the angle of the boom to the mast is held at the perfect spot while you reef.

The biggest problem with in boom furling is the loads on the batten pockets on a full batten mainsail. You cannot use batcars with in boom furling, and the batten pocket will chafe through the luff tape rather quickly, like one Atlantic crossing.

I have never found a problem with mainsail shape when using in-boom furling. The outhaul stays tensioned, and if you have the right boom angle that tension is maintained as you furl.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by slipaway2.0

No, but the summary from this thread is that downwind reefing is not an option or it is unadvisable, but I am happy to be told otherwise.

Not that you seem to be terribly interested in getting opinions from the people who have actual experience with boom furlers, but this is copied directly from the Leisurefurl manual, for what it's worth:

Furling down wind
If it is necessary to furl down wind, we introduce a modified procedure to furling the Sail as
was stated earlier.
− Square away to a broad reach, or flat run.
− Pull the mainsheet in so the boom is approx. 45° to the centerline.
− Release the vang a little and cause the boom to rise a bit, and pull in on the topping lift.
− Snub the main halyard off before releasing the main halyard rope jammer. Do not release any of the main halyard.
− Initiate furling without releasing any main halyard, then slowly allow the halyard to pull
against the power of the winch. A lot of power will be required

[Symphony]

Thanks!
Makes sense; halyard tension prevents the luff creeping forward.
Boom controlled to 45° and rising via sheet, traveller, preventer, vang, and topping lift. Every angle possible!

No heading up into waves and gale, no leaving the cockpit.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

To reef an in boom, in mast, or slab reefed mainsail in heavy air when going downwind, first take the load off the mainsail by oversheeting the jib, then head up a bit until the main starts to luff. It is going to be wetter and more rolly than remaining on a downwind course, but a luffing sail is far less likely to jam, or rip, or break the battens on the shrouds.. . .

Naturally, if sea conditions permit. But in big sea conditions with some breaking waves or threat of breaking waves, you might really REALLY not want to head up and risk getting rolled.


In such a case heaving to can be the best tactic as you are less likely to get rolled than under way.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Better sail shape than with slab reefing? But how do you control foot tension with boom furling? And if you can't control foot tension, how can you have better shape than with slab reefing?

It depends on the system. Mine has a sliding tack and foot for the sail that allows the foot to be tensioned up half a turn before the sail starts to furl. That allows foot tension to be adjusted (within a fairly narrow range though) when the main is fully hoisted. There is no means of adjusting foot tension when the main is reefed.

[Symphony]

What brand is yours, Jammer ?

[Jammer]

It's a Furlboom. I'm still trying to decide whether I like it.

A problem in my particular case is that there are no local riggers who know anything about them. It was installed on the boat years ago by the "previous previous" owner at a yard somewhere in the Chesapeake.

[Jammer]

The problem of what to do when caught with too much sail up on a run is a serious one. People like to opine that with a furling boom in a hard chance you can just drop the sail, pretend that it's a plain slab-reefed sail, and bundle it up on the boom with some sail ties. The reality is that you can't, because there's no way to control the luff as the sail comes down. So all you can do is crank down the vang as hard as you think you can without breaking anything, sheet in the sail as far as you think you can without risking a gybe, winch in the furling line in low gear, hope nothing breaks, and try to at least roll up enough of the sail that you're no longer overcanvassed before the sail jams on the roller from the angles being wrong.

Then when the wind dies down or you're in protected waters you can head up and restore order.

On the other hand it's great when it works, which is nearly always. I am effectively singlehanded so that is no small thing.


I think I would like a Dutchman setup and a really good ball bearing track better.

[Symphony]

I have a Dutchman on my daysailor, and had one on my Tartan 4100. Both boats with very large mainsails. Dutchman system is excellent and tames the main! It is very fussy to set up initially, but once the filaments are adjusted it works very well, especially if you have a downhaul to strike the sail quickly.
You will also need a fiddly sail cover with slots for the filaments using zippers or velcro to fasten around them.

But- i do not know the maximum size boat/ sail that can use it

[Jammer]

..nod.. As near as I am able to determine the only drawback of Dutchman systems is that sailmakers hate them because they encounter sailors who are unable or unwilling to fine-tune the filament lengths themselves and rake the sailmaker over the coals instead.


There is some upfront cost and fiddling, and the filaments do have to be replaced from time to time. So what.