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Tales of a New Furler

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/16/2011 : 20:49:48

First, let me say I've been boating both sail and power for 45 years so keep that in mind as you read my tale. Some of these things shouldn't have ever happened and shows how easy it is to make mistakes even with years of experience.

I finally got to try out my new furler Tuesday evening after work. Since my mast lights are intermittent I stayed in Clear Lake so I could sail as long as possible and still get back to the dock well before dark.

Winds were 15 gusting to 19 and the water only had small waves. Perfect for getting used to the new furler.

I cruised out of the marina and shut off the motor.

I chose to sail on the 150 without the main so when I was ready I released the furling line and pulled on the windward sheet.

Lesson #1 - Don't leave the furling line unattended! In about 2 seconds the 150 was fully deployed with a loud whack as it filled. Sounded like a parachute opening.

No harm done. Sheeted in and took off. Then I noticed the 150 had a funny shape. Started checking it out and realized I had not moved the main halyard from it's attachment point on the lifeline just in front of the starboard front lower and the sheet was trying to tear it off the lifeline.

I'm thinking, man this is cool having a furler, I'll just roll it up and fix the halyard. In nothing flat I had everything sorted out and rolled the 150 back out making sure to maintain some tension on the furling line this time.

Before I know it I'm hitting 5.5 knots on the GPS and the boat is pulling like a freight train. Apparently when I got the mast tuned they did it better than I did last year because the boat seems faster and sails the same on both tacks.

I had almost no weather helm and actually went down in the cabin for about 5 - 10 seconds to get the cigarette lighter adapter for the GPS. The boat sailed an almost perfect straight line. It's never done that in the past. If I let go of the tiller it was starting to turn almost immediately.

Sailed for about 45 minutes and headed back up the lake. As I got ready to head back in to the marina I started to roll the 150 in and then I noticed I had a major line wrap on the winch. Because I was just using some 5/16" line (haven't had time to purchase some Regatta 3/8") that I had laying around it seemed to get line wrapped easier and much tighter than my old 3/8" sheets.

I've had a few line wraps over the past couple of years with my old 3/8" sheets but nothing like this one. After heading up I manually pulled on the sheet and I yanked and I jerked but all I accomplished was to get the 150 sheeted in as far as it would go.

So now I'm doing 360's in the lake and slowly drifting toward a lee shore. I finally got close enough to shore that I had to do something. I went below and found a little knife I had in one of the drawers. Came back to the cockpit and started cutting the line making sure to stay out of the way as it parted.

Rolled up the 150, started the motor and headed back in. Only lost about 10 feet of the 5/16" sheet.

Lesson #2 - Use the correct size sheets even when going out for a test sail on relatively calm waters.

Lesson #3 - Always keep a sharp knife in the cockpit.

Lesson #4 - Don't wait until you're getting near a lee shore to start your engine. It didn't even dawn on me to start the motor and motor away from shore until after I had cut the sheet and furled the sail. Don't know why, maybe because things were happening slowly and I didn't feel stressed about the situation.

Lesson #5 - I will never sail without a roller furler!!!

These are the most awesome invention! It didn't take me 10 minutes of hanking and 10 minutes of unhanking the sail. I didn't have to secure the sail to the bow before going out. I didn't have to leave the cockpit to go up on the foredeck in rough water to release or secure the sail before raising or lowering it (or when I had to rapidly lower the sail to clear the main halyard). I didn't have to fold the sail up when I was done.

All I had to do was get on the boat, start the motor, motor out, release one line while pulling on another and I was sailing! When done I reversed the process and I was ready to head home.

I should have bought one of these when I bought the boat! They are simply AWESOME!!!

Association Member

GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3474 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2011 : 03:47:15

You can get into trouble with them, but it is rare and usually just little things like you experienced. They sure do rock don't they... nice to be able the change to amount of pressure up front so you can balance out the boat.

Went I first started sailing my catalina, I was swearing I had excessive weather helm, and it was just me keeping the main in too tight.

Ya don't know what ya don't know. but... it is so fun to learn, ya just gotta be careful out there.

Stay away from the lee shore....or... Hard A'lee

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2011 : 05:11:48

Other than an errant line, good to hear the furler is functioning properly!

Edited by - on

pfduffy
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2011 : 06:29:53

Gary - thanks for the timely lesson. I will be testing my new furler and sails this weekend. I can't wait!!

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2011 : 06:39:50

A glove is a good idea for that furling line when you're pulling the sail out (unless you're a blacksmith by trade). The same is somewhat true for the sheet when you're rolling it up--you want to keep the sail filled for a smooth, tight roll-- a beam to broad reach can make it easier. And I always like to stop the engine after the sails are set and start it before furling--maybe because I was usually close to (or in) a busy harbor at the time. But you handled the situation... The knife is important--I'll suggest a serrated rigging knife with a marlin spike.

Funny--I never really liked the neutral helm I had when on my 130 alone--it just felt squirrelly. I liked a light weather helm for "feel"--and it doesn't hurt for safety. But that didn't keep me from enjoying the roller-genny alone, especially single-handed!

Welcome to the new world of sailing!

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2011 : 06:57:01

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Lesson #1 - Don't leave the furling line unattended! In about 2 seconds the 150 was fully deployed with a loud whack as it filled. Sounded like a parachute opening.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I added this Harken Carbo-Cam for the furling line. You can stop the line quickly and easily and do not need to cleat the line.

Edited by - Davy J on 06/17/2011 07:02:32

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2011 : 07:06:36

Hard lessons learned are those remembered the longest.I have many.

Now, if you don't already have one, your second most handy purchase is an autopilot. Life as a single hander is so much better with an electronic helmsman.

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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3994 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2011 : 08:23:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">your second most handy purchase is an autopilot
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Lets start by saying that I don't have an autopilot. I hear the guys that have them think they are great for single sailing but I so far relied on the tiller tamer to hold the boat for as long as it takes me to go in the cabin to retrieve or do something. I can see their use on a long voyage but When I sail, I like to sail, Not be a passenger. Until they invent one that will avoid floating logs, Debris, Other boats and lobster pots I think I will stick to the Tamer.

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2011 : 13:38:48

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 A glove is a good idea for that furling line when you're pulling the sail out (unless you're a blacksmith by trade). The same is somewhat true for the sheet when you're rolling it up--you want to keep the sail filled for a smooth, tight roll-- a beam to broad reach can make it easier. And I always like to stop the engine after the sails are set and start it before furling--maybe because I was usually close to (or in) a busy harbor at the time. But you handled the situation... The knife is important--I'll suggest a serrated rigging knife with a marlin spike.

Funny--I never really liked the neutral helm I had when on my 130 alone--it just felt squirrelly. I liked a light weather helm for "feel"--and it doesn't hurt for safety. But that didn't keep me from enjoying the roller-genny alone, especially single-handed!

Welcome to the new world of sailing!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Very sound advice. If you just let the wind "whack" your sail out with no pressure on the furling line, sooner or later you're going to get the dreaded wrap on the furler itself on the drum, which can become a high pucker situation real quickly if you need to reduce sail due to weather or need to be able to dock. As Dave points out, a bit of pressure rolling it out will reduce that from happening and some pressure on the sheet when rolling it up makes for a nice tight roll up. Also, you should make sure your sheets are long enough to wrap around the furled head sail several times. This will really help protect the sail when your boat is docked and a storm rolls in. I've never understood why some people leave a scrap of head sail unrolled when they leave the boat at the dock. It seems way less protected, maybe there's a reason for this but I roll mine up tight and several times, and then cleat of the sheets tightly. I've seen a few furled sails get shredded as well, even with the sheets wrapped around it, because the end of day roll up wasn't tight enough.

I also am a firm believer of starting the engine before taking sails down, probably because I used to have so much trouble getting it started.

Gary, roller furling was the single best improvement I've made on my boat. It really made The Admiral happy because now when we hit the dock everything is done. No more slaving over a hot sail, flaking. I also like that it's so much easier to change your decision about how much head sail to use. She's much more likely to join me now. I also do a lot of head sail alone cruising with my 130. Wish I had a 155, now that I'm heading into the dreaded summer lulls. But tonight is predicted for 22 to 23, so I'll probably be rolling some of it up.

Edited by - PCP777 on 06/17/2011 13:42:01

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2011 : 20:46:01

Peter -- I'm amazed how easily this Harken roller furler operates. There's almost no friction going in or out. I knew I was supposed to keep some pressure on the furling line but in my excitement to use it the first time I totally forgot about keeping one hand on it. Won't forget again!

It is so nice not having to leave the cockpit at all now and I love pulling into the dock and unloading the ice chest and some clothes and heading home without having to flake sails and such. Almost like having a stinkpotter!

I do have my sheets wrapped around the furled sail at least a couple of times. When I leave the boat I have a short piece of white 3-strand that I wrap and tie above the sheets just to make sure the sail stays in place in case the furling line or sheets were to come loose (not likely the way I have them tied off) but then again Murphy's always around the corner. Better safe than sorry!

Dave -- You are right about using gloves. That small furling line almost burned a nice groove in my palm. I have a good pair of leather gloves on the boat and will use them in the future.

As for the helm, it's almost neutral but there's still a slight amount of weather helm. The boat felt rock solid with no hint of squirrelly. It's the first time I've been able to look back at the rudder and the wake and see the rudder pretty much streamlined with the boat. In the past the rudder was always slightly out of line and creating drag.

As for starting and stopping the engine before or after raising or lowering the sails, I had the entire lake to myself and the water only had small waves on it even though the wind was pretty strong. Going out I was in the middle of the lake before shutting off the engine and setting sail. As mentioned above, I should have started the engine before messing with the line wrap. I'll make sure I do in the future.

And I always wear my auto-inflate PFD no matter what the water conditions!

Edited by - on

pfduffy
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 06/20/2011 : 06:05:06

Tried my new CDI furler for the first time yesterday. I will NEVER own another boat without a furler. Thanks to this thread, I put on my gloves before unfurling the sail. Once the sail starts to fill, it could unfurl with gusto!

I was routinely reading 5 knots on the GPS with only the headsail. I guess new sails make a big difference!

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