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How do you fold/roll a sail....

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knightwind
Navigator

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Canada
114 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/22/2008 : 06:41:29

Could someone please describe to me the correct method of folding/rolling your mainsail on your boom prior to putting on a sail cover. I've tried a few ways and its always pretty messy. I also have a couple little bungee cords (with wooden "tongs") that I suspect should be used to wrap around the bundled sail prior to putting the cover on.

Thanks .

Peter Keddie
Turkey Point, ON
79 Catalina 25 Fixed Keel #1050

Edited by - on

Renzo
Admiral

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USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 07:24:10

There is more than one way to fold a main sail, and it is hard to explain in words without diagrams or pictures but I'll give it a try.

Pull the boom to the centerline of the boat and cleat it.
Start at the head of the sail (at the mast)and pull the luff, below the first sail slug,down to the boom one side of the mast. Then do the same on the other side below the next sail slug. Keep alternating the folds until all of the forward part of the sail is "Flaked" down on the boom, don't worry if the sail flops to one side of the boom. Next go to the leach, at the back of the sail and starting grab a handfull of sail along the leach approximately the same as the size of the folds that you made at the mast and pull it back, tightly, while folding it over the boom. Hold that fold down and grab another handfull of leach (from the same side as before,do not alternate. inother words if you started with your right hand continue with your right) keep doing this moving forward along the boom until you you come to the first batten. Fold the sail at this point so that the batten lies along the top of the boom and secure the sail to the boom at this point by wrapping a sail tie ( in your case that would be the bungie with the wooden peg) around the boom and sail. Then start folding the leach over the boom again as before until you come to the next batten and tie it down. repeat the process until the entire sail is on top of the boom.

This is one common way to fold a mainsail. There are others.

One other way is to stand at the middle of the boom with the sail drooping on one side of the boom. Grab the sail near the leach and lift it up about waist high to form a pocket and then stuff the rest of the sail into the pocket. Then wrestle the pocket(kind of rolling it)up on to the boom and secure it with sail ties. Not pretty but it works un less you have a loose footed main then all bets are off.

Hope this made sense.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 07:29:56

Rolling the sail would involve removing it from the boom and for best sail life, that's probably the best way to store it. I'm not interested in re-rigging the sail with every trip so, I "flake" the sail on top of the boom. Probably the best way to describe this is if you look at the luff of the sail from the foredeck it will lay evenly on top of the boom like a continuous "S". It takes some practice and, admittedly, I probably am not as diligent as others but "flaking" rather than simply bunching it on top of the boom will contribute to longer sail life. I then secure it with a few lightweight bungees like you described. They don't need to be overly tight since your sailcover will hold it on the boom.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 08:14:28

I flake the main in the manner previously described and use the tail of the main halyard to secure it to the boom.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 09:05:49

Full batten mains all but flake themselves. I use bungees, sailties, centipede, whatever happens to be on that boat. I have made my own modified centipede on my '89. In high wind or a modified panic situation I use the vang tail to hold the sail on the boom.

Peter, from your new sig photo, you must be an Ayn Rand devotee.

Soon you will have great shots of your boat under sail.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 05/22/2008 09:18:43

BADAR2
Deckhand

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USA
13 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 11:16:56

Go to www.Sailcare.com, they have pictures. They are also very good at sail cleaning and repair.

Edited by - on

knightwind
Navigator

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Canada
114 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 11:37:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Frank Hopper
 
Peter, from your new sig photo, you must be an Ayn Rand devotee.

Soon you will have great shots of your boat under sail.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hmmm...had to google this one...
AR - "My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."
I'd rather post a pic of my boat under sail but the camera keeps getting wet when ever I step back far enough to get a good shot.
So I put this one up...and can't help but to agree with your observation....not sure I agree with AR's philosophies though.

When I tried flaking the main sail I pulled out every other "plug" from the mast crack (I'll get the dam terminology one of these days)
Is that what you do or do you leave em all in?

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 11:41:08

Get a mast gate and that'll stop. Leve them in. It makes getting underway that much faster.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 12:37:38

Using a sail stop or gate will keep the slugs in the track. Until you get one flake the main back and forth across the boom, securing it with at least 3 straps or bungees. I use 1" white webbing straps, 5', 4', and 2 @ 3' each. When you flake it, try to keep the battens on top of the boom.

Edited by - on

Renzo
Admiral

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USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 13:22:00

The pics on the Sail Care web site are good but they don't aply to folding the Mainsail on the boom. They are for for folding sails off the boat for storage. As others have said leave the slugs in the mast slot. To to that you will need to purchace or, more likley fabricate a mast sail slot gate. If you search the Technical Tip on this site you may find instructions on mast gates.

Philosophy aside, I would recommend that you try to make the aquaintance of some local sailors who can show you these basic items and techniques. I'm sure that you can eventually figgure them out on your own and with the help on the forum, but nothing beats hands on instruction.

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 19:40:54

Peter,
I agree with the suggestions to install a mast gate to prevent the slugs from falling out of mast slot when the sail is lowered. A quick fix in the meanwhile, however, may be to simply wrap a light line (1/8" or 3/16") a couple of times around the mast just above the gate and tie it off to act as a stopper. Certainly not permanent, but should help until you can get all your projects lined up.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 20:28:34

how to roll or flake your Kent sail? you could contact them via their website www.kent.com and ask them.

For the mainsail, I flake mine on top of my boom generally using the battens as a guide. Make the flakes big, and tie them on lightly(loosely)
I rely on my sail cover to hold the sail on the boom.

For my hank-on jibs, I use my V-berth as a sail locker and lay my sails out as loose as possible.
When I bag them, I try to keep from making any creases in the sail, folding from the bottom up, making the folds rounded.

Edited by - on

knightwind
Navigator

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Canada
114 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2008 : 21:56:17

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by stampeder
 how to roll or flake your Kent sail? you could contact them via their website www.kent.com and ask them.

For the mainsail, I flake mine on top of my boom generally using the battens as a guide. Make the flakes big, and tie them on lightly(loosely)
I rely on my sail cover to hold the sail on the boom.

For my hank-on jibs, I use my V-berth as a sail locker and lay my sails out as loose as possible.
When I bag them, I try to keep from making any creases in the sail, folding from the bottom up, making the folds rounded.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Do you keep the leech-plugs in the lower mast or take them out?

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2008 : 07:39:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by stampeder
 Make the flakes big, and tie them on lightly(loosely)
I rely on my sail cover to hold the sail on the boom.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's why I'm not a fan of bungee style sail ties. That, and getting slapped in the face with a wooden toggle when one end slips out of your hand.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2008 : 11:11:58

I always had just rolled the main sail while it was on the boom. I did not know any better, though, was aware of flaking the sails but never tried it. It seemed it was easier for me to just roll the main sail and tie it up just prior to entering the marina. All that was left was to put the sail cover on once docked. Last year, I had a friend from work onboard and he was use to crewing/racing with others, he flaked the sail but I did not pay enough attention to how he did it and so when I recently got my new sails, I tried flaking them but my inexperience and the fact that they were so stiff, made me unsuccessful.

Recently, John P and I have been sailing together. The first time, he was on my boat and I watched carefully as he showed me how to flake the sails. Now I do it that way all the time.

In non-sailing terminology, the way I do it successfully is to first loosely tie up the sail after I take it down and then motor into my finger slip. Then I undo the temporary tie and pull the main sail straight back from the end of the boom. I pull it about from approximately where I would be putting the first flake. I then continue to pull it as I flake the sails with about ~4-6" overhanging the center of the boom. After the first 3 or so flakes, I use the straps that came with my new sail and tie the flakes down using a slip knot (I have straps with quick releases in my car but I have yet to take them out of the bag and start using them. I just use the ties/straps that came with the sail.) After the first strap is tied, i then pull back and flake some more. In total, I use 4 straps and cinch them down. the new sail is still stiff and using 4 straps cinched down makes installing the main sail cover relatively easy.

Now that i am doing this regularly, i find this method easy and is much better for the life of the sails.

Thanks to John P for giving me excellent training !

Edited by - on

knightwind
Navigator

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Canada
114 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2008 : 11:42:01

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dlucier
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by stampeder
 Make the flakes big, and tie them on lightly(loosely)
I rely on my sail cover to hold the sail on the boom.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's why I'm not a fan of bungee style sail ties. That, and getting slapped in the face with a wooden toggle when one end slips out of your hand.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Funny you should say that....already took one in the face...stung like a bee...fortunately it wasn't the wood end that hit me.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2008 : 16:30:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Do you keep the leech-plugs in the lower mast or take them out?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Do you mean SAIL SLUGS?
I have a mast gate, as pictured on a recent thread, and always leave the slugs in the mast slot. The Slugs are attached to the LUFF of the Main sail.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2008 : 16:42:56

FYI, Chapman's reconmmends against bungee sailties. Not only can they snap out of control but they are often right at eye height. Be saltie and use webbing and tie them.

Also, a mast gate is a "must have" item. Get them [url="http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1013"]here.[/url]

Edited by - Nautiduck on 05/23/2008 16:46:32

Renzo
Admiral

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USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2008 : 20:50:50

Or make one for $5 and one hour pleasant labor

Edited by - on

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