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General Sailing Forum

Lessons learned with roller furling...

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kbq
1st Mate

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USA
99 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/02/2004 : 11:45:40

Folks -

What *not* to do...

If you look at the photo below, you'll see that the (loose) jib furling line has already wrapped itself around the headstay.

Sigh.

Didn't notice that until in Racoon Straight (SF Bay) in modest winds (25+) and we went to furl the jib. Wouldn't move!

It's great fun to go forward in a good breeze with a nice chop to fix this. Hey, when lake sailing, this was never an issue!

Moral of the story - keep the roller furling line taught!!!

Kevin

Edited by - on

dave holtgrave
Captain

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USA
427 Posts

Response Posted - 09/02/2004 : 14:27:30

been there done that.
i had to drop sail to get in
dave holtgrave
5722 sk/tr
sailing carlyle lake in southhern illinois

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SteveG
1st Mate

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51 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2004 : 12:30:27

I went out sailing with my daughter (her first time) back when I had a hank on jib. I was having problems tacking because I was overpowered.

I had to get up on the foredeck and take down the jib while bouncing around like a cork! That was enough to convince me to upgrade to a roller furler. My daughter hasn't been out sailing with me since.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2004 : 14:29:48

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by SteveG
 I went out sailing with my daughter (her first time) back when I had a hank on jib. I was having problems tacking because I was overpowered.

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

Amen! Of the times that I almost went overboard, virtually all of them happened trying to change headsails on a heaving and pitching foredeck.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2004 : 19:43:29

"change headsails on a heaving and pitching foredeck."

Heh heh... for a real thrill, try it out on a bowsprit...

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2004 : 20:10:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ClamBeach
 "change headsails on a heaving and pitching foredeck."

Heh heh... for a real thrill, try it out on a bowsprit...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
You mean like the kind with the guy-lines that you stand on while leaning on the sprit?

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2004 : 20:16:03

BTW, I can't really see (or imagine) what happened there. And I don't see how the furling line could wrap arount the forestay with my Hood furler. What happened?

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Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2004 : 20:22:26

You may want to install a few (more) fair leads. I think mine has three on deck and then I ran the line through the middle of the cleat. Also I tied a figure eight on the end of all my lines so they do not run away.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2004 : 21:06:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 BTW, I can't really see (or imagine) what happened there. And I don't see how the furling line could wrap arount the forestay with my Hood furler. What happened?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Uh...I couldn't see what happened either, but I was afraid to ask...Thanks for going first.

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kbq
1st Mate

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USA
99 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2004 : 23:19:27

Ah... it's harder to see on this version of the pix (down-res from the original), but the furler line is *not* leading up and into the spool properly. It's already wrapped around the furler... when I went to yank on it, part of the line snapped back onto the drum - slipping between the head of the drum and the metal tangs (right word?). In short, I had an unholy tangled mess that I had to fix while being tossed around and beat about the head by the flapping sail!

'twas quite fun, and *very* educational. The best lesson was that the wife and I have learned enough to be able to handle a situation like this without freaking out. That, and, of course, not to leave loose lines in choppy seas.

Kevin

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2004 : 09:46:04

Kevin,

How much extra line do you have on your furler?

I don't have that much extra line on my furler and this seems to have reduced the possibility of fouling. When I first got my boat it had a ton of line on the furling drum and if I wasn't careful and paying close attention, this extra line would cause me problems. After shortening this line, when my sail is unfurled I have about 12 inches of tail on my furling line sticking out from the last fairlead in the cockpit and when the sail is furled there is only a few extra wraps remaining on the drum.

Edited by - dlucier on 09/04/2004 09:51:42

kbq
1st Mate

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USA
99 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2004 : 13:38:56

Very good point, Don! It's actually on my todo list. I have no idea why they left so darn much line on the drum...

Kevin

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2004 : 14:26:30

Another way to booger up a furler......

This weekend it was a blowin' thirty or so odd knots on the bay.....had the jib rolled out to about 100 or so percent....had to pull her in a few more turns after a while 'caus she was wrappin herself mighty tight around the foil, and had come out a foot or so in the process.....but, as this happens you also "loose" turns around the drum, so when it came time to put it all away, I ran out of furler line before she was all wound up.....

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618 Good Survey, awaiting closing.
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

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