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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Folding on the foredeck

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/17/2005 : 23:12:31

Someone recently asked me to elaborate on folding a sail on the forestay. I have always left my headsails on my forestay and flacked (sp?) them on the deck. If I am bagging it I take all the hanks off last and set it in the sail bag. I often have one sail in a deck bag ready to go. Using a deck bag does not save you any time when putting the sail away. (Flacking on the deck saves the time.) However using the deck bag makes rigging to leave very quick. I usually clip my sheets to the mast so the sheets are not still on the sail. There is one picture of my nav wall in the cockpit, silly but fun.
[url="http://homepage.mac.com/fhopper/PhotoAlbum90.html"]Pictures[/url]

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2005 : 23:51:06

Hmmm... I usually just 'stuff' my ancient jib in the deck bag. When I first started sailing, I used to spend a lot of time carefully flaking and neatly folding the sails and bagging them 'just so'.

Then I read an article that said one of the worst things you can do for your sails is to routinely folding them along the same lines. The article suggested that the best way to store your sails is to roll them up on a piece of 4" pvc pipe with no creases at all... and that a bunch of little 'random' creases (i.e. stuffing the sail) was better than creating a lot of long seamed-folds.

I reckon either the article made pretty good sense to me... or I'm just getting lazier with old age. Maybe if I buy that new jib and main I'll go back to folding... likely the new fabric will be so stiff it won't fit in the old deck bag. Have to spend $1,500 to find out I guess.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2005 : 08:46:05

I used to fold flake my headsail and store them on deck in a deck bag as well. One morning, after a particularly nasty east wind storm I went out to check the boat and found the sail blowing in the wind. The velcro closure had blown open. No damage but I quit seing the deck bag unless cruising. I now flake them as Frank demonstrated and put them in a sail bag whjen on my mooring. Hmmmmmmmmm, actually, I just bought a new furler so I guess I won't be doing that any more either. The system Frank domstrated works well. I used it for about 12 years without any problems with sail creasing. Generally, when flaking like this the creases are loose and not consistant.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2005 : 10:02:14

Glad I don't have to bother with the hank-on's anymore but when I did I felt fortunate just to get all that canvas back in the bag, much less folded in the proper method. I'd start at the top and roll it down, then fold that in half and begin stuffing. Always felt like putting 30 lbs of spuds in a 20 lb sack.

Frank, I couldn't create your port-side Navigation Wall on my boat because that is my wife's favorite leaning spot. What is the black button for?

Steve

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2005 : 11:18:36

A 12 volt recptical with a threaded waterproof cap

A kill switch for my outboard

Door bell

Drouge chute deployment

Regatta Reset

Windlass switch

Horn

Torpedo launch button

Alternate location for GPS mount

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2005 : 11:39:57

Ah...so it's not for summoning the crew from their quarters waaaaay up there by the bow? Okay, fine, it's a 12 volt recep that looks like a button in the picture.

Steve

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Charlie Vick
Captain

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USA
423 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2005 : 12:54:04

I tried your method of folding on the bow last weekend and I can tell you its a lot of work in heavy wind with a new sail. I'm gonna need a lot more practice.
My old 110 was like stuffing a bed sheet into the sailbag.
With my new 110 theres no way you could stuff it into anything! It HAS to be folded to get it into the sailbag.
Its like trying to fold a piece of formica except when the wind is up then its gone like a chute.
The 150 is almost as bad but since its a lighter weight its a little easier to fold. But then theres the size!
I love my new sails and I'm amazed at how much more speed I can get out of the boat, but they are a lot harder to mess with as far as rigging and unrigging than my old ones!

Edited by - Charlie Vick on 04/18/2005 12:56:10

PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2005 : 13:07:55

That's the way I flake and fold my hank on jibs. I did it last weekend in a honking wind. The trick is: leave the hanks on while you start from the clew, flaking just enough for each fold
as you go along. It all comes together then. Also start out and end my day with the sail laid out along the lifeline as in the picture, except tied to the lifeline. Often it's very breezy just out the marina entrance, so don't want anything loose.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2005 : 13:08:12

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Lightnup
 Okay, fine, it's a 12 volt recep that looks like a button in the picture.

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

nope, wish it was...

The truth is out there.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.