January 15th 2008 |
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Main Sail Furling Reefing Systems
The purpose of this article is to compare the various methods of
shortening sail specifically mainsail Slab reefing At the boat show one of our readers asked an easy question. Which is the best mainsail reefing/furling system? Easy question but not a simple answer. We decided to look at all the sailboats at the 2007 Annapolis Boat show and do a survey of which system is the most popular. Above Image Caliber 40 "Windom", with in mast furler
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| Slab Reefing | |
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Pros |
Cons |
| Traditional | Physical effort |
| cheap | May involve getting out of cockpit |
| Simple | High reach for boom cover |
| easy modification | Loose sail material after reef |
Aids to mainsail handling include the Dutchman system
Slab Reefing with Dutchman system
The Sailing Channel Dutchman demonstration video
The Dutchman system helps the mainsail fold itself while lowering.
The Dutchman lines are led form side to side through the sail. Its
almost automatic flaking.
While reefing the Dutchman works the same way flaking the sail until you
get to the reef point.
The basic design is a roller furler unit fitted inside a mast section that has a slot in the aft end that the mainsail rolls in and out of. This mast section is larger than normally required and may require less spreaders due to the extra stiffness. The mainsail because it furls like a jib cannot support battens, hence the mainsail needs to be cut with leach hollow like a jib/genoa.
A list of production yachts at the Annapolis Boat Show using In mast
furling include;
Jeaneau, Hunter, caliber, Gozzard, Fingulf, Oyster, Hylas, Halberg
Rassey, Bavaria, Island Packet, Catalina 6, Dufour, Beneteau,
cruisers, Passport, Robi, Impression, & Wauquiez,
The Sparcraft in mast furler is one example of in mast furlers
Points to consider & potential problems;
In mast furling although a very convenient furling system it does has its pitfalls.
The Z Spars link to in mast furling help describes some of the pitfalls and how to overcome them.
| In Mast Furling | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Cheap | Weight up high |
| Simple to use | Reduced sail area |
| No boom cover | Low light air performance |
| Furl to any sail size | If the main furler jams you may not unable to drop main |
Modifying an existing mast
There are some behind the mast options that you can retrofit your existing mast if you wish to convert to main sail reefing.
Bamar external mast furling unit to add to existing mast section.
The Boom Furling system works similarly to slab reefing. The main halyard is
dropped and the lower part of the main sail is rolled up into a mandrill
located inside the boom.
One critical feature of boom furlers is the angle of the boom to
mast. This is specified by the manufacturer and you will need some sort
of solid vang to control this angle.
A list
of production yachts at the Annapolis Boat Show using Boom furling
include;
Hylas 70ft, Trintella, Niad, Cabo Rico, Westsail 42, Saga, and Tartan
4400.
There are several Boom furler including BoomFurl, and FurlBoom and Forespar/LeisureFurl among others
Picture of Forespar/Leisurefurl
| Boom Furling | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Large sail area power | Boom furling most expensive |
| Full battens | Most complex |
| Most popular for large boats, | Boom angle critical |
| No boom cover needed | |
| Low C of G | |
| If it jams you can slab reef | |
| Reef to any sail size | |
Stackpacks
were invented by Doyle sails as a way to enclose the mainsail after
flaking in an easy manner. The mainsail cover is basically part of the
system so you do not need to store and retrieve the cover every time you
go sailing. The lazy jacks capture the sail as its drops and then all
you need to do is zip up the top of the cover. 
Introduced in 1983, DOYLE StackPack is the original trouble free mainsail furling system for the cruising sailor The simplest, easiest way to handle your mainsail Proven to be the most innovative and cost-effective mainsail handling system ever Maintains mainsail speed & shape - lies flat against the sail while sailing Available as a retrofit for your existing sail
StackPack is a fully battened mainsail with integral lazy jacks and a cover that opens automatically to accept the sail as it is lowered. The cover and lazy jack system neatly flakes and holds the sail as it is lowered or reefed. The folds at the foot of a reefed mainsail also lie neatly in the StackPack cover, eliminating the need to tie off the excess fabric with ties. With the sail completely stowed, the StackPack system presents a neat appearance and automatically protects the sail from harmful UV rays. While sailing, the integral cover lies flat against the foot of the sail for a clean aerodynamic effect.
Whatever your reason for wanting a roller furler this article attempts to help your decision, by presenting each furler and their features.
We take a look at some of the most popular manufacturers of reefing systems and roller furling equipment, such as Harken, ProFurl, Schaefer, Reckmann etc.
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reefing systems. We look at each type of main reefing systems, describe
the reefing equipment, describe reefing techniques, reefing tips and
provide available video demonstrations. We then look at the Pros and Cons of each
system.