Hank on or Furler

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

There's often the dilemma of "technically better" vs "better in use". A hank on sail (or one on a non-furling foil) has technical advantages. But that doesn't mean you'll get better use out of it. For racing, sure. But cruising single-handed, the advantages of being able to furl and unfurl from the cockpit, as well as being able to partially furl if you determine a sail change isn't reasonable under the current conditions are significant. So you may get better use out of the furling setup even though it's technically not quite as good.

Yeah I like the idea of hank on sails but there have been times that I couldn't go forward due to too much wind/waves and too much mainsail up.

I have an almost new 90 % "storm" furling jib also that I could mount if I knew I was going to have several days of strong winds....

It was on the boat when I bought it in 2011.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Yeah I like the idea of hank on sails but there have been times that I couldn't go forward due to too much wind/waves and too much mainsail up.

I have an almost new 90 % "storm" furling jib also that I could mount if I knew I was going to have several days of strong winds....

It was on the boat when I bought it.

Yeah, as a singlehanded cruiser there's definitely a "what can I use without getting myself killed?" factor in equipment choices. And yes, you can still always swap out sails with the furler, so you can either put up what you're likely to need before setting out, or if conditions are reasonable, swap sails instead of partially furling one.

[boatman61]

If you've the space on board to store 3-4 sail bags.. a No;1/2/3 plus Genoa go for hanks.. if not stick with furling.

[marcjsmith]

thomm,



A can of Mclube sailkote coupled with a good cleaning/inspection of the luff tape and foil would be my first course of action... 30 bucks plus an hours worht of time



Second, Id investigate a new luff tape on the old sail going down one size. Assuming of course the sail is in good shape. luff tape is $3 a foot. plus labor. If you've got your own machine. likely an hour to remove the old tape and maybe 1-2 to resew. any canvas shop can install. you don't need a sailmaker. maybe $2-300 for a pro.


third. look at new sails. but be prepared to spend close to a couple grand for a roly tasker


your foredeck is definitely crowded. much more so than mine

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by boatman61

If you've the space on board to store 3-4 sail bags.. a No;1/2/3 plus Genoa go for hanks.. if not stick with furling.

Yeah if in the future I load up to cruise for a few week doubt I'll have the room.
My 90 % jib is in the V Berth now and takes u lots of space

Plus I'm used to just rolling in some jib when the wind suddenly increases......

Reefing the main while sailing along after the wind comes up is quite enough work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3I2zc0_7wY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iViRCw8KB2Y

[thomm225]

Besides the time the furling line came out of the furler I have only had the furler jam twice .....

One time it jammed with just enough jib out to sail the 35 miles back to my creek so I just lower the jib after I got inside the jetties where it was pretty flat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agtdrmAqojs

[Rackman]

I've had four boats, two with hank on and two with furling, I'll take the furling any day! It's just easier to use, for me which might make the difference.

[Brioche]

Always sailed with hank-on, but after turning 70 I rewarded myself with the ease of roller furling. The Admiral also appreciates the quick reefing of genoa in gusts. Downside is the only time I have gotten seasick was when the furling line got stuck off Long Island and I had to slowly turn it in by hand while kneeling on the bow.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Brioche

Always sailed with hank-on, but after turning 70 I rewarded myself with the ease of roller furling. The Admiral also appreciates the quick reefing of genoa in gusts. Downside is the only time I have gotten seasick was when the furling line got stuck off Long Island and I had to slowly turn it in by hand while kneeling on the bow.

Yeah when I first got this boat I had quite a bit of trouble with seasickness which I didn't have on my other 11 boats.

Could just be that I'm sailing in the lower Chesapeake Bay at the mouth where the Atlantic Ocean meets it

Anyway I'm a bit seasick back in 2012 or so and I'm getting close to my creek's entrance so I was going to furl in some jib as the wind was getting up but the furler jammed.

The line got wrapped around the bottom due to a loose nut. So I had to come and go from the bow to get tools, and to dry heave or blow chucks just before I went below to look for what I needed.

Made about three trips like this but got it fix.

Once in the creek it was beer time!!

I'm closing in on 70 also so maybe it's too late to switch from furler to hanked-on

[JPA Cate]

I'm thinking you could tidy up the foredeck a bit with a milk crate for the anchor and line, with the bitter end secured, and the lovely new Mantus secured to the bow pulpit. It would only take installing some pad eyes, to tie it down, and then all the gear could be safer. And right there to get hosed off after the sail. In general, keeping stuff stored right by where you'll need to use it saves time and labor.

Also, start thinking about lazy jacks to capture the sail when you reef it. We, like you, go to the mast to reef, and we built a boom bag with lazy jacks to capture the main. I really like it that there's no bunt of the sail to deal with, you drop it right into its bag, and cinch down the reef, and re-trim the main, and off you go. It speeds up the process over using the nettles to tie in the reef, and also the re-hoisting, when you shake out the reef.

Ann

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Some of these offshore guys are recommending hank on sails instead of furled sails, but I have gotten quite used to the furler that came on my boat even though it's an ancient Furlex furler

What do others here like and why?

Btw, I have to go forward to raise my main and reef as it is.

If you actually sail offshore to distant destinations and look at other boats, almost all headsails on offshore boats are furling. I circumnavigated with a 130% genoa and changed it a smaller size only about 3 times. Later in the trip, I just furled it really small beyond where it worked "well" but still provided the needed stability for the weather. And that's the point, you aren't needing to change sails every day with a furler. I might furl smaller then let it out multiple times per day, and it isn't a hassle at all.

Hank on is great a a smaller boat that is easy to handle, and where the cost of a furler on such a small boat is prohibitive.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

I'm thinking you could tidy up the foredeck a bit with a milk crate for the anchor and line, with the bitter end secured, and the lovely new Mantus secured to the bow pulpit. It would only take installing some pad eyes, to tie it down, and then all the gear could be safer. And right there to get hosed off after the sail. In general, keeping stuff stored right by where you'll need to use it saves time and labor.

Also, start thinking about lazy jacks to capture the sail when you reef it. We, like you, go to the mast to reef, and we built a boom bag with lazy jacks to capture the main. I really like it that there's no bunt of the sail to deal with, you drop it right into its bag, and cinch down the reef, and re-trim the main, and off you go. It speeds up the process over using the nettles to tie in the reef, and also the re-hoisting, when you shake out the reef.

Ann

I can put the anchor line and chain below thru the Chain Pipe or Hawse Pipe but sometimes if it isn't going to be too rough I'll leave it all on deck so I can rinse it when I get back.

Plus sometimes it caked with black mud which the salt water splash over the decks can sometimes partially remove.

Picture shows rode and chain stowed.

Plus picture of where I rinsed off the left out chain, rode, and anchor from Saturday and Sunday's sail. I sailed back about 20 miles like that since winds stayed below about 17 knots or so. Anchor was secured to center cleat for the sail back.

Not sure on this anchor yet. As far as where I will store it.

Lazy jacks do sound like a good idea.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Some of these offshore guys are recommending hank on sails instead of furled sails, but I have gotten quite used to the furler that came on my boat even though it's an ancient Furlex furler

What do others here like and why?

Btw, I have to go forward to raise my main and reef as it is.

I had hank-on sails on my Morgan 25 and furlers on my Hunter 26 and now on the Tartan. Either system works and I would not be in a hurry to change from one to the other.


For short (day) sails, which for most people is most of the time even if they make longer passages from time to time, the furler is less time spent on the foredeck at the end of the day when everyone is tired and wants to eat, drink, or go home, as the case may be, often in hot conditions in a harbor with no breeze.


For sailing to a dock the furler also wins, because you can furl progressively all the way down to zero, and maintain control. With hanks you really need to rig a downhaul unless there's someone on the foredeck and then it's all or not quite nothing, with no in between, and with the bundled up sail flagging out or back and still pushing you downwind a little (hence "not quite nothing").


I came across advice to modify roller-furling headsails by having a row of grommets along the luff spaced about 24" with 1/8" diameter dyneema laced through them. Gives you two things: You can lash the sail to the foil if the foil or luff are too damaged to pull the sail up the track (using the grommets alone, not the lacing). And you can collect the lacing in a carabiner on a line from some reasonably secure point on or near the pulpit, as you lower the sail and take it off the foil, to retain control of the luff in the wind, much as occurs when dousing a hank-on sail.


I think I'll try it on a spare headsail and see how it works.


I have always thought that the difficulty of getting the foresail off the furler when short-handed, in a strong breeze but not necessarily storm conditions, to be the greatest weakness of roller furling.

[Fore and Aft]

Thom225 we have hank on sails on our 32 footer. Mainly because I did not have the money at the time for a furler and I got a lot of near new hank on sails cheap.
My lad is always asking for a furler since he is the one who usually does the sail changes. But I will stick with what we have until it comes time to change the standing rigging again.
Cheers

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I had hank-on sails on my Morgan 25 and furlers on my Hunter 26 and now on the Tartan. Either system works and I would not be in a hurry to change from one to the other.


For short (day) sails, which for most people is most of the time even if they make longer passages from time to time, the furler is less time spent on the foredeck at the end of the day when everyone is tired and wants to eat, drink, or go home, as the case may be, often in hot conditions in a harbor with no breeze.


For sailing to a dock the furler also wins, because you can furl progressively all the way down to zero, and maintain control. With hanks you really need to rig a downhaul unless there's someone on the foredeck and then it's all or not quite nothing, with no in between, and with the bundled up sail flagging out or back and still pushing you downwind a little (hence "not quite nothing").


I came across advice to modify roller-furling headsails by having a row of grommets along the luff spaced about 24" with 1/8" diameter dyneema laced through them. Gives you two things: You can lash the sail to the foil if the foil or luff are too damaged to pull the sail up the track (using the grommets alone, not the lacing). And you can collect the lacing in a carabiner on a line from some reasonably secure point on or near the pulpit, as you lower the sail and take it off the foil, to retain control of the luff in the wind, much as occurs when dousing a hank-on sail.


I think I'll try it on a spare headsail and see how it works.


I have always thought that the difficulty of getting the foresail off the furler when short-handed, in a strong breeze but not necessarily storm conditions, to be the greatest weakness of roller furling.

Yes the sail can be tough to get off the furler but when I was in winds of 35 knots or so I just furled it and tied off the line as usual.

At the dock before storms if I don't remove I wrap the main halyard around the sail several times then tie off on the bow.