Sail Stowing

[chad2072]

OK, dont anybody laugh...

Like I said in a past thread, my wife and I just bought a Ranger 28 and were working out all the kinks. I hadnt been sailing in about 18 years. I am 36 now, so when I was 18 and I was on my dads San Juan 28 I cant remeber how he stowed the sails after unhanking them. Right now I basically crumple it up with the tack on top. Am I right in doing this or do I have to try and fold it up on deck.(which seems almost impossible.

[S/V Elusive]

Well, although I have roller furling now, I seem to recall that it was best to flake (somewhat) the jib as you bring it down. Coil and tie your jib sheets (if you leave them attached), put them inside of the clew and fold/roll the sail up toward the tack. Leave the tack and head rings/shackles readily accessable and stuff it in the bag so that the tack and head can be quickly and easity identified and attached. Unroll before hoist so you can run (or attach) your sheets.

One of the reasons for doing it this way is that it will make sure that your luff doesn't get twisted and you wind up with a half hoisted jib before you find it is twisted and you have to pull it down and get it all sorted out. Plus, it is just a whole lot neater and IMHO more seaman like.

[CharlieCobra]

I used to just stuff the sails into the v-berth on my V-21, they were 30+ years old after all. Now with the larger boat and more expensive sails, when I remove them, I flake them onto the dock when we get back and then roll and bag them. If ya can't use a dock, pull the clew of the headsail aft inside the shrouds and flake onto the deck.

[Weyalan]

With headsails, It is best to "flake" (i.e. fold the sail back and forward over itself, with the folds being parallel to the foot, to make a long rectangle about 2' wide) Ideally these should be stored in a sail bag long enough to accommodate the sail unfolded (i.e. the sail bag should be as long as the foot of the sail), but in reality this may not be practical, so it is common to flop in the tack and clew ends to make the rectangle shorter. Ideally, the sail should then be stored without folding the sail bag. Again, in reality, this is often not practical, and you often need to fold the sailbag in half or even in 3 to fit it into it's storage area.

If the sail is lightweight cloth, it may be better to flake it and then roll it up from the clew end to form a squashed roll (which you can then tie up with a suitable piece of cord); this is called "bricking".

[chad2072]

Thanks everybody for giving me some ideas. I was hoping nobody would say to fold it up as stuffing it in the bag seemed easier! Maybe Im just being lazy. Im sure once I flake and fold it a couple of times it will be like second nature. After all my mainsail, which I flake onto the boom, is almost starting to look good. Instead of a big mess!

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by chad2072

Thanks everybody for giving me some ideas. I was hoping nobody would say to fold it up as stuffing it in the bag seemed easier! Maybe Im just being lazy. Im sure once I flake and fold it a couple of times it will be like second nature. After all my mainsail, which I flake onto the boom, is almost starting to look good. Instead of a big mess!

A friend of mine would tell you that racers flake and cruisers stuff. I did, however, flake my headsail before I installed the furler. Take care of your stuff and your stuff takes care of you.

[Joli]

From a practical standpoint a folded sail will take much less room. We always folded on deck when racing beacuse room below with a big crew was at a premium and sails are expensive.

[Ex-Calif]

Furling genny, lazy jacks and a mainsail cover ;-)

We are off the mooring in 5 minutes and off the boat upon return in less than 10...

However anytime we remove sails we flake them. Except the spinnaker of course.

The main is flaked on the boom and then bagged. The genny is flaked on the foredeck back past the shrouds.