A questions about the furler

[fireant]

We have an oday 27 with a furler for the jib.
When the wind picks up Besides reefing the main sail can we furl the jib?
What I mean can we reef the jib 30% just by furling ?
Will that cause any damage? is there anything to watch for to do it right?

Alex

[Sailmonkey]

If the furler is a reefing furler you can reduce sail by furling.

Be aware there are older furlers out there that are not intended to reef.

[tkeithlu]

When the jib is fully furled there is no wind load on it. When the jib is fully extended the load is on the forestay and the sheet. When the jib is partially furled, the load is transferred through the pawl(s) in the furling mechanism. The question is whether they can handle the load. As Sailmonkey describes, in a modern one, yeah, it can take the load. In some old ones, maybe not. If the pawl failed under load, the jib would very suddenly fully unfurl in a blow sufficient for you to have reefed it. That could spoil your whole day.

[JimsCAL]

Most likely, but as Sailmonkey posted above, there are a few units that are not designed to be used that way. Do you know make and model? If so, post them. The units designed for reefing usually have metal foils that are rotated by the lower durm.

[fireant]

I will get a pic or two to post this weekend as I'm not sure.

Thanks

[Bill Seal]

When I got my new jib, (Hyde 130%) the sailmaker had foam strips put on the luff to help it keep it's shape when partially furled.

[sail sfbay]

Originally Posted by fireant

...........can we furl the jib? What I mean can we reef the jib 30% just by furling ? Will that cause any damage? is there anything to watch for to do it right?

If your roller furling headsail has a foam or rope luff, i.e., a tapered piece of material sewn into the luff that takes up the camber of sail when it rolls around the headstay, ensuring that the sail still has a clean flying shape when it’s reefed. You can generally roll a headsail up to 30% before it loses its effective flying shape.

When you are reefing a roller furling headsail, slowly let out the jibsheet while heading the boat slightly to wind to slacken the jibsheet. Roll up the sail the desired amount making sure that the jibsheet always has some slack to it. Then tighten the headsail back up with the jibsheet only.

We reef our headsail all the time in the San Francisco Bay to reduce weather helm and never any damage as long as you do not cleat off the jibsheet and then tighten the sail by further hauling in on the inhaul as this risks damagng the drum and furling system.

[adjo]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

When the jib is fully furled there is no wind load on it. When the jib is fully extended the load is on the forestay and the sheet. When the jib is partially furled, the load is transferred through the pawl(s) in the furling mechanism. The question is whether they can handle the load. As Sailmonkey describes, in a modern one, yeah, it can take the load. In some old ones, maybe not. If the pawl failed under load, the jib would very suddenly fully unfurl in a blow sufficient for you to have reefed it. That could spoil your whole day.

"The pawls in the furling mechanism"???
What make(s) of headsail furler/reefing has pawls?
I've serviced a few and have never come across any.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by adjo

"The pawls in the furling mechanism"???

What make(s) of headsail furler/reefing has pawls?

I've serviced a few and have never come across any.

Neither have I

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by adjo

"The pawls in the furling mechanism"???
What make(s) of headsail furler/reefing has pawls?
I've serviced a few and have never come across any.

Reef-rite from New Zealand had a pawl in the drum for this purpose, complete with a trip line that ran parallel to the furling line, all the way back to the cockpit.

We had one on our previous boat, and it was a useful adjunct IMO. Dunno if their current offerings have it.

Perhaps the poster was referring to the pawls in a winch used to tension the furling line??

Jim

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by fireant

We have an oday 27 with a furler for the jib.
When the wind picks up Besides reefing the main sail can we furl the jib?
What I mean can we reef the jib 30% just by furling ?
Will that cause any damage? is there anything to watch for to do it right?

Alex

Certainly you can partially furl your jib to make it smaller (to reef it).

There will be load on the furling line but perhaps not too much.

It is a good way to quickly get a smaller headsail area.

However the resulting sail shape on the jib will be terrible and can stress or tear the jib. Off wind it may not make much difference but upwind it will be very in-effective. Foam at the luff to take up the bagginess will help (talk ot your sailmaker).

But if you are over powered you need to do what is needed to reduce sail area.

My recommendation is to put a smaller jib on the furler to begin with. It is better to be underpowered but have good sail shape than to be overpowered or try to sail with a baggy, partially furled, jib.