Rewinding reacher on furler

[Dave_S]

Here is a dumb question and one I think I know the answer to but I'm hoping the fix is an easier one......

I'm going out in light winds tomorrow down wind and want to use the reacher. I have to rewind the reacher as it has ended up with more winds on the tack than at the head of the sail.

My plan is to go out and anchor, unfurl the sail then climb out on the prodder and force the furler around to unwind the (sorry not sure what the line is called that runs from the furler to the swivel near top of the mast is called) and free the sail.

I'm not sure l will be able to do it without applying a lot of force, maybe enough force to damage it? if this is the case should I unfurl it on the ground? If that were easy that's what I would do, but that's not easy where I am so I was hoping plan A might work.

What do you think of plan A, will it need to much force or unwind easily ?

PS. I'll be single handed.

[fxykty]

You haven’t described your sail - is it a straight luff upwind and tight reaching sail (code 0 or screecher) or is it a top down furler for a soft luff reaching sail (code 1-5, reacher, runner, spinnaker)?

If straight luff, it’s called a luff cable. I’m not sure with this kind of sail that it’s possible to wind the head more than the foot. But if this is your case, and there’s not much (any) wind, your plan A will work.

If soft luff, it’s called a torsion or anti-twist cable. If this is you, it sounds like too much of the middle of the sail furled too early, so the furl made its down to the tack before the top furled. Probably not enough sheet tension during the furl. Unfurling and re furling should work - not your plan A.

No tension on the sheet to start the furl at the top, then sheet on with moderate tension to keep the middle of the sail out of the anti torsion cable until the furl pulls it in. You may need to put a spring line on your anchor from your stern, or anchor from the stern, so you keep the sail off your rig.

Ensure you have a tight torsion cable - 2:1 halyard and/or 2:1 tack line, and well maintained bearings.

Check out https://theriggingco.com/2016/05/18/...naker-furlers/

[Dave_S]

I'm not sure what the sail is, the guy I bought the boat from said it was a reacher. I can use it for everything below about 50* apparent. It is much larger than the genoa and comes back from the end of the prodder to close to the helm. It doesn't have any or much camber built in and appears to be flat made of heavy gauge material.

The luff cable (thanks) is made of a synthetic similar to dyneema. So I will give plan A a go.

Thanks for the link.

https://theriggingco.com/?s=a-deeper...down-spinnaker

[clownfishsydney]

Correct name for the sail is screecher (not reacher) at least in Australia. I assume you mean that the furling line is too far around the furler and as such, you cannot fully furl or unfurl it. If this is the case, the easiest way is to drop the whole sail a bit till you can reach where the sheets attach to the sail, then wrap the sail up or wrap the sheets around a few times (will depend on your problem) and then pull the sail back up again. This should have solved the problem, well till it next happens which is a different problem to solve.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

I'm not sure what the sail is, the guy I bought the boat from said it was a reacher. I can use it for everything below about 50* apparent. It is much larger than the genoa and comes back from the end of the prodder to close to the helm. It doesn't have any or much camber built in and appears to be flat made of heavy gauge material.

The luff cable (thanks) is made of a synthetic similar to dyneema. So I will give plan A a go.

Thanks for the link.

https://theriggingco.com/?s=a-deeper...down-spinnaker

When flying (unfurled) is it attached to the luff cable or not? As you say it’s a flattish sale, it probably is. If it is, call it a screecher and use your plan A along with the other poster’s advice.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by fxykty

When flying (unfurled) is it attached to the luff cable or not? As you say it’s a flattish sale, it probably is. If it is, call it a screecher and use your plan A along with the other poster’s advice.

Yes it is attached.

I called it a screacher and he was very quick to correct me, but I have seen screachers and I don't see a difference so I think your right.

I'll wait for a calm day and go with plan A.