In-boom mainsail reefing furling system

[CarlF]

There are several systems worth looking at besides Profurl. Practical sailor did a brief review last year. They felt that the boom furlers had come a long way.

I know some people who love the Schaefer boom furling system. It claims a lighter boom than some (although still heavier than a plain boom), a track design that keeps the battens from loading up, and a feeder that will allow the boom to be more off-angle than others (up to 10 degrees).

Schaefer Marine - Boom Furlers

I'd be interested in comments from anyone who had experience with it.

Carl

[btrayfors]

Here's a pic of my LeisureFurl, taken yesterday. The boom is actually lighter than the old one it replaced.

Gallery :: Born Free 9/26/06 :: SBF_0368

Bill

[rmtaylorIII]

Practical Sailor has a write up on their site about the different manufacturers. After my internet research I am going with the Leisure Furl if the price is right.

[donradcliffe]

For you Leisure Furl users, how do you keep your full battens from chafing through the pockets in the luff?? I have a friend with a 58 footer with the system, and he has replaced his main luff tape about half a dozen times. BTW, he has a separate indicator, like a solid vang but just a fiberglass rod going into a tube, marked with the exact angle for the boom to furl.

How do you furl going downwind in a blow?

[roverhi]

I put on a new boom with internal reefing lines. Used a double reef line with one for the tack and another for the clew. Ran the lines back to the cabin top, tack to starboard with stoppers, clew to port with stoppers and a self tailing winch. It's still slab reefing but I can tuck in a reef in less than a minute without ever leaving the cockpit. Don't have to have a rigid vang with it's deck clearing sweep or worry about critical boom angle, jamming, etc.

BTW, did I mention total cost for the boom AND brand new main was just over $3,000. Can't see why anyone would waste all that money on inboom reefing/furling.

Aloha
Peter O.

[fastcat435]

I have the Profurl in boom furler on the St Francis 48 and am very happy with it , I do not know if it costs performance but can advice it to anybody that likes ease of sailing
The sail stays nice and clean and the reef can be set at any point.
Fantastic for single handed sailors.

Greetings

Gideon

[Jolly Roger]

In reply to Btrayfors: I have no aversion to spending money on boats, and certainly no sailing Ludite, having just spent good money and considerable time perfecting my own version of an in-boom furling system, but for a different purpose. It’s just that, having I suspect more years cruising than this forum’s average age, (now there’s an interesting survey), I have convinced more cruisers I can remember to consign there battens to the deep. They were evolved by racers to obtain an advantage by increasing sail area, and that is where they should stay. The analogy of the nag and thoroughbred may well be apt with regard to full length battens, but don’t forget the nag eventually gets you there, and the thoroughbred is likely to break a leg or throw you on the way. I know this first hand, because only last week a friend was thrown from her highly stung jumper and broke her femur. Come to think of it, they used battens to hold it straight, so I suppose they have their uses.
Reefing is one of the most important operations on a sailing boat; in my humble opinion even more important than making the vessel go quicker. It should therefore be as foolproof as possible, which considering Sod’s law generally means as simple as possible. You only have to get a batten stuck behind a cap shroud once when you need to reef to learn that. But that does not mean you can’t employ modern devices, and roller furling booms and in-mast furling are prime examples. Battens on a cruising boat are not.

[Gludy]

I have had a quote from LeisureFurl, which seems to be the best system around and its about $20,000 AUS which makes it very good value.

This will now be the route I shall take for my SF 50. I will also get them to supply the roller furl onto the bowspit for my code zero. These are fitted on Volvo Ocean racers.

If it fails I can still reef drop the sail manually and tie it to the boom the old fashioned way.

[Joli]

YouTube - Using In-boom Furling

[Jolly Roger]

I couldn't help smiling at that video. Two strapping fellas demonstrating the ease of using their product and not enough wind to fill the jib. To paraphrase John Ruskin "people who buy from advertisements alone are that company's lawful pray."

[Joli]

How about this one leaving the harbor with in boom furling? Looks like leisure furl to me.

YouTube - Mega Yacht Exiting Simpson Bay in St. Maarten

[Jolly Roger]

You've got far too much goggling time on your hands mate! What about all that varnishing which needs doing?
I can't think of anything to add to that meggayacht video - which is very unusual for me, as members will no doubt attest. I first thought it typically tacky to be steaming out with the fenders still over the side, but then the minions start bringing them in - damn!
Actually it's the first time I've ever looked at U-tube - too busy varnishing. If I get addicted it will be your fault!

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Guess I'm not as young as I used to be, because I'm not keen to go forward on deck in such conditions to reef or furl a sail. Color me a wimp :-)

Bill

On my CS36M I have slab reefing. It is single line reefing with all the lines led to the cockpit. With single line reefing the reefing line goes through both the tack and the clew. No need to go forward, no need to leave the cockpit. With the reef points marked on the main halyard it takes less than a minute to reef. Just head up a bit, ease the mainsheet, lower the main to the mark on the halyard, grind in the reefing line, tension the halyard and you're done.

[Joli]

While sitting in the Sint Marten Yacht Club I can't remember ever seeing a larger yacht leaving without fenders in place.

Varnish? That's a winter sport.

Enjoy you tube............sorry.

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

You've got far too much goggling time on your hands mate! What about all that varnishing which needs doing?
I can't think of anything to add to that meggayacht video - which is very unusual for me, as members will no doubt attest. I first thought it typically tacky to be steaming out with the fenders still over the side, but then the minions start bringing them in - damn!
Actually it's the first time I've ever looked at U-tube - too busy varnishing. If I get addicted it will be your fault!

[Talbot]

Gludy

What sail material is that quote for?