Why no furling mains on cats?

[Sabbatical II]

I'm wondering why I don't see furling mains on cats. I can't think of any technical reason. Is there one?

[downunder]

Just an optional extra. I Know of a few leisurefurls fitted. Lagoon4us has one on his Lagoon 440 for one.

[44'cruisingcat]

Most cat mainsails are fully battened with a lot of roach, so in-mast furlers aren't favoured. There are cats around with in boom furling though.

[Jeannius]

You don't have in-mast furling on a cat because of the risk of not being able to furl it. You REALLY don't want a lot of mainsail, that you can't put away, on a cat if the wind gets up. It's bad enough being severally over-canvassed on a mono, on a cat it can be diasasterous.

Also, even if it is furled away, it still raises the centre of gravity considerably. Again something you don't want on a cat.

In-boom furling is ok although it does seem to get stuck pretty often.

Stick to a stack pack.

[Factor]

As mentioned, a multihull from a decent designer will have a battened main, and a large one at that, and often one with roach, thus in mast isnt an option and even boom furling is problematic. In any event gravity is a wonderful thing, the natural state of a fully battened main with a sail bag is in its bag, if any part of the system fails it wants to put it self away. Fot the price of a mast or boom furl system you can have a better performing sail with a stress free pack system and easy simple single line reefing.

A battened main with roller bearing batt cars goes away into its bag quicker than you can say "Shiiite the furling gear is jammed we are in trouble now"

And I mean that seriously throw the clutch with one wrap on the winch and my main is down in less than 3 seconds, and yes I have timed it

[Talbot]

I know of a couple of cats that had in-mast systems. Primarily due to operating coastal and singlehanded. I believe now that if you have to go this route, that an inboom system is better.

I have just fitted single line reefing for long distance sailing.

[Dulcesuenos]

Last cat had one in boom worked fantastic but someone had to tail the halyard as you furled the main. Sail went up in seconds!! And quite easily. It was on a 2:1 purchase.

[Cotemar]

Antares 44i Catamaran offers a Seldén in Mast Furling Mainsail for no charge.

We had a Sparcraft Masts in Mast Furling Mainsail on our Catalina 380 mono and it worked flawlessly for the five years that we owned the boat.

If I were to install a furling mainsail on a cat it would be a Schaefer Marine boom furling mainsail

Schaefer Marine - Boom Furlers

[DRS]

I have ProFurl in boom on my 380 and love it. Electric main winches make it a real lazy boat to sail. Highly recommend the use of a boom brake if you are going to go this route.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by DRS

I have ProFurl in boom on my 380 and love it. Electric main winches make it a real lazy boat to sail. Highly recommend the use of a boom brake if you are going to go this route.

True - I have sailed her - as you know.

[Multihull]

I expect we will see it more and more.
That is if the current line of thinking at Lagoon with the 39 and 52 continues.
Mast more aft. Smaller main. Large(r) furling head sails.
Smaller main is easier for in mast furling. Less cloth.

Rob

[Factor]

BAck to the future really with the Mast Aft lagoons, 40 years after the Prout brothers.

[wadesmith]

in a word - battons -which increase mainsail size.

[Sabbatical II]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Antares 44i Catamaran offers a Seldén in Mast Furling Mainsail for no charge.

We had a Sparcraft Masts in Mast Furling Mainsail on our Catalina 380 mono and it worked flawlessly for the five years that we owned the boat.

If I were to install a furling mainsail on a cat it would be a Schaefer Marine boom furling mainsail

Schaefer Marine - Boom Furlers

I tried to get a Schaefer boom fitted to my current boat but the local agent(s) were not interested in supplying the first one into Australia. I regret not having pushed them harder to get it but it was just too hard for the lazy Australian agent and spar maker who didn't want to try something new. My current boom has to clear a substantial hard dodger and is just too high to be comfortable for packing sails away.

[threadkiller]

Because they suck? Of course, just my opinion.
Our boat is really mainsail driven, and that would really reduce the efficiency.