Inmast Furling tips And tricks

[sailu2]

Hi
First important point always let off the leach line before furling as it helps the sail go in without crunching up
Second point if the sail jams while unfurling and it is very difficult to get it cleared do not keep trying as you will make harder to clear. Ease off the main halyard and it will allow you to ease out the sail fairly easily. Tried and tested.
Re vertical battens first establish if the mast is suitable in so much that the space is there to accommodate. If the mast is of a certain age it will not give you an easy time getting it in and out. I had to get rid of my battens as it jammed to frequently for comfort.
Hope this helps

[SaltyMetals]

I have had in-mast furling for 25 years on different boats. One of them I changed the furling main to vertical battened furling main. A great success and no jamming. I agree with Dockhead but would like to add another observation on my current boat (Jeanneau 43ds) I initially had some jamming but I found two solutions which worked well together 1) not to have the halyard tension too tight. Think about it. If you have a little bend in your mast you will be pressing the central part of the furled sail against the slot. 2) there is always a stopper on the boom track for the outhouse. Move this further back by 3-6 ft (1-2 m ). It is simple geometry, by doing this you have a more horizontal pull for the critical 1-2 rolls of the furl. After all, it is usually the second furl which tries to come out with the first and jam the slot.
Andrew

[serah]

Somewhat tangential, but important still. We don't have in-mast furling but we went out with dock neighbours on their first overnight shakedown cruise over Easter on their 45 hunter with in-mast furling. Great breeze, flat seas, and 15 minutes in I looked back to see their sail collapsed all over their deck, and fighting to keep it controlled/aboard. They handled it like champs, but the webbing at the head of the sail had failed. The sail came down - - grudgingly - - but had the winds been higher it would have been a bit dodgier.

So just a simple tip that if you leave your sails on year round as most people around here do, to check on all the attachment points (specifically the head) to watch for sun or other damage. Us regular folks who have to attach the halyard for every use see the bulk of the sail everytime, which is lost when you never see the top parts of the sail. Also, the next day when we went to help them get their halyard down (still at the top of the mast) we realized the halyard was significantly too thick and could not be eased down at all. It was also quite green and stiff.

It sounds like you've had the sail up and down at least a few times, and these aren't current issues, but something to keep in mind when your system is dialed in, and no longer top of mind.

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

Interesting that so many said don't turn into the wind which I generally do. I've made some adjustments off the wind but I'd fear a jam on my next unfurl if I furled in a lot of sail when not headed up. My arrangement seems to work best into the wind with just a touch of wind on starboard and the boom free with vang released and mainsheet a bit loose. I keep tension on the furling line when pulling on the outhaul to unfurl and I keep a bit of tension on the outhaul when furling. When furling in, at about halfway I'll pull mainsheet if the boom is getting too crazy but I found that tension on the lines is the most important trick to avoid jams. And if there is a bunch of wind I'll furl the genoa to keep things sane when turning into the wind. Furling in governs furling out IMHO and I almost always head up when possible.

[dlymn]

Try this test. Go to the mast with all lines slack but the main halyard firm. Have some one pull on the out haul only to take up loose line and then the loose sail. Start pulling out the sail hand over hand and not moving from the mast area or maybe moving just a few steps back then return to the mast.Your sail should roll out nicely. i think many of the issues with furling mains are because we put too much tension on the leech and end up trying to pull the sail down the mast. You will also find this strategy helpful in part when you happen to have a jam.

[De.windhoos]

Originally Posted by EmeraldCoastSailor

Interesting that so many said don't turn into the wind which I generally do. I've made some adjustments off the wind but I'd fear a jam on my next unfurl if I furled in a lot of sail when not headed up. My arrangement seems to work best into the wind with just a touch of wind on starboard and the boom free with vang released and mainsheet a bit loose. I keep tension on the furling line when pulling on the outhaul to unfurl and I keep a bit of tension on the outhaul when furling. When furling in, at about halfway I'll pull mainsheet if the boom is getting too crazy but I found that tension on the lines is the most important trick to avoid jams. And if there is a bunch of wind I'll furl the genoa to keep things sane when turning into the wind. Furling in governs furling out IMHO and I almost always head up when possible.

The name of the game is having a tight furl. When that's the case you won't have a jam when unfurling. Therefore the advise from mast and sailmakers or other experts is not to turn into the wind when furling in.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by serah

Somewhat tangential, but important still. We don't have in-mast furling but we went out with dock neighbours on their first overnight shakedown cruise over Easter on their 45 hunter with in-mast furling. Great breeze, flat seas, and 15 minutes in I looked back to see their sail collapsed all over their deck, and fighting to keep it controlled/aboard. They handled it like champs, .

Interesting, because one of the side effects of in mast reefing is that it protects the sail very well by having it neatly rolled up inside the mast away from the elements. Indeed having just replaced a 2001 in mast main the material was in very good condition, sadly the shape was the problem and each panel rather baggy. It was debatable if it was worth re-cutting the main but Kemps my sailmaker offered such a good deal on a new main over the winter I went with that option.

Pete

[Safari38LH]

We've use in mast furling for 10 years and have had no problems. When furling we turn about 5 degrees off the wind to keep the sail from binding on the side of the slot. I also throw the now lazy outhaul one turn around a winch so there is alittle resistance which keeps the furl tight.

[Alita49DS]

Is there a degree of semantic confusion here about turning into the wind or not?

In my view one should always turn towards the wind to depower the furling mainsail. Simply releasing the main sheet or the traveller in a strong wind is not going to be enough to spill wind. Litmus test: would you furl going downwind?

Essentially, the same considerations apply with the main and a furling genoa. Both are using the same design concept. Both need a bit of tension on them to get a clean furl. The emphasis is on "a bit". Not some gorilla on a winch or straining an electric one.

The essential differences with the main, as against the genoa, are to ensure that the boom is at right angles to the mast (unless the sail has been cut for a different boom set) and to ensure that the furl is on the tack sympathetic to the mast slot angle. Again, if the boat is not turned towards the wind the boom angle is likely to be way out.

To my mind anyone who does not take the obvious steps to depower a furling sail is being unsympathetic to the physics effecting the mechanics and will in due course, at best, run into a large bill. Clew tension is the function of the outhaul and not the wind.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Alita49DS

Is there a degree of semantic confusion here about turning into the wind or not?

In my view one should always turn towards the wind to depower the furling mainsail. Simply releasing the main sheet or the traveller in a strong wind is not going to be enough to spill wind. Litmus test: would you furl going downwind?

Essentially, the same considerations apply with the main and a furling genoa. Both are using the same design concept. Both need a bit of tension on them to get a clean furl. The emphasis is on "a bit". Not some gorilla on a winch or straining an electric one.

The essential differences with the main, as against the genoa, are to ensure that the boom is at right angles to the mast (unless the sail has been cut for a different boom set) and to ensure that the furl is on the tack sympathetic to the mast slot angle. Again, if the boat is not turned towards the wind the boom angle is likely to be way out.

To my mind anyone who does not take the obvious steps to depower a furling sail is being unsympathetic to the physics effecting the mechanics and will in due course, at best, run into a large bill. Clew tension is the function of the outhaul and not the wind.

Well, I don't know anyone who luffs up to furl with in-mast furling, at least not after they gained some experience with the system.

Obviously you need to depower the sail, but it is not necessary to change course to do that. It is generally only necessary to ease the mainsheet and the outhaul til the leech starts to flutter a bit.

And yes, I furl going downwind, like everyone does. You need to be on a starboard tack to do this if it's windy so that the sail doesn't have to bend around the slot in the mast. I've done it in 40+ knots of wind.

Boom angle is easily controlled with the vang. There is no problem furling with the boom out. It's even easier to furl with the boom out, if you're on a starboard tack because the sail goes straight on to the foil without bending.

As to clew tension -- that is not directly involved. We care about tension on the foot of the sail, and it is mostly how the wind is hitting the sail, which determines this, subject to the shape of the foot as determined by the clew tension of course.

So a little wind in the sail -- not so much that the sail is powered up, of course -- makes for a much better furl. Furling with the bow into the wind and sail luffing gives a poor furl with in-mast furling. It's a common mistake for people newly come to in-mast furling from normal slab reefing. It took me about a year to figure that out

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

[QUOTE=Alita49DS;2381217]Is there a degree of semantic confusion here about turning into the wind or not?

I have to be honest and say that I don't get the comments of others regarding this aspect of the subject. One comment was something along the lines of sail and spar providers don't recommend turning into the wind. Really? Can't imagine but ok.

Interesting how opinions can vary so much on such a defined subject. Maybe the in-mast furling systems differ widely so much as to drive different techniques? I don't get it.

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Well, I don't know anyone who luffs up to furl with in-mast furling, at least not after they gained some experience with the system.

Obviously you need to depower the sail, but it is not necessary to change course to do that. It is generally only necessary to ease the mainsheet and the outhaul til the leech starts to flutter a bit.

And yes, I furl going downwind, like everyone does. You need to be on a starboard tack to do this if it's windy so that the sail doesn't have to bend around the slot in the mast. I've done it in 40+ knots of wind.

Boom angle is easily controlled with the vang. There is no problem furling with the boom out. It's even easier to furl with the boom out, if you're on a starboard tack because the sail goes straight on to the foil without bending.

As to clew tension -- that is not directly involved. We care about tension on the foot of the sail, and it is mostly how the wind is hitting the sail, which determines this, subject to the shape of the foot as determined by the clew tension of course.

So a little wind in the sail -- not so much that the sail is powered up, of course -- makes for a much better furl. Furling with the bow into the wind and sail luffing gives a poor furl with in-mast furling. It's a common mistake for people newly come to in-mast furling from normal slab reefing. It took me about a year to figure that out

I am gonna give it a try!