Roller furling mainsail

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pirata
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 3:37 am

Roller furling mainsail

Post by pirata »

Dear ballader's,

I would like to know your opinion about the roller furling mainsail.

I have the original roller furling boom but the mainsail is normal with slaab reefing points. It works well with the reefs working outside the bomm.

I'm thinking about a new mainsail and I would like to hear your opinion about this.

It's for cruising. I don't have plans for competition.

Miguel
Bob McGovern
Posts: 283
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:08 am
Location: Wyoming, USA

Re: Roller furling mainsail

Post by Bob McGovern »

Hi, Miguel. Our San Juan 21 came with a roller-furling boom setup similar to the Ballad's. It took only one attempt to roller-reef the main in high winds to convince us it was a disaster. If the mainsheet is on hard enough to control the boom and keep the boom inboard, the sail does not want to roll up. Sail shape suffers because you lose all outhaul tension, and the sail rolls unevenly because the draft is deeper in the middle. It required several minutes of unhappy wrestling to reduce sail area, and we had poor shape when we were done. It might work if you put the reef in at the dock, but it was really hard to do underway.

We added 'jiffy reef' points (2-line slab reefing), and now we can reduce sail 30% without leaving the cockpit -- in less than 20 seconds. Honest -- 15 seconds is about normal. Sail shape is excellent (very flat, no vertical wrinkles, still enough draft and twist to keep the boat driving in waves). And we can use the vang, which you cannot attach with a rolled-up boom. This is absolutely essential downwind to limit wallowing and roundups. Upwind, the vang can work in concert with the mainsheet and/or traveler to keep the sail flat.

There are some booms which furl the sail inside them. These work okay for some people, but they require a very large section, are extra heavy (and therefore dangerous), and still don't solve the outhaul tension problem. Slab reefing is so simple, inexpensive, and elegant, it's hard to think of a better solution. :) Also robust and resistant to jamming. Our clew reef line chafed thru in 40 kts one day, which caused a certain amount of flapping, but it was easy to grab a spare cord and lash the reef point around the boom until the storm passed.

Some people also do slab reefing with a single line, but the friction can be so great, a winch is required. The Ballad's small mainsail could easily be 2-line reefed by hands only. If you keep your halyard at the mast, you can substitute a tack hook for the forward reefing line; we intend to lead both back to the cockpit.
pirata
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 3:37 am

Re: Roller furling mainsail

Post by pirata »

Hi,
I like very much de slaab reffing sistem. It's simple and reliable. I agree with you.
But, I think I'm becoming a litle lazy in my day sailing and short coastal cruise.
So, my fantasie is to have a main sail as practical as my furling jib. I dont have to leave the cockpit to do the job.
My idea is to adapt a drum in the front of the mast to control the main in the cockpit. What I whant to know is if I buy a mainsail especificaly designed for a furling boom with full battens, etc. I can have a minimum of releability and some performance when reefed and if you think that with the drum adapted I can reef and raise the main from the cockpit.
Maybe it's only a fantasie but maybe someone have this setup with god results?
Many thanks,
Miguel
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