my new Tophat has a boom furler. The handle to wind the boom around is missing but I'm sure I can find something. I like he idea of this. What do people think of This old system for decreasing main sail area over reeling?

Hi my fisher 32 has a leisurefurl in boom furler and I LOVE it, infinite reefing, stows neatly, fully battened main however it takes some getting used to. On mine the furler can be done from the cockpit or the mast, where a normal winch handle is used.
All in all I reckon it is great.
Bob

Thanks for that UB. Mines an outside the boom furler. Needs a crank handle to wind the boom around. Already has the vang quick release. Seems to me all i need is a handle and its good to go!

Unless the sail is cut to suit, or you pack in some padding as you furl, the boom tends to droop, and the set of the sail is not perfect. Roller reefing was the fashion in the 70s but most have changed back to slab reefing.

Only been on one old boat with roller boom reefing. After one roll the sail was like a bed sheet. It did have an old sail. Maybe a new sail with padding would be better.

Thanks guys. I think it's easy enough to check out. I'll just go out Monday and take some vice grips and see how it goes. My main is fully battened

The trick with boom furling is to use your topping lift to hold the boom at the correct level.

If the boom is set too high or conversely too low, the end result when taking in, will be a sail bunched up with a whole lot of creases.

So when found correct, a whipping line on the topping lift line say just behind the rope clutch will ensure trouble free furling.

Oh and by the way make sure the vang and mainsheet are 'off'.

Hood also offered a 'Seafurl' boom furling system used on many yachts in the '90's,similar to Uncle Bobs 'Leisurefurl' set-up.

I thought they were just brilliant and offered a lot of advantages, particularly in keeping the weight down low, unlike say an 'inmast' system.

My two bobs!-CR.

Thanks CR. I bought a wooden sailboat mag and it has a section on all different types of reefing. It also explained as you did about the tipping lift set up as your roller reefing .the vang and main sheet have easy release systems, the booms there. Might as well give it a crack!
Hardest part will be shifting the topping lift as the end of the boom is open for some reason so ill have to remedy that. Also the outhaul will need to be sorted. Im excited!

Actually i just realised how do you re attach the vang? It woyld have sail all around the boom

When my boat arrived in Australia it was fitted with slab reefing which proved too hard and long for just myself to pack away (reelfing was not a problem) so before I even got the boat home from Sydney my wife had ordered a new Leisurefurl boom from NZ. The main thing for furling booms is the main sail must be built for a furling boom. After consulting with Norths Sail I was told that it was not worth trying to modify my new FCL main sail to suit a furling boom. There are a number if things with a furling main that are different to a standard main, luff tape, soft batton ends, batton angle in sail, depth of the sail, foot of the sail, just to name a few. The good thing is the area of the sail is full size and good shape, unlike an in mast sail. As the new boom weighs 250kg it also ment we had to fit a new bigger vang strut as this is what you use to set the critical boom angle when furling, not the boom topper. In any boat you mark the vang rope at the correct position. (marking the vaNg rope is more accurate as the vang usually has at least 4 to 1 purchase, so if you are a little off the rope mark it will not make as much difference) and then take up the boom topper to prevent any boom up down movement. Some one above said you are to release the vang, this is a big no no As the boom must be held from going up or down (the boom angle is critical to 1 deg.). Main sheet is eased. When furling or reefing you also need the hold a little tension on the main halyard. The tension you hold will also very the furl, this tension is something you learn after a while.
With a boom furling main sail you do not have an adjustable out haul, so you set the foot up with the amount of sag you would normally run with off the breeze. When you go to windward and you want to flatten the foot you simply furf the boom about a half turn as a proper furling main is attached to the boom mandrel at each end of the foot as well as the centre point of the foot, by doing this it pulls the drive from the centre of the sail.
Reefing is also simple, it is just a matter of furling the mainsail down to a batton position. Generally the boom angle is not so critical when reelfing as you do not require to roll the entire sail in, but you will have to rehoist the main and set the boom angle prior to furling the main away. As you do not have any form of out haul on a roll furled sail, the trick is to furl the sail so as the batton is aligned with the under side of the mandrill, this way the batton works as an out haul. With a proper furling main the sail looks just perfect at any reef point and no foam needed. The photo below is the main with a single reef. You can see the batton that creates the out haul.
I can see where an old badly set up furling boom and main could be a total pain, but a well set up system is brilliant. Unfortunately it is one of those things you can not do by halves.

In our case it was a hard decision to throw out a brand new main sail, main sail slider system, Selden boom and Selden kicker and fork out another $60,000.00. It could have been done a little cheaper but I opted for a Norths 3DL one piece moulded carbon cruising main. These sails are basically the same as a race main but have taffiter stuck to each side. Was it all worth it? You bet it was!!! Because of the furling boom I can see myself and my wife sailing the boat for a lot more years to come until we are both silly old farts, making a nuisance of ourselves and warring our kids as to our where adouts. Deb thinks I am already a silly old fart.

PS. if any body wants a cheap brand new boom, main sail and kicker for a 50 to 60 foot boat, let me know.

In your case you would have to use the main sheet and go head to wind. When furling you should go head to wind anyway.

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Sectorsteve said..
Actually i just realised how do you re attach the vang? It woyld have sail all around the boom

You need to make a Horse shoe fitting that slips over the end of the boom and slides down to the vang attachment zone on the boom. These fittings often have rollers so the boom can rotate within them, pressure from the vang is opposed by a line that goes to the outer end of the boom so when you crank some vang on it doesen't drag the horse shoe down the boom.

Just to make it clear, Jode's system is in boom roller reefing, as opposed to Steve's system which has the sail wrapped around the boom. Huge difference!

+1 for cool runnings observations
My reefing system is roller boom and find it an eXcellent method
I have used it with leech and full battens no foam and maintain a good shaped sail
my main is small enough when reefed that i dont need a vang
Perhaps the trickiest thing is getting clearence between the tack of the main and the mast as its rolled if its too close it can bind up
My mains use slugs and that is not a problem either
It is a very neat system if you get it working efficiently
Its odd how many negative comments you hear regarding this system

Thanks mm. Its great to hear stuff from people using this system and also people using the I boom system. It's all good stuff and makes me think. I too thought that the vang would just be disconnected I cant wait to try this out.
whats it like though having no control over the boom while doing this? You'll only have the topping lift with everything else disconnected. I spose if you're quick and as you decrease sail area the boom would become more manageable.

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Yara said..
Just to make it clear, Jode's system is in boom roller reefing, as opposed to Steve's system which has the sail wrapped around the boom. Huge difference!

Hi Yara,
The only difference between my boom and Steve's is my boom has an outer case which you can attach a vang and mid boom sheeting to. The sail still rolls round a mandrill exactly the same as Steve's boom. He could easly use the main sheet and topper when lowering the main. The vang would have to be removable. The only problem I can see is you will have no vang when reeled which in not a good option. He would also need some form of locking mechanism to lock the boom when reeled. As I said previously you must pay the bucks and set up furling booms and sails correctly or they are a pain and you will soon get the sh..t's with the system. I think at the end of the day Steve would be better off setting up a good single line slab reelfing system.

Ill test it anyway but yes the standard reefing might be the go. I set that up really well on my bluebird which just sold. I could reef alone in 35knots easily/quickly. Not sure id be able to roller reef so efficiently compared. Im having trouble finding a reef hook! They never have any in whitworths lately!
More importantly i need to remove the mast winches and bring all lines back to cockpit. On bluebirds reefing itd be so quick.release main halyard from cockpit, pull sail onto hook from mast which would take about 10 seconds, back to cockpit to secure sail there then tighten halyard. Took 1 minute. But the mast winches mean theres more back and forth. Not keen on controlling halyards from the mast!

Horse shoe or claw for boom vang.

Is that horseshoe/claw open at 1 end?

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UncleBob said..
Hi my fisher 32 has a leisurefurl in boom furler and I LOVE it, infinite reefing, stows neatly, fully battened main however it takes some getting used to. On mine the furler can be done from the cockpit or the mast, where a normal winch handle is used.
All in all I reckon it is great.
Bob

Bob, I'm assuming your Fisher must be one of the last ones built back in the mid-nineties.
As I remember all of the Barlow built ones had a hydraulic in-mast furler and a small number of the 'Boots' built Fisher's had the boom type furlers fitted.

Don McIntyre subsequently bought the moulds and then had them shipped over to Asia with the view to build some more Fisher 32's.
Cost to build and getting a return is a fine line and so none have materialised as of yet.

I remember talking to a fellow in Hobart who owned one. He had just come off a rough trip crossing over Bass Strait and mentioned that at no point did he have to take his slippers off!

CR.

Hi now at home i can upload a couple of pics detailing the handle / lock mechanism

THanks MM. Mines a bit different to that. the winch point is actually on the boom right near the mast on mine. I tried it yesterday with a big spanner. works well but i need to sort out the end of the boom as its hollow. I need to attach the topping lift there. I got a good feeling its going to work well! Not sure if it locks in place though.

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CoolRunnings said..

UncleBob said..
Hi my fisher 32 has a leisurefurl in boom furler and I LOVE it, infinite reefing, stows neatly, fully battened main however it takes some getting used to. On mine the furler can be done from the cockpit or the mast, where a normal winch handle is used.
All in all I reckon it is great.
Bob

Bob, I'm assuming your Fisher must be one of the last ones built back in the mid-nineties.
As I remember all of the Barlow built ones had a hydraulic in-mast furler and a small number of the 'Boots' built Fisher's had the boom type furlers fitted.

Don McIntyre subsequently bought the moulds and then had them shipped over to Asia with the view to build some more Fisher 32's.
Cost to build and getting a return is a fine line and so none have materialised as of yet.

I remember talking to a fellow in Hobart who owned one. He had just come off a rough trip crossing over Bass Strait and mentioned that at no point did he have to take his slippers off!

CR.

You sure know your stuff. Boots built, fitout not quite as neat as a good barlow but we are working on that!
Cheers, Bob.

I used to want a fisher 32 so bad in the 80s
Can remember reading that resin became expensive. Read that was the reason the fisher was going to be made in Asia
There a tuff boat with very nice lines

I think also HG, the Barlow built Fisher's in particular were built to Lloyds 100A1.
Meeting that type of criteria would pose considerable on costs to the build in those days.
A lot of extra craftsmanship required in building the cabin of a motorsailor as well.

As you say 'tuff boat'.

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CoolRunnings said..

I think also HG, the Barlow built Fisher's in particular were built to Lloyds 100A1.
Meeting that type of criteria would pose considerable on costs to the build in those days.
A lot of extra craftsmanship required in building the cabin of a motorsailor as well.

As you say 'tuff boat'.

Ive always loved there lines the stern and cabin design I guess the whole boat really. Would be a excellent boat in Tassy waters winter and summer .
Ive always had expensive taste more than I can afford
I used to have a build articular on the Fisher 32 cant find it now

I wonder why roller furling booms are as rare as hens teeth?
A mast furling main almost caused us untold grief on a brand new 523 Oceanic Clipper over the Atlantic.

I would not countenance any furling boom or main on my boat for a minute. I would not touch it with a sixty feet barge pole, ever.

It might work fore some, though.

I can totally understand that!

Traditional sail configuration with slab reefing is hard to beat.

I have owned boats with all 3 systems, in mast furling, in boom furling and slab reefing. As I see these are the pros and cons for each system.

In mast,
Pros,
1. Ease of reefing mainsail, though can only be reefed one tack. (Port or starboard I can not remember .)
2.Easy to hoist and furl main back away for storage.
3. No need for lazy jacks or sail covers.
4. No need to leave cockpit to hoist or pack mainsail away.
Cons.
1. Sail hard to fit and remove from mast. Sail needs to be hoisted head to wind in very light airs and then the full length vertical battons are installed. Clew is then attached to the out haul.
2. Sail can not be removed until the battons removed.
3. If anything goes wrong with the furling mechanism you can not just drop the sail.
4. If you damage a sail you will more than likely not be able to furl or drop the sail with out difficulty.
5. Inability to convert mast to any other form of furling / reefing.
6. When the sail is removed it is nearly impossible to stop the furling mandrel from banging round inside to mast.
7. Furling masts howl in the wind. A 15kn breeze sounds like a 35kn gale when trying to sleep at night. As my boat was behind my house and I am sure my neighbors did not appreciate the noise at night.
8. Hard to fit storm sails.
9. Inability to fire the main halyard in an emergency and just drop the sail on the deck.
10. Poor sail shape with very little roach and also a very flat under size sail.
11. Can not retrofit unless you buy a new mast, boom and sail.

Boom furling.
Pros.
1. Easy to retro fit to an existing mast.
2. Easy to reef mainsail on either tack.
3. No need for lazy jacks or sail covers. ( cover is built into the boom)
4. Full size mainsail with horizontal battons and good shape.
5. Storm sails are easly fitted. (The same as a standard mast)
6. Easy to hoist and and furfurling the main away for storage.
7. Mainsail halyard can be fired in an emergency and sail just dropped on th deck.
8 No need to leave cockpit to hoist or pack mainsail away.
Cons.
1. If retrofitting you will need to buy a new mainsail and boom suitable for furling.
2. Takes a bit of practice to get the boom angle and tension require to hold on the main halyard when furling the sail away.
3. Need to go head to wind when dropping the mainsail.

Slab reefing.
Pros.
1. Cost.
2. Simplicity with very little to go wrong.
3. Storm sails are easly fitted.
4. Full size sail with good shape.
5. Mainsail halyard can be fired in an emergency and sail just dropped on th deck.
Cons.
1. Slow to pack up after sailing.
2. Need for lazy jacks or pack sack or just struggle to strap the sail to the boom.
3. Is it worth hoisting the main for a short sail when you have to go through so much packing up.
4. If you have lazy jacks or a bag, they flap round when sailing.
5. Need to go on deck to pack mainsail away and fit sail cover. This is not easy in a sea on a big boat which will more than likely have a spray dodger to work over.

In my opinion I would rate the systems as follows:

No.1. Boom furling, especially if short handed and on a big boat. This system makes sailing and packing up a total joy. As you get older you will appreciate it even more.

No.2. Slab reefing, cheap and reliable, but a pain to pack up.

No.3. In mast furling, I would never have again, the howling mast drives you crackers , poor sail shape and lots to go wrong. I must say in the 2 years I had the in mast furling I did not have any issues with the operation of the system, but I could see a lot of potential for issues.

You gave a fair assessment Jode, no doubt.

I am in a small class, 28, so size does matter. It does. Fighting a huge sail on a big boat makes you think twice, does it not?
Whoever, packing up is a pain l am willing to suffer - there is no lazy jack here - and when l reminisce of the problems we had with the furling main in a blow 45kn gusting 60-65kn, l pack my main lol. No matter how much pain it gives me. That flaming motor driven furling system nearly killed us all. Struth...