I see a trend of brokers and private owners selling boats listed as Bluewater which is often misleading and falsely advertised , this video is very informative for those interested in a real Bluewater cruiser!

I enjoyed it but it is very much a Kracken advert.

I'm impressed! Thanks for posting, this was not on my radar.

Beautiful boats for sure, but given all the talk of safety safety safety offshore with zero keels and alpha rudders etc why would they spec an in mast furler for the main. That seems like a big concession on safety for the sake of push button convenience.

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cammd said..
Beautiful boats for sure, but given all the talk of safety safety safety offshore with zero keels and alpha rudders etc why would they spec an in mast furler for the main. That seems like a big concession on safety for the sake of push button convenience.

I'm curious, how is a furling main a safety issue??

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UncleBob said..

cammd said..
Beautiful boats for sure, but given all the talk of safety safety safety offshore with zero keels and alpha rudders etc why would they spec an in mast furler for the main. That seems like a big concession on safety for the sake of push button convenience.

I'm curious, how is a furling main a safety issue??

Kraken go on about safety being number priority, in mast furling is not safest choice, I'm sure it is safe, unless it jams when trying to reef before a rising gale or squall

Its a more complex system then slab reefing and stuff goes wrong on boats, mostly at the worst times so simple and reliable is safer. Reliability deceases with age too. Seems like a difficult system to maintain, how do you check all components are in good working order inside the entire length of the mast.

If it jams how to you get it down, at least with in boom furling you can still drop the main if a jam occurs but with in mast furling you probably have to go aloft to sort a jam, not what you want to do when you need to be reefing, particularly on a boat that is shorthanded like a lot of cruisers are.

I have never used in mast furling but I believe you have to have the apparent wind forward of the mast to reef otherwise the risk of a jam is greatly increased. Read this account of in boom furling, it highlights the risk of having to turn to windward to reef
www.bwsailing.com/anatomy-of-a-tragedy-at-sea/

Also you will always have more weight aloft even when reefed.

Krakens sells itself as no compromise on safety but I think in mast furling is a compromise on safety for the sake of convenience on a "real" bluewater boat.

I would even say the choice of a solent rig over a cutter is a compromise on safety too

Hot take: a yacht is only as safe as the idiot sailing it.

I never understood why in-mast furling is a thing. Just seems like asking for trouble.

I had a Mottle 33 and it's Genoa furler jammed in high rising winds. We spent hours either being knocked down or letting it fly. I took it off after that and put hanks on it. After recutting it's shape it set better too. I get why furlers are poor choice for "safe" boat. I think simpler is better too.

I agree with you. I hate furling headsails too. Going up on deck to change a headsail isn't safe either but it's still safer than going forward to sort out a jammed furler. Plus going forward to do headsail changes is good practice for when the **** hits the fan and you have to get up there to set your storm jib.