I don't own a boat. I don't sail, and never will. I have do idea about some of the things you talk about and don't understand the terminology. But I do enjoy your videos! You have such an enthusiastic, down-to-earth delivery and clearly love your subject matter. I could listen to you for hours (and I have!).
If I may make a suggestion. When using power winches , use the minimal number of wraps around the winch. This will allow slip in the case of a snag vs tearing something, in the case of raising the main I have been able to lift 90% of the way with only 1 warp around the winch. Then when it starts to slip I put another wrap or two to get the adequate tension. Also when lowing they sail only need 1 wrap around the winch for the down haul.
Another "vade mecum" masterclass. Tom is an under apppreciated national treasure. Our identity as a nation has been forged through seamanship - it is people like Tom who keep our heritage alive - and long may he do that. What a well found yacht - apart from the atom of rust on the stopper - sorry Tom - had to mention it .......
I just completed my beginner and intermediate sailing lessons on a local lake (LOVED it!!) and had to watch this because 1) it is my new favorite Englishman Tom Cunliffe and 2) I had no idea what reefing was and wanted to learn. Now I need more sailing lessons!
I did that its fun at first but you need to join a club or buy a boat. Once u get it down its really fun. Though single guy taking class' ur odd man out. Mostly couples ive found but still sailing is easy cheap and fun at first. Im looking 4 small boat for lake then eventually big boat
@@captaintoyota3171 I advertised on Craigslist about 5 years ago, for a free trainer boat (no junk) to learn sailing and maintenance. I had about 8 phone calls and wound up with a very nice C&C 30 project boat. It's been an expensive refit, but it is now a nice boat and I can maintain ANYTHING on the boat.
Nice video. My 1st boat was a1961 Lapworth 24 and it had a boom reefing setup. The forward end had a square gooseneck pin that would release if you pulled the boom aft. Then you simply twist the boom to wrap the sail around the boom then re engage the square cutout in the end boom cap with the square gooseneck pin. It worked well enough. No vang with a reef in though. I cut a slot in the boom and through bolted a tang that would retract into the boom when reefing. I loved that boat and learned a lot about sailing and sail shape with the fractional rig. 👍
Thanks Tom l have grown up in the maritime industry since a boy I'm 55 now and know absolutely nothing about sailing, when l was kid it was engines for the future don't worry about that old stuff..and know l"m wanting to learn about it..thank you again for your wonderful presentations its not just the youngsters who crave this kind of information its people like myself who l say were bamboozled by the new and forgot the old..kindest regards Doc from down under.
Thanks Tom. As a sailing couple of a certain age, we too have an in boom furling system. We are still novices with it, but appreciate your tips greatly. One problem seems our mental inability to grasp the art of day sailing. We have always been “going towards” some destination. We cruised quite happily for 10 years on our dear Tempest, an Amel Mango with a first generation in mast furler. Throughout our voyage, we didn’t have a furler failure, but two rigging failures which were exciting and make for great cruising yarns, but were not life threatening or put the boat in jeopardy. We enjoy you videos very much. After reading you for many years, it is wonderful to hear your voice.
Well done Tom I have some 18,000 nm with this piece of kit as you say. Several experiences with this at sea in a blow however. If deeply reefed or hove to, pronounced pitching for and aft can cause the sail in the boom to slip forward and if the battens are on the sides of the roll they can slide beyond the mast enough to jamb the sail in place causing you to hammer them back. No easy feat in a heave sea way So have some one go forward, ( something we would ALWAYS do anyway) to stop the roll up of the sail where the battens are vertical so they won’t slide forward pinching the mast. Also a tight roll is a happy roll.
Thank you Tom, always really enjoy your talks. Once spent first two days of one holiday in harbour because in-mast furling failed (sail had giant crease & had to be replaced) but this in-boom furling looks great.
Good video - thanks. I have a FurlerBoom on my XC50 and it works well. The key is to get the right angle between the boom and the mast. For my setup, it works best if the end of the boom is slightly high and it all goes bad if the boom slopes even slightly downward. It’s also important to check that the head of the sail is in the pre-feeder before you hoist - may seem obvious but easy to forgot. Downwind in the trades, you need to think through reefing strategy as you don’t have the same flexibility as you do with a slab reefing system particularly if you are flying any sort of spinnaker. We set up our spinnakers with top down furling with a plan to furl the spinnaker if we needed to take a mainsail reef and come onto a close reach. it worked well in light winds but was a complete failure in the heavier trades.
love the XC50 - my favourite blue water luxury cruiser manageable with a relatively small crew; wondering where do you sail from and happy to be an extra bod as and when you are short. Simon
Love it . Sailors are naturally suspicious of new gizmos😀 oh yes we are , well I am ! Fascinating to hear your real world appraisal Thank you I have been suspicious of junk rig , asymmetrics, snuffers, full battens main , slutter rig, furlers … maintained well I love ‘em all by now. Looks like you can push harder for longer and set a controlled shapely better partial sail , great video thank you Mr C
Thank You, Tom. I think you know what I mean when I say I did not realize this could work so well. Yes, TWIST (Leech Control) is everything, and so few systems allow for it. Sailing with a fixed length kicker, that is not easily adjustable, will work against you at every turn. Keeping an open mind, and more importantly demanding from the system what you Know is necessary, has really paid off.
Nearly there all you need is a self tacking staysail & a couple of electric sheet winches , Solid dodger & a good Rum . Do deliveries around the Pacific & sailed on inmast , Boom Furlers , Slab & behind mast furlers (Terrible) & by far the 'Kiwi Leisure furl' system has come out tops . 74 & i find a well fitted out yacht up to 55 ft. is easier to handle then an older 35 fter BUT horses for causes - Enjoy .
Hi Bill. Good to have some input from real mileage. My LeisureFurl was built under licence in California, but it's the same as the Kiwi one. I'm really pleased to hear that your experience has been as good as mine. Fair winds mate. Tom
Tom, Thank you. Great explanations,wonderful video.I'm looking into and considering the inboom furl as opposed to my Dutchman setup.Yes,I subscribed😇 Rick/79yrs/Seattle/Hunter 376
Just a refresher on my post , Did a delivery up to Tonga with a 55 footer with new sails & in mast furler , WOW the new sail material really gives a bountiful shape & powerful rig , BUT not cheap & you really have to cover them up when not in use > Sun kills them ??? & my finger is getting fitter every sail
Nice video Tom and good to see you on the water. I inherited in mast furling when I purchased my Konsort earlier this year. Initially sceptical about these modern trends as an aging sailor used to conventional systems, but I now like the system and the advantages it gives me as a single or short handed sailor.
Great article exhorting the benefits of the LeisureFurl in-boom. It's a great system for the short-handed crew and sets lovely when reefed. We certainly felt happier knowing the' insurance policy' of simply dropping it if matters went awry, unlike the in-mast gang who must have this worry at the back of their mind. The only real issues we experienced, which some new crew members found difficult to adapt to, was in the setup for unfurling and furling. The boom angle to the mast is fairly critical ( I think the manufacturer recommends 92 degrees) and once that is adhered to then keeping a nice tension on the downhaul keeps the sail in shape when hoisted and the reverse for stowing as its important that the roll of sail in the boom is not too tight or too loose. Electric winches can mask an issue, which resulted in a small tear for us, a lesson learned. There are some excellent TH-cams showing owner's techniques. As you mention, mark the topping lift or the vang to give you the correct angle and away you go. A proper-looking sail that's easy to reef on the go from the cockpit and for a couple to easily manage. I guess the initial cost is one factor why we don't see more of them.
Thanks Tom you explain it all very well , however I"m still trying to sort mine out and I have sailed 2500 miles with it ! I know it's all about practice but so far it has caused me a lot of trouble ? however thanks for your great patience and time cheers
Great video Tom. We've sailed with a Liesurefurl in boom on our Whitby 42 ketch since 2011 and absolutely love it. So easy with just the two of us on board and, unlike an in mast furler, we can get a nice sail shape. Cheers from Downunder.
I'm a big fan of in-boom reefing too. The Schaefer arrangement has a luff system that is an external track, separate from the mast and able to angle so the sail easily feeds up and down without the boat having to turn into the wind, or even close reach.
That does seem to neatly address Tom's one reservation, which I happen to share. In addition, I seem to remember the Schaeffer uses a downhaul drum at the outboard end of the boom, obviating the need for a universal joint (which he refers to as a Hardy Spicer) and the attendant disadvantage in this scenario.
After 20 years with an in-boom reef, now I switched to an in-mast reef. I notice that the in-mast system with 4 vertical battens gives a perfect sail shape for all reefs because the outhaul does not lose its function like the reefed in-boom system (did I see some creases in the last sequence?) Of course, I have to hope that my sail never gets stuck halfway out in high winds. Just out of curiosity: If you had scrapped it when you bought the boat, would you have gone for an in-mast reef or a classic lazy jack system?
Hi Rusty. Classic lazy jack every time. I'm glad you've raised the issue of the creases. The light on the sail made them look worse than they are, but they are nothing to do with foot tension, they are caused on my particular mainsail by the way the two-ply leech is getting towards its sell-by date. The sail is quite old and when the sun is shining along the lower part of the leech, it does look a bit gruesome. Well done for spotting it. When I get a new mainsail, the rumpling will disappear. Tom
I have a memory of reading about in boom furling on at least some of the Bristol Pilot Cutters during their time in commission. I reckon Tom would know for sure. That, along with this piece is quite a recommendation for me. As Tom said early in the piece, if an opportunity presents itself, it's worth trying a piece of kit. I have some experience of in mast furling and it gives me cold shivers. I guess if one owns a craft with it fitted then particular attention can be paid to ensuring its functionality at all times. Unfortunately, I can attribute to the fact that it is deeply unpleasant and life threatening to be in a position to have to cut the sail down. I do notice more generally; however, that we can all avoid more challenging weather with much more success than when I started out at least.
Over the years i have been sailing, I have experienced in boom (eg leisure furl), lazy jacks and in mast furling. For simplicity i prefer lazy jacks but asides that i would go for in boom. I must admit i am no fan of inmast furling, as to my way of thinking if things go wrong, then potentially you will be in a lot of trouble. So yes, i concur with you on the ease of reefing with the inborn system.
Just bought a 55ft ketch with a very big heavy wooden around the boom electric furling mechanism. Haven't tried it yet, have to test it first in the harbour but I can tell you, I'm quite excited... and a bit nervous...
I have a mast reefing, but the reefing is vertical. Its a real pig to unfurl because it keeps seizing. I cant afford to replace yet, but once the sail deteriorates, i suspect the decision will be made for me!
I can see why you use it and it certainly is a way to keep sailing when it might otherwise get beyond you but this also shows the downside which hasn't change since the old days of roller reefing booms. Without an outhaul there is no foot tension so you get all those creases in the leach which increases drag and turbulence
Good point, but the sail in the vid was on its last legs and has now been replaced. The battens take care of any issues with foot tension and I get a clean reef every time.
I enjoyed all you presented! Could you please go further and demonstrate manual operation to show what is involved if one should loose the motor or electric! JIM
Hi Jim. If you lose power, you just wind the Andersen winch with a handle! Hard work, but it works. I've tried it. By the way, those Andersen winches are as near bullet-proof as you can get and the actual battery draw is small because although it's pulling hard, it doesn't do it for very long and anyone with such a system will have good, solid electrics.Tom
Ironically, my 1974 Swan 38 (the first hull built) came with a roller furling boom! It’s still in the shed in Finland (I’m in the Netherlands) and you’ve got me wondering whether I should dust it off and see how it goes? Though I am partial to my simple lazy jack slab reefing system - even bouncing around at the mast to drop it 🤗⛵️
I grew up sailing in the UK. A lot of time was spent on a Bowman 46 with roller-furling boom. This is a very different animal from the in boom furlers of today. With the old system the leach would crawl forward as you reefed and the sail would get more and more baggy. Of course this is exactly what you don’t want. The modern in boom furlers manage to keep the foot tight and the sail flat as it should be. Reefing down from batten to batten helps keep that sail flat. I have only used one in boom furler, and I liked it a lot. It did not have a down haul as Tom describes, which I think would be very helpfully. I did not notice how and where, Tom had the down hail attached. I would be interested to see that part in more detail.
Just brilliant, took all of the mystery out of it! Fantastic post thank you, I've just subbed to you, not sure I'll ever get to sail, but love to watch something that was a dream for me. Thank you.
There is considerably more to this. The mainsail has to be installed just right and the flexible bit on the track has to be adjusted just right. Next time you are bending on the main perhaps you could touch on it. Once all is said and done life is a joy! When we bought our boat the yard bent on the main improperly and life was not a joy at all.
Mr. Cunliffe, please do a video about Inflated wing sails. These things look brilliant but I don't know enough about them to know if they are crap or not. Your input would be wonderful.
Excellent demonstration. I've never sailed one but my concern has been the weight of the boom on a jibe, particularly when it's breezy and you're reefed, when you'd have a bit of main adding to the weight of the boom. All that gear swinging across would concern me. Anyone care to address this?
I would like to see a dual jib tack. I have just bought a cutter and it has a foot gat between both and a bow rail. I really doubt it blows through in a hurry. Given a 5m foot on the Genoa that runs outside stays just to be even more interesting. It has huen pine spars and a boom fuller it actually rolls the sail round the boom and has done 45 yrs.😁 Take you to the olden days. No push buttons.
There’s a simple answer but it’s not ideal. Just before you tack set the staysail. As you come through wind, Leave the staysail aback. The genoa slides across it and straight through the gap. After you’ve sheeted in the genny, either roll in the staysail or sheet it across for the new tack. It’s no good for short tacking but it’s fine on passage. Tom
How do you tighten the clew when the reef is in? Wouldn't you be trying to achieve a tight and flattened sail when reefed? I can see the leech being taught but the foot would be loose, wouldn't it?
I am purchasing a sailboat with Leasure in boom furling. The leisure boom has to be inline. Would prefer the Schaefer in boom as it can be at any angle to reef.
You were speaking about the advantage of this system as opposed to an in boom system. But it seems they are both the same. They roll the sail up inside the boom. What am I missing ?
As a non sailor the terminology was lost on me...this makes me realise how little I know about sailing.....one of my favourite channels Adventures of a Old Seadog....he also swapped to an in boom sail...and described how critical that boom angle is. I'd love to learn to sail...but even a basic course at Weymouth is hundreds of pounds...it's tragic that sailing seems to be reserved as the sport of the wealthy. When you don't know anyone who sails, getting into sailing seems really difficult.
Grab yourself a sailing dinghy, old chap. A chap sailed thousands of miles in one he found in a field, goole Jack de Crow My boat cost me $500, it was half sunk, I put a $300 used sail on it and have sailed it thousands of miles, still looks like crap but the basic bits are solid. I taught myself to sail. There's also sailing canoes (add a home-made outrigger for stability if you like -a couple of coke bottles attached to some broomsticks will do) Cheerio!😆
I am not a sailboat sailor but I know enough to know that is sweet. A great looking reefed sail. If I do get a sailboat electric winches, adjustable vang, and in boom furling are for me. Did I get that right? Thank you and be safe!
Nice to see you visiting here in Finnish waters, where did you go explore? How do you feel about not having any outhaul for the reefed sail, as compared to traditional reefs that might be set up to pull the tack of the sail slightly backyards as well?
Hi Johannes. We've been to Finland several times. Last time we went along the south coast islands as far as Haapasaari - a magical place. Regarding the outhaul, there's no need for it, because the sail is fully battened. If in any doubt, I just roll the reef until the relevant batten is on the mandril and that's the end of the issue. Thanks for your comment. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns right, makes sense that those would stiffen up the back leech. Really good point you had about being able to drop the main even in case the furler is messed up, as opposed to in-mast systems; had never considered that difference👍
I did notice quite a few ripples and filds near the aft end of the sail (sorry for mixing up my jargon, I'm Dutch). Do these only appear in a reefed sail or are they present also with the full sail up?
Hi Peter You're right about the creases. The reason they are there is two-fold. First, the light was falling on them very nastily and they aren't as bad as they look. Secondly, the sail is well past its sell-by date and the two-ply leech is starting to come adrift between the plies. It's on the list for replacement, but this year was Code Zero year and my budget is far from bottomless. Thanks for your comment. It all makes sense. Tom
I am looking at a Catamaran with an in boom furl system.. just makes me wonder seeing this if you can reef in single handed with self tailing winches as you said keeping tension on the halyard while pulling the sail down..just a question i have.
We can see the leach of the sail is reinforced. This is necessary as loads increase in heavy weather. While roller reefing seems logical, the leach is often the weak spot. Ideally, the sail sets and draws best with standard reef bands. The problem with all forms of roller reefing is that the novice thinks it will be less fuss, and maintains a subconscious fear of the traditional reefing drill.
As a lifetime professional sailor, I have no fear of slab reefing. I use roller in-boom because it makes sense for me. The sail you see her is being replaced this year after twelve years of faithful service. The leech has never looked like giving way.
Have you ever had a problem with the wind pressure causing the sail to tighten up and jam on the mandrel? I think in-boom reefing is the perfect solution for solo sailing (my normal mode) and that is the only problem that I could foresee.
Good question and, no I haven't had this problem. To be honest, I've had no problems at all except tearing the luff tape when I've been careless with the electric winch. Entirely my fault. I've had ten trouble-free years. Tom
I've sailed with one in the Southern Ocean, latitudes 40s & 50s, and this was not a problem provided the reefs were carefully pulled down with adequate halyard tension as Tom demonstrates. It is however essential to reef early when the wind is rapidly increasing, to avoid the situation where you are forced to run DDW (because you are carrying too much sail for the wind) while trying to furl the sail away. To me, this is the one situation where a well specified and well-set-up in-mast system outperforms all others.
Great timing on the video as I am considering the LF Offshore boom. I am interested is seeing how you attach your preventer to the boom. Is there room at the end with the sail fully hoisted or pad eyes built into the boom or? Keep the videos coming!
Hi Steve I attach mine via one of the mainsheet-block tangs. I guess in an extreme gybe, it would put a wringing strain on the gooseneck, but the whole thing is so strong, I think it could stand it. Tom
The LF boom is so strong transversely that a mid-boom preventer, with two-part tackles permanently set up on either side, is viable. We formed 6mm thick, 75mm wide stainless steel flat bar to the profile of the boom, angled to line up with the direction of the falls of the tackle, and welded an upstand at right angles to make it into a bracket, stiffening it, and acting as a lug with a hole to accept the shackle pin of the single-sheave block. The block attached about half way up the depth of the boom, to eliminate the wringing strain Tom mentions. The tails of the tackles led around single sheave fiddle blocks at the chainplates back to secondary sheet winches, via a strong jammer. I very light winds, we used to leave the mainsheet slack and play the preventers to trim the sail (taking the weight of the boom on the topping lift) to be able to respond smoothly, quietly and rapidly to the fickle direction of the apparent wind.
Yes, without the locking pin there is too much pressure on the reefing line (downhaul), as the reefing line is preventing the sail from billowing up if there is wind. Without the pin, the upward pressure on the sail pulls the reefing line up which stresses the deck hardware and can break it/pull it loose from the deck plate. The pin solves that but you have to get out of the cockpit to the furling drum that's on the mast to lock it in place (when the sail is up). Fortunately that's not when you need to reef.
@@eyalamiran2507 I have a Leisure Furl in Boom. I find the fiction of the aluminum guide is hard work when lifting and dropping the sail. My down haul line is only 8 mm because of how small the furling drum is. And this doesn't work well in my self tailing winch making it almost a 2 person operation when dropping the sail. I've tried lubes but none seem to help much. I also have a line running to the locking pin on the downhaul drum with 2 tapes marking engaged, not engaged. cheers.
@@mickmccrohon Thanks Mick! You can splice spectra in the drum to a regular sheet--this works well at both ends. As for the friction--maybe your bolt rope is too thick? I'm sure you looked into it but if you go one size smaller it could work.
@@eyalamiran2507 Sadly to go one size smaller would mean a new sail as it is integrated at the bolt rope. And the issue with splicing in a regular sheet is that, lets say mast is 15 metres high, there isn't 15 metres between downhaul drum and winch. But thanks for the tips.
Don't know why they don't make all boats with in boom furling. When I bought my boat 90% of the boats out there had in mast...which is not as good...but in mast was 90% of the market....So either I didn't sail or buy the in mast...SV Aquila...Seattle. Go to Dickinson Diesel Heater best install ever.
It's all done with a fully battened sail. If it's really windy, roll down until a batten is just to say on the mandril and your foot tension is taken care of. Tom
Very interesting and helpful video, many thanks! But one thing puzzled me; you were flying a Norwegian courtesy flag at the start of the video and a Swedish one at the end. Does it really take that long to reef with this system? Lol!
It can be done, but it's risky if there's a lot of wind, because the sail tends to bunch too far forward, which can cause a jam. There's no need to motor in any sort of breeze. This scenario is one where a well-set-up in-mast reefing rig is unbeatable, in my view, when sailing a big boat short-handed. In waters where the wind can rise to hurricane force quicker than the crew can respond, it is possible to get stuck running DDW under full sail, in which situation coming up above that course would be almost suicidal. It has happened to me a long time ago with a badly set up in-mast system, and (through a combination of luck, hard yakker, and a skilful helmsman) we eventually got the sail in DDW, sailing just a few degrees off a gybe with the boom pinned amidships.
A that’s pretty handy and as a cruising boat that’s a fine system BUT.... I see a lot of vertical creases or ripples in the sal as you get toward the leech and that’s due to NO reefing Cringle and no clew outhual. Since the sail is wrapped around the roller in the boom you can’t pull those vertical creases out and they create turbulence Across the surface of the sail and on a racing/cruiser that would effect sail trim and speed. Now I’m sure it’s a minor difference half a knot even but when racing every half knot is important. OR when passage making that can add up to a half a days difference in arrival time. BUT again I’m nit picking but I prefer hank on sails and slab reefing due to more control over sail trim the. All roller reefing systems but when sailing single handed they sure are handy and if you don’t mind loosing a bit of speed they sure do make sail handling a whole lot easier. ( and ps I feel the same about head sail roller reefing as well as but most cruisers don’t want to carry more. Sails and smaller jibs and have to go forward to change sails so I get the pros of those systems)
Hi Michael. You're right about the creases. I thought I would some comment. I've driven enough race boats to be aware that we don't want them. The reason they are there is two-fold. First, the light was falling on them very nastily and they aren't as bad as they look. Secondly, the sail is well past its sell-by date and the two-ply leech is starting to come adrift between the plies. It's on the list for replacement, but this year was Code Zero year and my budget is far from bottomless. Thanks for your comment. It all makes sense. Tom
Yeah you got a point him as well I happen to have his boat boat now named Jesus Cares he lives in Spain now. Jesus Cares will hopefully be in the Jester Challenge. There are good people out there but generally England is let's just say going down hill. I am English by the way.
Well spotted mate! It shows you saw it through to the end. I was stuck for some footage of actual sailing in a hard breeze and found that one from a couple of years ago. That's show business! Tom
When I really like things, I play devil's advocate and try to ruin the thing by picking out all the negatives. So I really want in boom. My occasional "yeah but" musing sessions since my comment (below) of a year ago, yielded nothing more than "I'd lose the pleasure of climbing around tying up the bunt" .... which is more of a humblebrag (be impressed at my grandad "sick" web speak) than an issue. But an actual downside did occur to me listening to you say it wasn't great at downwind reefing. Not the inconvenience. More an additional payload to the risk of an unintentional Gybe. Sorry that's my now redundant risk management vernacular. The additional payload being, in wind, hitting the standing rigging with the weight of a boom half full of the condensed thick end of your mainsail. I know you've probably thought of this but it was a revelation to me just now. I still want in boom. But as you said, only if it opportunistically came with the boat.
Beautiful boat! In boom furling explained very well - and convincing!
I don't own a boat. I don't sail, and never will. I have do idea about some of the things you talk about and don't understand the terminology. But I do enjoy your videos! You have such an enthusiastic, down-to-earth delivery and clearly love your subject matter. I could listen to you for hours (and I have!).
Here's a video for you: th-cam.com/video/nU0T8dy0quw/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for this. It cheers me up on a grey day!
If I may make a suggestion. When using power winches , use the minimal number of wraps around the winch. This will allow slip in the case of a snag vs tearing something, in the case of raising the main I have been able to lift 90% of the way with only 1 warp around the winch. Then when it starts to slip I put another wrap or two to get the adequate tension.
Also when lowing they sail only need 1 wrap around the winch for the down haul.
Another "vade mecum"
masterclass.
Tom is an under apppreciated national treasure.
Our identity as a nation has been forged through seamanship - it is people like Tom who keep our heritage alive - and long may he do that.
What a well found yacht - apart from the atom of rust on the stopper - sorry Tom - had to mention it .......
A wonderful post Tom, expertly explained and demonstrated, thank you 😁
Thanks Tom, so good to listen to a man who knows what he’s talking about and explains it so simply. 👍
I could listen to Tom talk all. day. long.
I just completed my beginner and intermediate sailing lessons on a local lake (LOVED it!!) and had to watch this because 1) it is my new favorite Englishman Tom Cunliffe and 2) I had no idea what reefing was and wanted to learn. Now I need more sailing lessons!
I did that its fun at first but you need to join a club or buy a boat. Once u get it down its really fun. Though single guy taking class' ur odd man out. Mostly couples ive found but still sailing is easy cheap and fun at first. Im looking 4 small boat for lake then eventually big boat
@@captaintoyota3171 I advertised on Craigslist about 5 years ago, for a free trainer boat (no junk) to learn sailing and maintenance. I had about 8 phone calls and wound up with a very nice C&C 30 project boat. It's been an expensive refit, but it is now a nice boat and I can maintain ANYTHING on the boat.
Love my LeisureFurl. Made by the original inventor in Howick NZ. Still going strong after 40years.
Captain Tom fabulous to see you back on the channel ( forgive me for the pun ) .
DONT stop giving up. Love it 🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️❌❌🎩🎩
It's always a pleasure to watch Tom doing what he loves best. What a great ambassador he is to sailing. Take care all. Keep them coming Capt.
Nice video. My 1st boat was a1961 Lapworth 24 and it had a boom reefing setup. The forward end had a square gooseneck pin that would release if you pulled the boom aft. Then you simply twist the boom to wrap the sail around the boom then re engage the square cutout in the end boom cap with the square gooseneck pin. It worked well enough. No vang with a reef in though. I cut a slot in the boom and through bolted a tang that would retract into the boom when reefing.
I loved that boat and learned a lot about sailing and sail shape with the fractional rig. 👍
Thanks Tom, great vid, thanks for sharing. Looks like you started tour video in Denmark and appropriatly Finished in Finland!
Thanks Tom l have grown up in the maritime industry since a boy I'm 55 now and know absolutely nothing about sailing, when l was kid it was engines for the future don't worry about that old stuff..and know l"m wanting to learn about it..thank you again for your wonderful presentations its not just the youngsters who crave this kind of information its people like myself who l say were bamboozled by the new and forgot the old..kindest regards
Doc from down under.
I love learning new things, and sailing is somewhat new to me. Thank you Tom.
Thanks Tom. As a sailing couple of a certain age, we too have an in boom furling system. We are still novices with it, but appreciate your tips greatly. One problem seems our mental inability to grasp the art of day sailing. We have always been “going towards” some destination. We cruised quite happily for 10 years on our dear Tempest, an Amel Mango with a first generation in mast furler. Throughout our voyage, we didn’t have a furler failure, but two rigging failures which were exciting and make for great cruising yarns, but were not life threatening or put the boat in jeopardy. We enjoy you videos very much. After reading you for many years, it is wonderful to hear your voice.
Well done Tom I have some 18,000 nm with this piece of kit as you say. Several experiences with this at sea in a blow however.
If deeply reefed or hove to, pronounced pitching for and aft can cause the sail in the boom to slip forward and if the battens are on the sides of the roll they can slide beyond the mast enough to jamb the sail in place causing you to hammer them back. No easy feat in a heave sea way
So have some one go forward, ( something we would ALWAYS do anyway) to stop the roll up of the sail where the battens are vertical so they won’t slide forward pinching the mast. Also a tight roll is a happy roll.
In boom makes more sense when it comes to reefing and maintaining the shape of the sail, but both are great for single handed sailors
Thank you Tom, always really enjoy your talks. Once spent first two days of one holiday in harbour because in-mast furling failed (sail had giant crease & had to be replaced) but this in-boom furling looks great.
Good video - thanks. I have a FurlerBoom on my XC50 and it works well. The key is to get the right angle between the boom and the mast. For my setup, it works best if the end of the boom is slightly high and it all goes bad if the boom slopes even slightly downward. It’s also important to check that the head of the sail is in the pre-feeder before you hoist - may seem obvious but easy to forgot.
Downwind in the trades, you need to think through reefing strategy as you don’t have the same flexibility as you do with a slab reefing system particularly if you are flying any sort of spinnaker. We set up our spinnakers with top down furling with a plan to furl the spinnaker if we needed to take a mainsail reef and come onto a close reach. it worked well in light winds but was a complete failure in the heavier trades.
love the XC50 - my favourite blue water luxury cruiser manageable with a relatively small crew; wondering where do you sail from and happy to be an extra bod as and when you are short. Simon
yours videos are full of sailing experience
Great video, as you say, I've always looked suspiciously at in mast reefing but in boom seems to do the job. Maybe that's my next upgrade!
Love it . Sailors are naturally suspicious of new gizmos😀 oh yes we are , well I am !
Fascinating to hear your real world appraisal
Thank you
I have been suspicious of junk rig , asymmetrics, snuffers, full battens main , slutter rig, furlers … maintained well I love ‘em all by now.
Looks like you can push harder for longer and set a controlled shapely better partial sail , great video thank you Mr C
Thank You, Tom. I think you know what I mean when I say I did not realize this could work so well. Yes, TWIST (Leech Control) is everything, and so few systems allow for it. Sailing with a fixed length kicker, that is not easily adjustable, will work against you at every turn.
Keeping an open mind, and more importantly demanding from the system what you Know is necessary, has really paid off.
Now, now I understand. Many thanks.
I sure would enjoy going for a sail with you two for the afternoon😎
Sir, you are a master communicator- thank you.
Nearly there all you need is a self tacking staysail & a couple of electric sheet winches , Solid dodger & a good Rum . Do deliveries around the Pacific & sailed on inmast , Boom Furlers , Slab & behind mast furlers (Terrible) & by far the 'Kiwi Leisure furl' system has come out tops . 74 & i find a well fitted out yacht up to 55 ft. is easier to handle then an older 35 fter BUT horses for causes - Enjoy .
Hi Bill. Good to have some input from real mileage. My LeisureFurl was built under licence in California, but it's the same as the Kiwi one. I'm really pleased to hear that your experience has been as good as mine. Fair winds mate. Tom
Sorry. I gave you a like just for being here before I watched the vid. It was awesomely educational.
Tom, Thank you. Great explanations,wonderful video.I'm looking into and considering the inboom furl as opposed to my Dutchman setup.Yes,I subscribed😇 Rick/79yrs/Seattle/Hunter 376
There's times I wish I had that on my little 19 ' Lightning sailboat..ha nicely done Mr. C
Good Thursday morning to you sir and your family from Wellington Somerset
Nice work Tom! 1 vote for in boom furling! 👍🏼😎
Great demonstration 👍🏻🙏
Just a refresher on my post , Did a delivery up to Tonga with a 55 footer with new sails & in mast furler , WOW the new sail material really gives a bountiful shape & powerful rig , BUT not cheap & you really have to cover them up when not in use > Sun kills them ??? & my finger is getting fitter every sail
Nice video Tom and good to see you on the water. I inherited in mast furling when I purchased my Konsort earlier this year. Initially sceptical about these modern trends as an aging sailor used to conventional systems, but I now like the system and the advantages it gives me as a single or short handed sailor.
More moving parts...left unserviced for years.....more problems
Great article exhorting the benefits of the LeisureFurl in-boom. It's a great system for the short-handed crew and sets lovely when reefed. We certainly felt happier knowing the' insurance policy' of simply dropping it if matters went awry, unlike the in-mast gang who must have this worry at the back of their mind. The only real issues we experienced, which some new crew members found difficult to adapt to, was in the setup for unfurling and furling. The boom angle to the mast is fairly critical ( I think the manufacturer recommends 92 degrees) and once that is adhered to then keeping a nice tension on the downhaul keeps the sail in shape when hoisted and the reverse for stowing as its important that the roll of sail in the boom is not too tight or too loose. Electric winches can mask an issue, which resulted in a small tear for us, a lesson learned. There are some excellent TH-cams showing owner's techniques. As you mention, mark the topping lift or the vang to give you the correct angle and away you go. A proper-looking sail that's easy to reef on the go from the cockpit and for a couple to easily manage. I guess the initial cost is one factor why we don't see more of them.
Great video Tom. Very informative. Something to think about for future.
Dear Tom. I’d love to hear more about reefing downwind. Or hoisting and dousing the main downwind.
I guess he said a few words about it: doen´t work down wind. Big problem.
I just did 2400 miles on a arcona 430 with in boom reefing. Works fantastic
Another interesting and informative video. 👍
Thanks Tom you explain it all very well , however I"m still trying to sort mine out and I have sailed 2500 miles with it ! I know it's all about practice but so far it has caused me a lot of trouble ? however thanks for your great patience and time cheers
It didn't need much de-mystifying. Great to know it is simpler than it could have been.
Fantastic. I love this!!!
Great video great explanation just what i was looking for cheers
Looks good. Moved from the tropics to NZ now Cold n Salty!
Great video Tom. We've sailed with a Liesurefurl in boom on our Whitby 42 ketch since 2011 and absolutely love it. So easy with just the two of us on board and, unlike an in mast furler, we can get a nice sail shape. Cheers from Downunder.
Thanks mate! Tom
I'm a big fan of in-boom reefing too. The Schaefer arrangement has a luff system that is an external track, separate from the mast and able to angle so the sail easily feeds up and down without the boat having to turn into the wind, or even close reach.
That does seem to neatly address Tom's one reservation, which I happen to share. In addition, I seem to remember the Schaeffer uses a downhaul drum at the outboard end of the boom, obviating the need for a universal joint (which he refers to as a Hardy Spicer) and the attendant disadvantage in this scenario.
After 20 years with an in-boom reef, now I switched to an in-mast reef. I notice that the in-mast system with 4 vertical battens gives a perfect sail shape for all reefs because the outhaul does not lose its function like the reefed in-boom system (did I see some creases in the last sequence?)
Of course, I have to hope that my sail never gets stuck halfway out in high winds.
Just out of curiosity: If you had scrapped it when you bought the boat, would you have gone for an in-mast reef or a classic lazy jack system?
Hi Rusty. Classic lazy jack every time. I'm glad you've raised the issue of the creases. The light on the sail made them look worse than they are, but they are nothing to do with foot tension, they are caused on my particular mainsail by the way the two-ply leech is getting towards its sell-by date. The sail is quite old and when the sun is shining along the lower part of the leech, it does look a bit gruesome. Well done for spotting it. When I get a new mainsail, the rumpling will disappear.
Tom
I have a memory of reading about in boom furling on at least some of the Bristol Pilot Cutters during their time in commission. I reckon Tom would know for sure. That, along with this piece is quite a recommendation for me. As Tom said early in the piece, if an opportunity presents itself, it's worth trying a piece of kit. I have some experience of in mast furling and it gives me cold shivers. I guess if one owns a craft with it fitted then particular attention can be paid to ensuring its functionality at all times. Unfortunately, I can attribute to the fact that it is deeply unpleasant and life threatening to be in a position to have to cut the sail down. I do notice more generally; however, that we can all avoid more challenging weather with much more success than when I started out at least.
My boat has a roller boom furling mainsail and its by no means a racing yacht but I can do a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th reef as required no problems
Over the years i have been sailing, I have experienced in boom (eg leisure furl), lazy jacks and in mast furling. For simplicity i prefer lazy jacks but asides that i would go for in boom. I must admit i am no fan of inmast furling, as to my way of thinking if things go wrong, then potentially you will be in a lot of trouble. So yes, i concur with you on the ease of reefing with the inborn system.
Just bought a 55ft ketch with a very big heavy wooden around the boom electric furling mechanism. Haven't tried it yet, have to test it first in the harbour but I can tell you, I'm quite excited... and a bit nervous...
And I wanted to thank your for your instruction video, such a calm and clear way of explaining. Greatly appreciated!
Great video Tom, I never considered in boom before. Sorry I missed the Web meeting.
Hi Buster. We missed you too! Don't worry, the recording will be up on the website soon. Tom
Love your videos Tom. 👏
I have a mast reefing, but the reefing is vertical. Its a real pig to unfurl because it keeps seizing. I cant afford to replace yet, but once the sail deteriorates, i suspect the decision will be made for me!
I can see why you use it and it certainly is a way to keep sailing when it might otherwise get beyond you but this also shows the downside which hasn't change since the old days of roller reefing booms. Without an outhaul there is no foot tension so you get all those creases in the leach which increases drag and turbulence
Good point, but the sail in the vid was on its last legs and has now been replaced. The battens take care of any issues with foot tension and I get a clean reef every time.
I enjoyed all you presented! Could you please go further and demonstrate manual operation to show what is involved if one should loose the motor or electric!
JIM
Hi Jim. If you lose power, you just wind the Andersen winch with a handle! Hard work, but it works. I've tried it. By the way, those Andersen winches are as near bullet-proof as you can get and the actual battery draw is small because although it's pulling hard, it doesn't do it for very long and anyone with such a system will have good, solid electrics.Tom
Ironically, my 1974 Swan 38 (the first hull built) came with a roller furling boom! It’s still in the shed in Finland (I’m in the Netherlands) and you’ve got me wondering whether I should dust it off and see how it goes? Though I am partial to my simple lazy jack slab reefing system - even bouncing around at the mast to drop it 🤗⛵️
I grew up sailing in the UK. A lot of time was spent on a Bowman 46 with roller-furling boom. This is a very different animal from the in boom furlers of today. With the old system the leach would crawl forward as you reefed and the sail would get more and more baggy. Of course this is exactly what you don’t want. The modern in boom furlers manage to keep the foot tight and the sail flat as it should be. Reefing down from batten to batten helps keep that sail flat.
I have only used one in boom furler, and I liked it a lot. It did not have a down haul as Tom describes, which I think would be very helpfully. I did not notice how and where, Tom had the down hail attached. I would be interested to see that part in more detail.
Just brilliant, took all of the mystery out of it! Fantastic post thank you, I've just subbed to you, not sure I'll ever get to sail, but love to watch something that was a dream for me. Thank you.
Thanks for subscribing. Tom
There is considerably more to this. The mainsail has to be installed just right and the flexible bit on the track has to be adjusted just right. Next time you are bending on the main perhaps you could touch on it. Once all is said and done life is a joy! When we bought our boat the yard bent on the main improperly and life was not a joy at all.
Mr. Cunliffe, please do a video about Inflated wing sails. These things look brilliant but I don't know enough about them to know if they are crap or not.
Your input would be wonderful.
Nice idea John, but unfortunately I'm in the same boat as you! I just don't know enough. Tom
Great explanation.
Excellent demonstration. I've never sailed one but my concern has been the weight of the boom on a jibe, particularly when it's breezy and you're reefed, when you'd have a bit of main adding to the weight of the boom. All that gear swinging across would concern me. Anyone care to address this?
I would like to see a dual jib tack.
I have just bought a cutter and it has a foot gat between both and a bow rail. I really doubt it blows through in a hurry. Given a 5m foot on the Genoa that runs outside stays just to be even more interesting. It has huen pine spars and a boom fuller it actually rolls the sail round the boom and has done 45 yrs.😁 Take you to the olden days. No push buttons.
There’s a simple answer but it’s not ideal. Just before you tack set the staysail. As you come through wind, Leave the staysail aback. The genoa slides across it and straight through the gap. After you’ve sheeted in the genny, either roll in the staysail or sheet it across for the new tack. It’s no good for short tacking but it’s fine on passage. Tom
wonderful vid - simply explained taking all of the mystery out of in-boom reefing - thank you.
Thank you as always!
How do you tighten the clew when the reef is in? Wouldn't you be trying to achieve a tight and flattened sail when reefed? I can see the leech being taught but the foot would be loose, wouldn't it?
Good stuff Tom 👏👏👏
I am purchasing a sailboat with Leasure in boom furling. The leisure boom has to be inline. Would prefer the Schaefer in boom as it can be at any angle to reef.
Boy, having the rigging to single-hand from the cockpit, beats the heck out of trading in a Mason for a trawler! Lovely vessel.
You were speaking about the advantage of this system as opposed to an in boom system. But it seems they are both the same. They roll the sail up inside the boom.
What am I missing ?
As a non sailor the terminology was lost on me...this makes me realise how little I know about sailing.....one of my favourite channels Adventures of a Old Seadog....he also swapped to an in boom sail...and described how critical that boom angle is. I'd love to learn to sail...but even a basic course at Weymouth is hundreds of pounds...it's tragic that sailing seems to be reserved as the sport of the wealthy. When you don't know anyone who sails, getting into sailing seems really difficult.
Grab yourself a sailing dinghy, old chap. A chap sailed thousands of miles in one he found in a field, goole Jack de Crow
My boat cost me $500, it was half sunk, I put a $300 used sail on it and have sailed it thousands of miles, still looks like crap but the basic bits are solid. I taught myself to sail. There's also sailing canoes (add a home-made outrigger for stability if you like -a couple of coke bottles attached to some broomsticks will do) Cheerio!😆
@@End_Domestic_Violence Bless you....thank you.
I am new to this thank you for a great video. What is the reason you cannot reef more than two reefs - two battons?
Best hair on TH-cam
I am not a sailboat sailor but I know enough to know that is sweet. A great looking reefed sail. If I do get a sailboat electric winches, adjustable vang, and in boom furling are for me. Did I get that right? Thank you and be safe!
Nice to see you visiting here in Finnish waters, where did you go explore? How do you feel about not having any outhaul for the reefed sail, as compared to traditional reefs that might be set up to pull the tack of the sail slightly backyards as well?
Hi Johannes. We've been to Finland several times. Last time we went along the south coast islands as far as Haapasaari - a magical place. Regarding the outhaul, there's no need for it, because the sail is fully battened. If in any doubt, I just roll the reef until the relevant batten is on the mandril and that's the end of the issue. Thanks for your comment. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns right, makes sense that those would stiffen up the back leech. Really good point you had about being able to drop the main even in case the furler is messed up, as opposed to in-mast systems; had never considered that difference👍
I did notice quite a few ripples and filds near the aft end of the sail (sorry for mixing up my jargon, I'm Dutch). Do these only appear in a reefed sail or are they present also with the full sail up?
Hi Peter You're right about the creases. The reason they are there is two-fold. First, the light was falling on them very nastily and they aren't as bad as they look. Secondly, the sail is well past its sell-by date and the two-ply leech is starting to come adrift between the plies. It's on the list for replacement, but this year was Code Zero year and my budget is far from bottomless. Thanks for your comment. It all makes sense. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Getting old, with any luck that will happen to us all.
I am looking at a Catamaran with an in boom furl system.. just makes me wonder seeing this if you can reef in single handed with self tailing winches as you said keeping tension on the halyard while pulling the sail down..just a question i have.
We can see the leach of the sail is reinforced. This is necessary as loads increase in heavy weather. While roller reefing seems logical, the leach is often the weak spot. Ideally, the sail sets and draws best with standard reef bands. The problem with all forms of roller reefing is that the novice thinks it will be less fuss, and maintains a subconscious fear of the traditional reefing drill.
As a lifetime professional sailor, I have no fear of slab reefing. I use roller in-boom because it makes sense for me. The sail you see her is being replaced this year after twelve years of faithful service. The leech has never looked like giving way.
Have you ever had a problem with the wind pressure causing the sail to tighten up and jam on the mandrel? I think in-boom reefing is the perfect solution for solo sailing (my normal mode) and that is the only problem that I could foresee.
Good question and, no I haven't had this problem. To be honest, I've had no problems at all except tearing the luff tape when I've been careless with the electric winch. Entirely my fault. I've had ten trouble-free years. Tom
I've sailed with one in the Southern Ocean, latitudes 40s & 50s, and this was not a problem provided the reefs were carefully pulled down with adequate halyard tension as Tom demonstrates. It is however essential to reef early when the wind is rapidly increasing, to avoid the situation where you are forced to run DDW (because you are carrying too much sail for the wind) while trying to furl the sail away. To me, this is the one situation where a well specified and well-set-up in-mast system outperforms all others.
Exactly as I suspected!
Great timing on the video as I am considering the LF Offshore boom. I am interested is seeing how you attach your preventer to the boom. Is there room at the end with the sail fully hoisted or pad eyes built into the boom or? Keep the videos coming!
Hi Steve I attach mine via one of the mainsheet-block tangs. I guess in an extreme gybe, it would put a wringing strain on the gooseneck, but the whole thing is so strong, I think it could stand it. Tom
The LF boom is so strong transversely that a mid-boom preventer, with two-part tackles permanently set up on either side, is viable. We formed 6mm thick, 75mm wide stainless steel flat bar to the profile of the boom, angled to line up with the direction of the falls of the tackle, and welded an upstand at right angles to make it into a bracket, stiffening it, and acting as a lug with a hole to accept the shackle pin of the single-sheave block. The block attached about half way up the depth of the boom, to eliminate the wringing strain Tom mentions. The tails of the tackles led around single sheave fiddle blocks at the chainplates back to secondary sheet winches, via a strong jammer.
I very light winds, we used to leave the mainsheet slack and play the preventers to trim the sail (taking the weight of the boom on the topping lift) to be able to respond smoothly, quietly and rapidly to the fickle direction of the apparent wind.
You don't mention the down haul drum locking pin.
I wish I had electric winches.
Thanks for sharing.
Yes, without the locking pin there is too much pressure on the reefing line (downhaul), as the reefing line is preventing the sail from billowing up if there is wind. Without the pin, the upward pressure on the sail pulls the reefing line up which stresses the deck hardware and can break it/pull it loose from the deck plate. The pin solves that but you have to get out of the cockpit to the furling drum that's on the mast to lock it in place (when the sail is up). Fortunately that's not when you need to reef.
@@eyalamiran2507 I have a Leisure Furl in Boom. I find the fiction of the aluminum guide is hard work when lifting and dropping the sail. My down haul line is only 8 mm because of how small the furling drum is. And this doesn't work well in my self tailing winch making it almost a 2 person operation when dropping the sail. I've tried lubes but none seem to help much.
I also have a line running to the locking pin on the downhaul drum with 2 tapes marking engaged, not engaged.
cheers.
@@mickmccrohon Thanks Mick! You can splice spectra in the drum to a regular sheet--this works well at both ends. As for the friction--maybe your bolt rope is too thick? I'm sure you looked into it but if you go one size smaller it could work.
@@eyalamiran2507 Sadly to go one size smaller would mean a new sail as it is integrated at the bolt rope.
And the issue with splicing in a regular sheet is that, lets say mast is 15 metres high, there isn't 15 metres between downhaul drum and winch. But thanks for the tips.
Don't know why they don't make all boats with in boom furling. When I bought my boat 90% of the boats out there had in mast...which is not as good...but in mast was 90% of the market....So either I didn't sail or buy the in mast...SV Aquila...Seattle. Go to Dickinson Diesel Heater best install ever.
Thanks
My only question is, what happens to the outhaul & getting that really flat reef
It's all done with a fully battened sail. If it's really windy, roll down until a batten is just to say on the mandril and your foot tension is taken care of. Tom
I think I know what I’m going to ask Santa for this Christmas! Oi, Santa, don’t look too closely at that list of yours!…
Very interesting and helpful video, many thanks! But one thing puzzled me; you were flying a Norwegian courtesy flag at the start of the video and a Swedish one at the end. Does it really take that long to reef with this system? Lol!
Hi Paul. Actually, it's a Danish flag at the beginning and a Finnish one at the end. A lot further apart than Norway and Sweden! Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Damn! I should have done my research better than that!
thanks!
What about centering the traveler and boom, running ddw with engine running ... will you be able to reef then? Has it been tried?
It can be done, but it's risky if there's a lot of wind, because the sail tends to bunch too far forward, which can cause a jam. There's no need to motor in any sort of breeze.
This scenario is one where a well-set-up in-mast reefing rig is unbeatable, in my view, when sailing a big boat short-handed. In waters where the wind can rise to hurricane force quicker than the crew can respond, it is possible to get stuck running DDW under full sail, in which situation coming up above that course would be almost suicidal.
It has happened to me a long time ago with a badly set up in-mast system, and (through a combination of luck, hard yakker, and a skilful helmsman) we eventually got the sail in DDW, sailing just a few degrees off a gybe with the boom pinned amidships.
Relying on lazy jacks while clinging on in huge seas trying to reef was no fun. In boom reefing seems ideal.
👍!!!
A that’s pretty handy and as a cruising boat that’s a fine system BUT.... I see a lot of vertical creases or ripples in the sal as you get toward the leech and that’s due to NO reefing Cringle and no clew outhual. Since the sail is wrapped around the roller in the boom you can’t pull those vertical creases out and they create turbulence Across the surface of the sail and on a racing/cruiser that would effect sail trim and speed. Now I’m sure it’s a minor difference half a knot even but when racing every half knot is important. OR when passage making that can add up to a half a days difference in arrival time. BUT again I’m nit picking but I prefer hank on sails and slab reefing due to more control over sail trim the. All roller reefing systems but when sailing single handed they sure are handy and if you don’t mind loosing a bit of speed they sure do make sail handling a whole lot easier. ( and ps I feel the same about head sail roller reefing as well as but most cruisers don’t want to carry more. Sails and smaller jibs and have to go forward to change sails so I get the pros of those systems)
Hi Michael. You're right about the creases. I thought I would some comment. I've driven enough race boats to be aware that we don't want them. The reason they are there is two-fold. First, the light was falling on them very nastily and they aren't as bad as they look. Secondly, the sail is well past its sell-by date and the two-ply leech is starting to come adrift between the plies. It's on the list for replacement, but this year was Code Zero year and my budget is far from bottomless. Thanks for your comment. It all makes sense. Tom
The only Englishman I listen to.
Then you, my friend, are missing out on the very engaging Michael Briant.
His channel is Sailing Gently.
You racist❗️ 😂
Yeah you got a point him as well I happen to have his boat boat now named Jesus Cares he lives in Spain now. Jesus Cares will hopefully be in the Jester Challenge. There are good people out there but generally England is let's just say going down hill. I am English by the way.
@@ratusbagus Last time I emailed him I don't think he mentioned his channel I will certainly check him out.
@@Catalina27 You have got to be a democrat.
Must have been a long day filming the boom furling story. Starts with flying a Danish courtesy flag and ends with a Finnish one. ;-)
Well spotted mate! It shows you saw it through to the end. I was stuck for some footage of actual sailing in a hard breeze and found that one from a couple of years ago. That's show business! Tom
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
“… being sailors, they’re inherently suspicious…”
When I really like things, I play devil's advocate and try to ruin the thing by picking out all the negatives.
So I really want in boom.
My occasional "yeah but" musing sessions since my comment (below) of a year ago, yielded nothing more than "I'd lose the pleasure of climbing around tying up the bunt" .... which is more of a humblebrag (be impressed at my grandad "sick" web speak) than an issue.
But an actual downside did occur to me listening to you say it wasn't great at downwind reefing. Not the inconvenience. More an additional payload to the risk of an unintentional Gybe. Sorry that's my now redundant risk management vernacular.
The additional payload being, in wind, hitting the standing rigging with the weight of a boom half full of the condensed thick end of your mainsail.
I know you've probably thought of this but it was a revelation to me just now.
I still want in boom. But as you said, only if it opportunistically came with the boat.
Doesn´t work down wind. Good to know. In mast is not an option anyway. Bad experiences on that.
Until you have one, you will not know why you don't want to be without it.