My Hans Christian 48T was fitted with in mast furling. During my 32 years of ownership we sailed over 50,000 miles without a failure of the system. What is particularly notable is for 14 years we did day sail charters in the BVI, about 100 a year. Each day required a minimum of 2 sets and 2 roll ups; many days we did 3. Nearly every day we would reef at least once. On two occasions I had difficultly rolling the sail out; never an issue with rolling it in. Both times the issue was sail fatigue at the head of the sail. It would tire, then develop a crease which would cause a bunch, and it in turn would cause a portion of the sail to jam. Each time a quick trip to the sailmaker to recut the area solved the problem. As noted in the piece, what we found was optimum was to have the boom at a 12-15 degree upward tilt to set or furl. We lost the original Forespar mast in hurricane Irma and replaced it with a salvage Hood Stoway mast off a Gulfstar 60. With some modifications it work as well, or better, than the original. The safety factor of not having to leave the cockpit to reef , in my opinion, far outweighs the minimal claimed lost of performance . With in mast furling when the first thought of reefing comes to you; you reef. That hasn't been my experience on conventionally rigged boats, where the first reaction is to wait and see if the wind decreases. It rarely does.
I remember going up to the mast, dropping the main, furling it by hand and eventually putting a sail cover on it-easy enough. No one seems to know how to furl a sail anymore. Those were the good old days before everything became so expensive, complicated and a major headache.
This almost sounds like my great grandfather. His was, "what sort of fool would put a steam engine in a boat when all you need is 4 honest men on the sweeps and one to helm. The fish won't stand a chance". His prophecy was true. He sold his sailing fishing boat to a fool that put an engine in it. Not long later, under power it was driven onto rocks and was lost. Don't start on what happened to the herring population. Gone, like the good old days.
A couple of bonus points for this episode - one for Ava's hilarious "that's what she said", lolol and another for the ever-lucrative harmonized "see youuuuuu" at the end. Great episode guys, loved it.
We too have an in mast furled mainsail and like it. The only time it has jammed while cruising over the past five years was when I wasn’t careful when furling and furled it with a crease/bunch. The next time we unfurled the sail the crease bunched up in the slot and caused the furler to jam. I was able to clear it by furling it in and then slowly unfurling by hand while pushing in the bunch with a sail batten. In mast furled mainsails are typically cut pretty flat to help prevent bunches when furling. The older and more stretched a sail gets the more you need to be careful when furling to prevent bunches.
I enjoy your episodes because they prove that having a sense of humor is vital. I would grease the furler bearings while furling/unfurling the main if you haven't already. Cheers
Thank you! :) I'll grease them the next time we have the sail down. I grease gun unfortunately didn't survive long aboard the boat so we'll have to find a new one.
@@basilroland100% on that. However never on Profurl synthetic bearings. I didn't know until I read the manual. I used to use a syringe with a football inflator needle to grease mine.
We have the same in mast furler .. the origional instructions we have recommend making sure the wrap is tight each time before trying to unfurl - ie with the clew cleated, pulling on the 'in' line .. this is especially important if previously furled in light conditions .. I strongly suspect that you had a crease .. Incidently, our last main (a MaxiRoach - on the boat when we bought her) had (a lot of) vertical battens that the furler instructions specifically forbid! - and they did occasionally cause a bit of trouble .. but, even then, we never had serious trouble .. Also, our sailmaker/rigger has introduced the maximum permissable mast prebend into the rig - which certainly improves sail shape on different points - and has had no detrimental effect on furling/unfurling with our battenless sail .. our furling spar is quite slack and we also take little notice of boom height - as long as it's not wildly out .. So, apart from the basic mechanics and maintainance in the mast, I think the main problem is creases created by loose rolls in light airs that have not been 'tightened' before unfurling .. obviously, a very full cut or stretched sail doesnt help ..
About your in mast furling problem. You have done all the right checks, straight mast, boom aligned controlled with top lift and downhaul. If you have battens in your sail eventually check them, and the end pockets at the leech. If not, it was just an inmast sail fold. In principle you do not need electric winches for inmast furling, I do it all by hand. Maybe feel the sail when you are furling in and out manually will help. Cheers
My danish grandmother used to make those meatballs she called frikadellers. Thanks for the nice memory of that comfort food during the summers on the ranch.
Boats are just houses that float ,things wear out and need to be fixed just like a home on shore. I'd say if you've not had issues with your mast and sails in 35 years you are doing a lot better then the folks that have any negative comments who live in a house they are constantly working on .
The only times I had problems with in mast furling was on charter boats, where uncounted crews before me had squeezed the sail into the mast at all possible angles. On my own boat, with only minimal attention to the system, I just love the convenience when reefing or stowing the sail.
How about having all that weight up high even in the strongest wind, or if there is a problem not being able to get her down, the shape of the sail and the lack of ability to fully pull out the out hall. If you want to furl use a boom furler, it resolves all problems and you still don’t have lazy jacks
I’ve never had in-mast furling… but if I ever had a chance to own it, I’d jump on it. What shocks me, is that the guy who tore into a 35 yr old rudder, faces with a questionable serviceability of that rudder, just whipped up a new one FROM SCRATCH… ends up leaving Denmark with an in-mast furling system with old bearings… . Virtually the only thing that one really has to worry about… weird. Still… with all that said, I say ya did a fine job Mads.
You just had the sail in with some overlap etc. There also can be an issue in the rollers in the boom. Last season I had some issues in the boom and I changed all moving parts in the boom - npo problems now 😊.
I can confirm that dinghy anchor works extremely well! I have the same for our Gala460, perfect choice! Also can confirm that BVI bureaucracy is annoying, frustrating and will cost a lot of energy! Good to see you in BVI and hope to see you on the water here again soon 🤗
Hi guys, once again, I agree with you 100% if your mask is 35 years old and it is still working up until a couple of days ago there’s something a little bit I miss but it’s been working for 35 years. A lot of the keyboard expert, and I’ll say the definition X is a unknown factor. And a spurt is a drip under pressure and there’s plenty of those around the world. Say my advice don’t listen to the D heads. There’s plenty of them around the the world. having a yacht, even a new one you’ll always have issues so something that is 35+ years old going to have something go a little bit I miss so keep up the good work. Love and appreciate you both from Australia on the big island
I 3D printed some moulds for my line tunnels to the cockpit, came out really nice. I'm sure you'll remember the oh glorious sanding to get a smooth mould that will release easily; Good luck with the project!
While visiting BVI, there is some interesting areas with some history. If you visit Foxy’s, be sure to interview the man. He is generally up stairs laying in his hammock. Just ask if he is around. Also, visit Cane Bay across from Jost Van Dyke, the oldest Rum factory is there. Norman Island and it’s connection to the book Treasure Island is also a good story. Also Marina Cay and the story of Rob White and his wife. My point is many people who visit the BVI only do the tourist stops with no background of its history. I would like to see someone show the history.
If it's a Selden mast and furler, they'll have parts or worse case the model that will replace the unit (still ouchies), you can contact Selden to find out. The standard woven sail also can "stretch" causing feeding problems. If the mast is straight, check the sail, if the sail is still in shape, check the rest, adjusting furling tension when your sail is stretched out will lead to going way off the adjustment. Mast Furling has it's up and downs, like in boom furling or one of the many reefing systems.
Hi Maz , we’ve had jams in in mast caused by battens and the pockets getting slightly jammed . If it’s not furling in the vertical battens ( which I assume you have ) vertically as they enter the mast slot then that might be the source of the issue. Often happens when furling in strong winds and increased pressure on the sail surface … just a thought fair wind following seas . PS we’re in St Martin at mo . You missed a fabby relaxed island by passing Anguilla
WHEN you add five feet of SST chain to your wonderful new dinghy anchor, you will thank yourself for doing it. You will find your dinghy where you left it. 😊
Possible one of the clutch levers wasn't fully pushed forward or the outhaul line jammed somewhere.... Has happened to me many times on my previous boat.... Can't beat slab reef main though my friend.... Future upgrade. Thanks for all your videos especially your refit.... In the process of a refit at the moment and always fall back on what you did. Great job.... Great to see you Sailing
1:51 That looks like a Selden furler. There is a top bearing, which I'm sure you're aware of since you had the mast apart. That one often gets neglected and never greased. It may be worth a trip up the mast and grease that bearing for peace of mind. I think Selden recommends doing it annually. I know of someone who never greased it, which lead to it seizing, which then lead to breaking the foil when unfurling the sail.
i had an in mast furling jammed at sea while wind was picking up at the end the screw that hold the rope in the bottom was twisted , brand new boat out of the dealer but early systems,1998 , started my journey in Annapolis to Bahamas , in the Bahamas the boat had to be dismasted and a new complete in mast installed, i'am a kiss keep it simple person since, always funny and instructive ! if you can try a prickly pear behind Anguilla it a nice spot used to day charter there from marigot !
We have a Beneteau 40 with in mast furling, the boom up haul must be loose and the mast back stays set for no curve in the mast. Hope this helps. Love your channel.
If I understand correctly the boom up haul is the topping lift right? But then if it is loose, doesn’t it defeat its purpose of holding the boom when the main is not out?
Ive made several forged carbon parts from 3d printed molds for motorcycles. My advice for making molds is design them so that bolts can be run through for tightening along all axis, make a lot of slots for wedges, minimum 3 part molds, and make sure that when you slice, each part is printed so to maximize strength. Glossy PETG works best, with wax spray release. And the PVA glue release method doesn’t work well because 3d prints are porous.
@@SailLife thanks for replying. Ya I love it when people / governments think that the internal combustion engine is at the end for its usefulness. Just look at the average gas powered car - with one gallon of gas you can take like 4 people and travel approximately 20 - 30 MILES! Again this is just an average car. If you look at diesel cars (before crazy governmental regulation) you could travel to up 50 plus miles!
@@smplyizzy I went electric in 2022 and haven't regretted it. Sure there have been some "teething problems" but I love the fact that I can "fill the tank" for "free" and it will motor me for around 10 hours. Pretty slowly admittedly but I have a SAILING boat 😉
Had similar issues with an in-mast furling system on a Beneteau 32 with a straight mast. The main would get stuck intermittently at about 2 meters out. We hired two different riggers to look at it and they both blamed user error. Supposedly it had to do with the position of the boom and the wind angle. It did get better with time, so it might have been user error. 🤔 However I developed a certain amount of distrust after it got stuck in a pretty bad squall and we couldn't furl the sail back in.
🤓🤓🤓 In mast furling is like seatbelts and bicycle helmets!!! Nothing good ever came from them!!! (Just taking care of the statistics here 🤪). Seriously, I think it's absolutely awesome! Concerning the price from anchoring at St. Marten: I suppose they simply do not want their bay full of ships (and possibly super yachts). In Germany, something like that is called "Schutzgebühr", and it can be very effective in keeping people from doing stuff that is bad for everyone else, just because it's convenient. Not sure if they ever had a problem with the bay being overcrowded, but it sure looks like they don't have a problem with it right now, so it looks like its working pretty well. Concerning the mast: could it be, that in the end it was the lines that were jammed up somewhere, and not the sail? Confirmation bias can get you pretty good...
As an ambulance officer I can assure you that seatbelts have made a massive difference. I remember the last 2 non seat belt accidents I attended. Trying to reassure a person that he did need to see a doctor while looking at his right frontal lobe was not fun and finding ... sorry I don't think this the forum for it.
Matt I also had problems with my furling system it was due to some propably sand grains. Flushed it with water and problems was gone. Kind regards Martin
Gorda Sound is beautiful, along with the neighboring islands Sailed a 46' Beneuteau there a number of years ago and loved it. The Baths are right around the corner and are excellent. Hit up full moon party on Beef island and Soggy Dollar on Yost Van Dyke
I noticed in all your attempts at replicating the furling issue, you had the win on the starboard side. I wonder if it had been on the port side when you last furled it? We have found the sail “bags” when furling and jams up when we furl on a port “tack”, but having the wind to starboard puts just enough tension on it to roll up smoothly. Just like when you unroll a chart, if you try to roll it the other way you can’t get it as tight. Just a thought, that you probably had but didn’t mention. Glad it’s working for you now!
As a British Citizen, three words will be behind me Registering my next Sailboat in the BVI plus using it as a Cruising are. The Three Words Are : “English Common Law. It’s the only system of Law with Lawful jurisdiction and Authority in Britain, and it is being illegally withheld along with all its benefits from the British People. Our Birthright Common Law Constitution is fully Recognised by the UN, is actually International Law itself, and was the greatest gift that the British Empire gave to the World, which was why the likes of the late great Mahatma Gandhi were such buge fans of it. 🤔👍🌟🌟🌟❤️
Out you want to Sail in the Tropics, in Mast Furling in an Aluminium Mast is essential to prevent the incredibly rapid destruction of exensive Sail Cloth by UV Light. The alignment of the top of the Mast with the base of the Mast must be within one inch vertically. Having a cheap cross cut Dacron Main Sail with Battens, I don’t personally recommend due to cloth stretching and batten cloth fraying issues, which can cause furling and unfurling reliability problems. If the cloth is sticky, it may need a Salt removing wash, and a furface coating spray can help things along. I did a deep dive into the Sails for in mast Furling Sails, in search of Sailmakers that will make me a battenless Triradial Sail, with tailored in reinforced reefing points.Better sailcloth and removing the battens completely being likely to improve things for a Cruiser rather dramatdramatically. If Racing Performance is not a priority. Finally, I found a Sailmaker that makes such a Sail (I’ll be getting to make me an improved Custom Design for testing on my next Sailboat ) Precision Sails told me yes, they do indeed make such a Sail (other makers are also making them since, such as Wuantum, Ullman, Elvestrom etc ) and my communication with Precision Sails turned out to be far more informative and interesting than I expected. They informed me that the Triradial Construction recovered most of the power lost due to excluding Battens from the Construction. So not too bad a performance hit for us Cruisers ! Effectively a Triradial Sail constructed from decent Sailcloth should , with normal valeting have a service life in excess of twenty years, when a baggypants cross cut Dacron Sail is pretty much a complete wreck within three years. The newest polyester Cruising Laminates look to be pretty decent value as well, given they don’t contain Sail destroying Mylar. One specification I got from Ullman Sails was very intriguing, and I may get one for testing tbh. Some In mast furling designs do have a very dodgy design with a bearing system where the ball race actually drops out of alignment, and I would personally avoid one of those. I can’t remember the make, but it wasn’t a Selden.My next boat looks to be coming with a Classic Mast and Stack pack, so the Mast will nave be be switched for a new in Mast Furler, and a suit of new Sails as appropriate. To match, a Headsail 145% Triradial Genoa, with UV protection strip should provide the KISS principles basic Sail setup for Safety and ease of use in all conditions, and complemented by a Reaching Furling Code Zero and afurling Gennaker off the bowsprit.
I found that copious amounts of sail lube on the rope bolt fed into the mast furling track helped as well as lube everywhere else. Frequent flushing out of the bottom bits helped. The mark on your boom line may need to be adjusted with heat temp and moisture changes. I am a proponent of in mast furling as I solo sailed and found it so easy, if procedure was followed.
OK, here is a longer comment. Our experience with in-mast furling is not great, but I agree that it must be wonderful if it's working. Our US-made Beneteau Oceanis 40 has in-mast furling. We bought the boat used in 2020, and we have had problems since day one. We were not experienced with the furling system, so we thought - "furling error - user check." We tried to get everything right, but the problem continued. Our problem is that the sail jammed in the mast opening, in and out. A jammed main sail, like 75% out, isn't a lot of fun, and depending on the situation, it can be quite dangerous. Anyway, after a lot of research and talking to people in person, I consulted a professional rigger. He couldn't find anything obviously wrong. OK, great, we were back to "furling error- user check. He had a couple of suggestions, like new sails - the old one might be too saggy for an in-mast furling system. New lines - the old ones appear a little thick, and so on, but nothing like this is your problem. Fix it, and you will be happy. Anyhow, I also came across the information that the mast should be straight for an in-mast furling system, and our mast has quite a good amount of rake. So I asked the rigger if that could be the problem, but he said the rake was not the problem. So I guess we have to get a new sail. Unfortunately, I heard from others with similar issues that they got a new sail, but it did not change anything. So, still furling error - user check? I don't know. I can't stop thinking about the mast rake. I am sure that I cannot roll a piece of cloth onto a bent stick without getting some wrinkles, so why should that be different in a furling system? Anyhow, good luck with finding the problem and, hopefully, an easy solution.
One of the technical issues of having in-mast furling is periodic reminders from those who have slab-reefing mains that their system is less prone to issues… Sorry to say it, but it’s just one of the down-sides of owning in-mast furling. In line with that, I’ve been sailing on boats with slab reefing mains my whole life, and I’ve never had an issue 😊
Guys.. Ive got a Benneteau 44 Center cockpit with in-mast furling.. Its never been a problem, one Atlantic crossing complet and currently in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain. For what it's worth, I would be thinking it bearings. Love you weekly videos.
A solo sailor I was in touch with blew out his in-mast furling main sail in a blow because it jammed. I'd love to hear your thoughts about in-boom furling, where you could always drop the by releasing the halyard in an emergency. Easier to maintain. I'd like to hear more about checking in wherever you go. I'm told the French ports are far easier to check into. Keep a 1 foot loop of line, the same thickness as your kill switch, in the dingy as an improve kill switch should you lose or get separated from your kill switch. You'd wrap it around the kill switch terminal and hold in place with your foot.
Loosen boom (up haul and vang) is the key. If you roll in sail under tension on the edges, it probably will roll sucesfuly but unroll will be challenging. Thanks for your videos. You're great!
Mas, although you inherited the old in-mast furling, have you considered on your next complete overhaul a switch to in-boom furling? Although the “ loose footed main” is lost, what is gained is less weight aloft, and the safety of all parts of the furler being accessible and repairable without having to go aloft. The weight of the furler, however, makes crash jibes more problematic from the standpoints of both inertial equipment damage and personnel safety. I notice that a lot of the high latitude SV’s employ in-boom furlers. 😎
No body make bearings themselves. Meaning the mast manufacturers do not make bearings. the try to get the ones SKF, or other Bearing company sell. What you have to know is the OD, ID and type of bearings. I believe for this application the axial load is high and the lateral load is low. Contrary to a car wheels the lateral load is high the weight of the car, and the lateral load are less.
On today’s new Odd Life video Roberta and Duca were discussing the pros and cons of in mast furling. I won’t spoil it for you but they covered all the same issues you had recently.
There is no perfect system for raising and lowering a mainsail. All have their pros and cons. Yours for instance is ideal for a husband and wife cruising couple. What you can be assured of though is that the next time your in mast furling system fails you will be dragging your anchor towards a Lee shore in 25 knots of Breeze at 3:00 in the morning.😂❤
My sailmaker loves in-furling masts he said they supply him with the most repair work. People don't commonly know that all the sail weight up the mast increases the rolling moment at anchor. I suspect you had a double-wrap it happens when the outhaul is too loose while furling in.
Could be :) I guess that what happens once you've done something 100s of times - you get a tiny bit complacent and deviate slightly from the procedure without noticing it :)
Meatball hack....my mother in law makes awesome meatballs, and her "secret ingredient" is that she crushes up corn flakes cereal instead of breading. Pretty dang good!
I'm one of those who think no sailboat should ever be fitted with in-mast furling. I hate them with a passion. Even when they work properly, it's still heavy, complicated, fiddly and worst of all leads to a terrible sail shape. But I'm glad for you that the issue solved itself.
Do you know Yamaha supply hose connection fittings which screw directly into the shaft. Makes for easy rinsing of the engine. Hope the bureaucracy goes well.
Oh great! Victimized by another clickbait episode! But that's OK, if it wasn't for the deception in the title, I would never have considered watching this absolutely wonderful channel! I have always been so impressed during the episode to see this gorgeous boat shine and impress! However in one cockpit panorama, my gaze was immediately drawn to the binnacle compass globe top which was coated with a microscopic layer of oh, so glorious dust! But I forgive you because i know it won't be there next week! 😉 I have an in-mast furling system that the PO must have also faked some imaginary problems with, and removed it and screwed on a track. I will get it replaced to it's original condition some day (if I can find a furler for this mast) because I can see how it has the potential for much clickbait profiteering. 😉 Be on the alert for mini subs in the Virgin Islands. I hope there are none left but avoid them and their islands like the plague. They are up to NO good! You will eventually hear about them perhaps this year.
We have 38,000 NM on our Profurl boom furler. Works fine. However I have used in mast with nothing but praise for the system. (Unless it jams out of the mast) Any chance the halyard has tensioned up due to the mast experiencing uneven heat expansion? I'm sure there are some very experienced folks that will know the answer.
Somewhat extensive = lovely wife in bunny suit covered with horrid fiberglass dust under the waterline with an orbital sander. Oh Glorious = Yea fine and all but I think I'll take the pontoon boat out and have a nice BBQ on the lake, thanks. This sailing life looks so relaxing and labor minimal I can't wait to turn in my Tesla and get going. LOL You folks are very cute, I love your presentations. God bless and if you are ever in Michigan, in the summer, do drop by and you are welcome to join me for Fois Graw with an unoaked chardonnay followed by filet mignon with asparagus (oh yea European dude, we eat green asparagus here in the states) and a suitable starch, we call this a baked potato. All the best.
The problem with the furler is caused by your proximity to Jamaica. It's come over all Bob Marley - 'we're jammin, we're jammin, and I hope you like jammin too'.
Off-topic question whatever happened to the sailing channel sailing nervous. I know you did one or 2 overlap videos with him. But he's disappeared off of TH-cam.
My Hans Christian 48T was fitted with in mast furling. During my 32 years of ownership we sailed over 50,000 miles without a failure of the system. What is particularly notable is for 14 years we did day sail charters in the BVI, about 100 a year. Each day required a minimum of 2 sets and 2 roll ups; many days we did 3. Nearly every day we would reef at least once.
On two occasions I had difficultly rolling the sail out; never an issue with rolling it in. Both times the issue was sail fatigue at the head of the sail. It would tire, then develop a crease which would cause a bunch, and it in turn would cause a portion of the sail to jam. Each time a quick trip to the sailmaker to recut the area solved the problem.
As noted in the piece, what we found was optimum was to have the boom at a 12-15 degree upward tilt to set or furl.
We lost the original Forespar mast in hurricane Irma and replaced it with a salvage Hood Stoway mast off a Gulfstar 60. With some modifications it work as well, or better, than the original.
The safety factor of not having to leave the cockpit to reef , in my opinion, far outweighs the minimal claimed lost of performance . With in mast furling when the first thought of reefing comes to you; you reef. That hasn't been my experience on conventionally rigged boats, where the first reaction is to wait and see if the wind decreases. It rarely does.
I remember going up to the mast, dropping the main, furling it by hand and eventually putting a sail cover on it-easy enough. No one seems to know how to furl a sail anymore. Those were the good old days before everything became so expensive, complicated and a major headache.
No one knows how to FLAKE a sail these days...
@@svbarryduckworth628 are you correcting me or you don’t know that sails used to be a lot softer and you could roll them on top of the boom?
Bravo Zulu.
This almost sounds like my great grandfather. His was, "what sort of fool would put a steam engine in a boat when all you need is 4 honest men on the sweeps and one to helm. The fish won't stand a chance". His prophecy was true. He sold his sailing fishing boat to a fool that put an engine in it. Not long later, under power it was driven onto rocks and was lost. Don't start on what happened to the herring population. Gone, like the good old days.
A couple of bonus points for this episode - one for Ava's hilarious "that's what she said", lolol and another for the ever-lucrative harmonized "see youuuuuu" at the end. Great episode guys, loved it.
We too have an in mast furled mainsail and like it. The only time it has jammed while cruising over the past five years was when I wasn’t careful when furling and furled it with a crease/bunch. The next time we unfurled the sail the crease bunched up in the slot and caused the furler to jam. I was able to clear it by furling it in and then slowly unfurling by hand while pushing in the bunch with a sail batten. In mast furled mainsails are typically cut pretty flat to help prevent bunches when furling. The older and more stretched a sail gets the more you need to be careful when furling to prevent bunches.
As a fellow bald&bearded type, the beard counts as wind through your hair! Cheers from Australia.
I enjoy your episodes because they prove that having a sense of humor is vital. I would grease the furler bearings while furling/unfurling the main if you haven't already. Cheers
Thank you! :) I'll grease them the next time we have the sail down. I grease gun unfortunately didn't survive long aboard the boat so we'll have to find a new one.
@@SailLife I would not put grease but some kind of silicon lube.
@@basilroland100% on that. However never on Profurl synthetic bearings. I didn't know until I read the manual. I used to use a syringe with a football inflator needle to grease mine.
We have the same in mast furler .. the origional instructions we have recommend making sure the wrap is tight each time before trying to unfurl - ie with the clew cleated, pulling on the 'in' line .. this is especially important if previously furled in light conditions .. I strongly suspect that you had a crease ..
Incidently, our last main (a MaxiRoach - on the boat when we bought her) had (a lot of) vertical battens that the furler instructions specifically forbid! - and they did occasionally cause a bit of trouble .. but, even then, we never had serious trouble ..
Also, our sailmaker/rigger has introduced the maximum permissable mast prebend into the rig - which certainly improves sail shape on different points - and has had no detrimental effect on furling/unfurling with our battenless sail .. our furling spar is quite slack and we also take little notice of boom height - as long as it's not wildly out ..
So, apart from the basic mechanics and maintainance in the mast, I think the main problem is creases created by loose rolls in light airs that have not been 'tightened' before unfurling .. obviously, a very full cut or stretched sail doesnt help ..
“That’s what she said”!!! My wife was rolling. She said Ava is fun.
About your in mast furling problem. You have done all the right checks, straight mast, boom aligned controlled with top lift and downhaul. If you have battens in your sail eventually check them, and the end pockets at the leech. If not, it was just an inmast sail fold. In principle you do not need electric winches for inmast furling, I do it all by hand. Maybe feel the sail when you are furling in and out manually will help. Cheers
Hahahaha Ava cracked me up with the office quote. Hilarious
Enjoy the BVIs, I was there two years ago for some sailing with BLESMA, a veterans charity, had a great time with some lovely places and nice people.
This weeks award goes to Ava. Love your comments, so funny!
Totally!
We have enjoyed your videos for years now and will watch when we get a chance as our own sailing season is about to start.
I'm loving the little post "see you" segments you've been doing on the last few episodes 😂
Ava, you look so happy and well. Mads... not so much. Seriously, I'm just jealous from the UK.
Aiva your on form today. Made us laugh a few times 😂
Thanks! 😁
I'm at south tip of Barbuda at the moment. I really like this remote place! And a huge thanks to Starlink. 😊
My danish grandmother used to make those meatballs she called frikadellers. Thanks for the nice memory of that comfort food during the summers on the ranch.
Watching from the PHILIPPINES. There are a few marinas here but I seldom see a sailboat moving partly due to the shallow seas perhaps.
your toe rail still looks good. I wasn't sure about it but it's grown on me. thanks for the video!
Boats are just houses that float ,things wear out and need to be fixed just like a home on shore. I'd say if you've not had issues with your mast and sails in 35 years you are doing a lot better then the folks that have any negative comments who live in a house they are constantly working on .
I barely survived a knitting injury!
💯
It was touch and go at the ICU.
The only times I had problems with in mast furling was on charter boats, where uncounted crews before me had squeezed the sail into the mast at all possible angles. On my own boat, with only minimal attention to the system, I just love the convenience when reefing or stowing the sail.
Same for us. We have never had any issues before this scare :)
Not having to deal with jack lines, reefing lines and sail cover makes in-mast furling a wonderful thing. Wouldn’t buy another boat without it.
I have had one fail half out in strong winds. I will happily stay with old school.
Vertical battens? -no thanks.
How about having all that weight up high even in the strongest wind, or if there is a problem not being able to get her down, the shape of the sail and the lack of ability to fully pull out the out hall. If you want to furl use a boom furler, it resolves all problems and you still don’t have lazy jacks
18:01 "We've had it in and out a bunch of times."
That's what she said!
I think Ava is great. Mads is the calm one. Great couple.
Loved the t-shirt! 🥰 And we miss our tiny Mantus anchor! 🥹
One of my favorite shirts 😀 It is a very cute anchor 😁
I’ve never had in-mast furling… but if I ever had a chance to own it, I’d jump on it.
What shocks me, is that the guy who tore into a 35 yr old rudder, faces with a questionable serviceability of that rudder, just whipped up a new one FROM SCRATCH… ends up leaving Denmark with an in-mast furling system with old bearings… . Virtually the only thing that one really has to worry about… weird.
Still… with all that said, I say ya did a fine job Mads.
The mast was taken out and thoroughly serviced before he left.
You just had the sail in with some overlap etc. There also can be an issue in the rollers in the boom. Last season I had some issues in the boom and I changed all moving parts in the boom - npo problems now 😊.
Been to Sint Maarten over 40 times. I love this island. I also have had a great sailing experience in BVI.
Really nice place! Also an easy place to anchor with easy access to groceries etc :)
HAHAHAH, Eva made me spit out my drink.
I can confirm that dinghy anchor works extremely well! I have the same for our Gala460, perfect choice! Also can confirm that BVI bureaucracy is annoying, frustrating and will cost a lot of energy! Good to see you in BVI and hope to see you on the water here again soon 🤗
Hi guys, once again, I agree with you 100% if your mask is 35 years old and it is still working up until a couple of days ago there’s something a little bit I miss but it’s been working for 35 years. A lot of the keyboard expert, and I’ll say the definition X is a unknown factor. And a spurt is a drip under pressure and there’s plenty of those around the world. Say my advice don’t listen to the D heads. There’s plenty of them around the the world. having a yacht, even a new one you’ll always have issues so something that is 35+ years old going to have something go a little bit I miss so keep up the good work. Love and appreciate you both from Australia on the big island
Ava is such a joy to see, you both remind me of my wife and I.
I hope all goes well at your new harbor. Take care, and have a wonderful week ahead
Thank you so much :)
I 3D printed some moulds for my line tunnels to the cockpit, came out really nice. I'm sure you'll remember the oh glorious sanding to get a smooth mould that will release easily; Good luck with the project!
That's a great project :) Actually in a few weeks I have a 3D printed mold project coming up :)
While visiting BVI, there is some interesting areas with some history. If you visit Foxy’s, be sure to interview the man. He is generally up stairs laying in his hammock. Just ask if he is around. Also, visit Cane Bay across from Jost Van Dyke, the oldest Rum factory is there. Norman Island and it’s connection to the book Treasure Island is also a good story. Also Marina Cay and the story of Rob White and his wife. My point is many people who visit the BVI only do the tourist stops with no background of its history. I would like to see someone show the history.
If it's a Selden mast and furler, they'll have parts or worse case the model that will replace the unit (still ouchies), you can contact Selden to find out. The standard woven sail also can "stretch" causing feeding problems. If the mast is straight, check the sail, if the sail is still in shape, check the rest, adjusting furling tension when your sail is stretched out will lead to going way off the adjustment. Mast Furling has it's up and downs, like in boom furling or one of the many reefing systems.
Hi Maz , we’ve had jams in in mast caused by battens and the pockets getting slightly jammed . If it’s not furling in the vertical battens ( which I assume you have ) vertically as they enter the mast slot then that might be the source of the issue. Often happens when furling in strong winds and increased pressure on the sail surface … just a thought fair wind following seas . PS we’re in St Martin at mo . You missed a fabby relaxed island by passing Anguilla
WHEN you add five feet of SST chain to your wonderful new dinghy anchor, you will thank yourself for doing it. You will find your dinghy where you left it. 😊
We have 10' of galvanized chain on our dinghy anchor. The chain leader and about 150' of 1/4" line all fits into a mesh flipper bag.
Possible one of the clutch levers wasn't fully pushed forward or the outhaul line jammed somewhere.... Has happened to me many times on my previous boat.... Can't beat slab reef main though my friend.... Future upgrade. Thanks for all your videos especially your refit.... In the process of a refit at the moment and always fall back on what you did. Great job.... Great to see you Sailing
1:51 That looks like a Selden furler. There is a top bearing, which I'm sure you're aware of since you had the mast apart. That one often gets neglected and never greased. It may be worth a trip up the mast and grease that bearing for peace of mind. I think Selden recommends doing it annually. I know of someone who never greased it, which lead to it seizing, which then lead to breaking the foil when unfurling the sail.
North sound is awesome, was there a few month ago, rent a car and explore for a day
17:49 I agree with you that you got a weird fold that caused the furler to jam. At least done at the base I couldn't hear anything crunchy.
i had an in mast furling jammed at sea while wind was picking up at the end the screw that hold the rope in the bottom was twisted , brand new boat out of the dealer but early systems,1998 , started my journey in Annapolis to Bahamas , in the Bahamas the boat had to be dismasted and a new complete in mast installed, i'am a kiss keep it simple person since, always funny and instructive ! if you can try a prickly pear behind Anguilla it a nice spot used to day charter there from marigot !
We have a Beneteau 40 with in mast furling, the boom up haul must be loose and the mast back stays set for no curve in the mast. Hope this helps. Love your channel.
That is basically what we do every single time we furl :) We must just have done something different without thinking about it
If I understand correctly the boom up haul is the topping lift right? But then if it is loose, doesn’t it defeat its purpose of holding the boom when the main is not out?
Ive made several forged carbon parts from 3d printed molds for motorcycles. My advice for making molds is design them so that bolts can be run through for tightening along all axis, make a lot of slots for wedges, minimum 3 part molds, and make sure that when you slice, each part is printed so to maximize strength. Glossy PETG works best, with wax spray release. And the PVA glue release method doesn’t work well because 3d prints are porous.
You really need to watch out for those crocheting injuries 😂😂👍👍💚⛵
Internal combustion engines are amazing!
They are! :)
@@SailLife thanks for replying. Ya I love it when people / governments think that the internal combustion engine is at the end for its usefulness. Just look at the average gas powered car - with one gallon of gas you can take like 4 people and travel approximately 20 - 30 MILES! Again this is just an average car. If you look at diesel cars (before crazy governmental regulation) you could travel to up 50 plus miles!
@@smplyizzy I went electric in 2022 and haven't regretted it. Sure there have been some "teething problems" but I love the fact that I can "fill the tank" for "free" and it will motor me for around 10 hours. Pretty slowly admittedly but I have a SAILING boat 😉
y'all need to look for a "splatter guard" for the oil poppin out of the frying pans. they really save the clean up frying on the stove top
We had a metal mesh one but it started rusting :) I think Ava might have found a silicone alternative
@@SailLife dang ol salty air man.... rust everything... but silicone could be the answer
Had similar issues with an in-mast furling system on a Beneteau 32 with a straight mast. The main would get stuck intermittently at about 2 meters out. We hired two different riggers to look at it and they both blamed user error. Supposedly it had to do with the position of the boom and the wind angle. It did get better with time, so it might have been user error. 🤔 However I developed a certain amount of distrust after it got stuck in a pretty bad squall and we couldn't furl the sail back in.
Looks like ill miss you. Headed just south of there in about two weeks. Fair winds!
4:15 We call them Rissoles here in Australia.
🤓🤓🤓
In mast furling is like seatbelts and bicycle helmets!!! Nothing good ever came from them!!! (Just taking care of the statistics here 🤪). Seriously, I think it's absolutely awesome!
Concerning the price from anchoring at St. Marten: I suppose they simply do not want their bay full of ships (and possibly super yachts). In Germany, something like that is called "Schutzgebühr", and it can be very effective in keeping people from doing stuff that is bad for everyone else, just because it's convenient. Not sure if they ever had a problem with the bay being overcrowded, but it sure looks like they don't have a problem with it right now, so it looks like its working pretty well.
Concerning the mast: could it be, that in the end it was the lines that were jammed up somewhere, and not the sail? Confirmation bias can get you pretty good...
Thanks! :)
As an ambulance officer I can assure you that seatbelts have made a massive difference. I remember the last 2 non seat belt accidents I attended. Trying to reassure a person that he did need to see a doctor while looking at his right frontal lobe was not fun and finding ... sorry I don't think this the forum for it.
Matt I also had problems with my furling system it was due to some propably sand grains. Flushed it with water and problems was gone. Kind regards Martin
Thanks for the tip! :) I'll remember that if we ever experience this issue again :)
Thank you for another awesome video
Gorda Sound is beautiful, along with the neighboring islands Sailed a 46' Beneuteau there a number of years ago and loved it. The Baths are right around the corner and are excellent. Hit up full moon party on Beef island and Soggy Dollar on Yost Van Dyke
That in-mast furling, Mads … it’s the very devil … 🎉😅
I noticed in all your attempts at replicating the furling issue, you had the win on the starboard side. I wonder if it had been on the port side when you last furled it? We have found the sail “bags” when furling and jams up when we furl on a port “tack”, but having the wind to starboard puts just enough tension on it to roll up smoothly. Just like when you unroll a chart, if you try to roll it the other way you can’t get it as tight. Just a thought, that you probably had but didn’t mention. Glad it’s working for you now!
Love the BVI! aka Sailing capital of the world. And It's BVI.. no extra S! (British Virgin IslandS ;-)
As a British Citizen, three words will be behind me Registering my next Sailboat in the BVI plus using it as a Cruising are. The Three Words Are : “English Common Law. It’s the only system of Law with Lawful jurisdiction and Authority in Britain, and it is being illegally withheld along with all its benefits from the British People. Our Birthright Common Law Constitution is fully Recognised by the UN, is actually International Law itself, and was the greatest gift that the British Empire gave to the World, which was why the likes of the late great Mahatma Gandhi were such buge fans of it. 🤔👍🌟🌟🌟❤️
Hi nice to see your both having fun in the sun and keep making your videos😉👍💅
Out you want to Sail in the Tropics, in Mast Furling in an Aluminium Mast is essential to prevent the incredibly rapid destruction of exensive Sail Cloth by UV Light. The alignment of the top of the Mast with the base of the Mast must be within one inch vertically. Having a cheap cross cut Dacron Main Sail with Battens, I don’t personally recommend due to cloth stretching and batten cloth fraying issues, which can cause furling and unfurling reliability problems. If the cloth is sticky, it may need a Salt removing wash, and a furface coating spray can help things along. I did a deep dive into the Sails for in mast Furling Sails, in search of Sailmakers that will make me a battenless Triradial Sail, with tailored in reinforced reefing points.Better sailcloth and removing the battens completely being likely to improve things for a Cruiser rather dramatdramatically. If Racing Performance is not a priority. Finally, I found a Sailmaker that makes such a Sail (I’ll be getting to make me an improved Custom Design for testing on my next Sailboat ) Precision Sails told me yes, they do indeed make such a Sail (other makers are also making them since, such as Wuantum, Ullman, Elvestrom etc ) and my communication with Precision Sails turned out to be far more informative and interesting than I expected. They informed me that the Triradial Construction recovered most of the power lost due to excluding Battens from the Construction. So not too bad a performance hit for us Cruisers ! Effectively a Triradial Sail constructed from decent Sailcloth should , with normal valeting have a service life in excess of twenty years, when a baggypants cross cut Dacron Sail is pretty much a complete wreck within three years. The newest polyester Cruising Laminates look to be pretty decent value as well, given they don’t contain Sail destroying Mylar. One specification I got from Ullman Sails was very intriguing, and I may get one for testing tbh. Some In mast furling designs do have a very dodgy design with a bearing system where the ball race actually drops out of alignment, and I would personally avoid one of those. I can’t remember the make, but it wasn’t a Selden.My next boat looks to be coming with a Classic Mast and Stack pack, so the Mast will nave be be switched for a new in Mast Furler, and a suit of new Sails as appropriate. To match, a Headsail 145% Triradial Genoa, with UV protection strip should provide the KISS principles basic Sail setup for Safety and ease of use in all conditions, and complemented by a Reaching Furling Code Zero and afurling Gennaker off the bowsprit.
"On the moon" that killed me 😂😂😂
I found that copious amounts of sail lube on the rope bolt fed into the mast furling track helped as well as lube everywhere else. Frequent flushing out of the bottom bits helped. The mark on your boom line may need to be adjusted with heat temp and moisture changes. I am a proponent of in mast furling as I solo sailed and found it so easy, if procedure was followed.
OK, here is a longer comment.
Our experience with in-mast furling is not great, but I agree that it must be wonderful if it's working.
Our US-made Beneteau Oceanis 40 has in-mast furling. We bought the boat used in 2020, and we have had problems since day one. We were not experienced with the furling system, so we thought - "furling error - user check." We tried to get everything right, but the problem continued. Our problem is that the sail jammed in the mast opening, in and out. A jammed main sail, like 75% out, isn't a lot of fun, and depending on the situation, it can be quite dangerous.
Anyway, after a lot of research and talking to people in person, I consulted a professional rigger. He couldn't find anything obviously wrong. OK, great, we were back to "furling error- user check. He had a couple of suggestions, like new sails - the old one might be too saggy for an in-mast furling system. New lines - the old ones appear a little thick, and so on, but nothing like this is your problem. Fix it, and you will be happy. Anyhow, I also came across the information that the mast should be straight for an in-mast furling system, and our mast has quite a good amount of rake. So I asked the rigger if that could be the problem, but he said the rake was not the problem. So I guess we have to get a new sail. Unfortunately, I heard from others with similar issues that they got a new sail, but it did not change anything. So, still furling error - user check? I don't know. I can't stop thinking about the mast rake. I am sure that I cannot roll a piece of cloth onto a bent stick without getting some wrinkles, so why should that be different in a furling system?
Anyhow, good luck with finding the problem and, hopefully, an easy solution.
One of the technical issues of having in-mast furling is periodic reminders from those who have slab-reefing mains that their system is less prone to issues… Sorry to say it, but it’s just one of the down-sides of owning in-mast furling. In line with that, I’ve been sailing on boats with slab reefing mains my whole life, and I’ve never had an issue 😊
Well I see you guys are off the east of Moskito Island in the bvi tonight. So I guess y'all made it lol
Guys..
Ive got a Benneteau 44 Center cockpit with in-mast furling..
Its never been a problem, one Atlantic crossing complet and currently in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain.
For what it's worth, I would be thinking it bearings.
Love you weekly videos.
"That's what she said" 😂😂😂❤
Stay safe.
Good vid guys. Have fun.
A solo sailor I was in touch with blew out his in-mast furling main sail in a blow because it jammed.
I'd love to hear your thoughts about in-boom furling, where you could always drop the by releasing the halyard in an emergency. Easier to maintain.
I'd like to hear more about checking in wherever you go. I'm told the French ports are far easier to check into.
Keep a 1 foot loop of line, the same thickness as your kill switch, in the dingy as an improve kill switch should you lose or get separated from your kill switch. You'd wrap it around the kill switch terminal and hold in place with your foot.
Loosen boom (up haul and vang) is the key. If you roll in sail under tension on the edges, it probably will roll sucesfuly but unroll will be challenging. Thanks for your videos. You're great!
Had the same issue with my 45’ inline furling
The problem was the way it was put back in.
The sail cannot flap in the wind when putting back in.
Mas, although you inherited the old in-mast furling, have you considered on your next complete overhaul a switch to in-boom furling? Although the “ loose footed main” is lost, what is gained is less weight aloft, and the safety of all parts of the furler being accessible and repairable without having to go aloft. The weight of the furler, however, makes crash jibes more problematic from the standpoints of both inertial equipment damage and personnel safety. I notice that a lot of the high latitude SV’s employ in-boom furlers. 😎
"I've never worked on in-mast furling, but I do know how to yell on the internet.... " I kid I kid.. Cheers from PEICanada, Bryan
like many things on boats, things that are usually convenient are horrible when they go wrong
No body make bearings themselves. Meaning the mast manufacturers do not make bearings. the try to get the ones SKF, or other Bearing company sell. What you have to know is the OD, ID and type of bearings. I believe for this application the axial load is high and the lateral load is low.
Contrary to a car wheels the lateral load is high the weight of the car, and the lateral load are less.
cochet injury ... she's hinting at a massage!
Oops ... haha, thanks for the heads up ;)
On today’s new Odd Life video Roberta and Duca were discussing the pros and cons of in mast furling. I won’t spoil it for you but they covered all the same issues you had recently.
I always felt you are just waiting for it to break
There is no perfect system for raising and lowering a mainsail. All have their pros and cons. Yours for instance is ideal for a husband and wife cruising couple. What you can be assured of though is that the next time your in mast furling system fails you will be dragging your anchor towards a Lee shore in 25 knots of Breeze at 3:00 in the morning.😂❤
And there will be torrential rain in gusts
@@TomGillis-wx1wr And no Moon.
Your spider sense is accurate. So, what is your plan when/if the bearings fail and seize up with the sail furled 1/3 of the way in?!
God bless you
When in Sint Maarten, buy a bottle or two of Island Lime Liqueur. You won't regret it.
My sailmaker loves in-furling masts he said they supply him with the most repair work. People don't commonly know that all the sail weight up the mast increases the rolling moment at anchor.
I suspect you had a double-wrap it happens when the outhaul is too loose while furling in.
Could be :) I guess that what happens once you've done something 100s of times - you get a tiny bit complacent and deviate slightly from the procedure without noticing it :)
Ava for the win!
Indeed! :D
Meatball hack....my mother in law makes awesome meatballs, and her "secret ingredient" is that she crushes up corn flakes cereal instead of breading. Pretty dang good!
Nice! We should try that :)
I'm one of those who think no sailboat should ever be fitted with in-mast furling. I hate them with a passion. Even when they work properly, it's still heavy, complicated, fiddly and worst of all leads to a terrible sail shape. But I'm glad for you that the issue solved itself.
Well worth having the sail treated with Sailkote or something similar but you will have to take the sail down to do it.
I'm not familiar with that product. I'll look into it :) Thanks :)
Do you know Yamaha supply hose connection fittings which screw directly into the shaft. Makes for easy rinsing of the engine. Hope the bureaucracy goes well.
Ava you are one very funny chick. Have an O Glorious time in the BVI’s
Oh great! Victimized by another clickbait episode! But that's OK, if it wasn't for the deception in the title, I would never have considered watching this absolutely wonderful channel! I have always been so impressed during the episode to see this gorgeous boat shine and impress! However in one cockpit panorama, my gaze was immediately drawn to the binnacle compass globe top which was coated with a microscopic layer of oh, so glorious dust! But I forgive you because i know it won't be there next week! 😉
I have an in-mast furling system that the PO must have also faked some imaginary problems with, and removed it and screwed on a track. I will get it replaced to it's original condition some day (if I can find a furler for this mast) because I can see how it has the potential for much clickbait profiteering. 😉
Be on the alert for mini subs in the Virgin Islands. I hope there are none left but avoid them and their islands like the plague. They are up to NO good! You will eventually hear about them perhaps this year.
We have 38,000 NM on our Profurl boom furler. Works fine. However I have used in mast with nothing but praise for the system. (Unless it jams out of the mast) Any chance the halyard has tensioned up due to the mast experiencing uneven heat expansion? I'm sure there are some very experienced folks that will know the answer.
Intermittency is the curse of the engineer!
Are you still finding the ear bud good for preventing sea sickness?
Gaff rig is best. You can get at everything.
Somewhat extensive = lovely wife in bunny suit covered with horrid fiberglass dust under the waterline with an orbital sander. Oh Glorious = Yea fine and all but I think I'll take the pontoon boat out and have a nice BBQ on the lake, thanks.
This sailing life looks so relaxing and labor minimal I can't wait to turn in my Tesla and get going. LOL
You folks are very cute, I love your presentations.
God bless and if you are ever in Michigan, in the summer, do drop by and you are welcome to join me for Fois Graw with an unoaked chardonnay followed by filet mignon with asparagus (oh yea European dude, we eat green asparagus here in the states) and a suitable starch, we call this a baked potato.
All the best.
The problem with the furler is caused by your proximity to Jamaica. It's come over all Bob Marley - 'we're jammin, we're jammin, and I hope you like jammin too'.
Off-topic question whatever happened to the sailing channel sailing nervous. I know you did one or 2 overlap videos with him. But he's disappeared off of TH-cam.