Do I really want a roller furling jib? :: Catamaran Sailboats at TheBeachcats.com

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Do I really want a roller furling jib?

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lawrencer2003

Rank: Mate

Registered: Sep 05, 2004

Last visit: Oct 19, 2015

Posts: 327
Posted: Aug 10, 2010 - 01:20 PM

Agree...My drum mounts on the foil directly below the adjuster. The forestay is shorter to accomodate the swivel and drum hardware. There is no difference in rake of the mast. PS: I wanted this after destroying a jib in a 35MPH gust 2years ago. Used it two weekends ago during a race before bailing out and hitting beach. We were underweight for conditions. It also came in handy when we went over this year un gusty conditions.
turbohobo

Rank: Mate

Registered: Oct 19, 2006

Last visit: Aug 16, 2017

Posts: 613
Posted: Aug 10, 2010 - 03:40 PM

Look at it this way, your jib sail, along with furler and swivel and pigtail, now becomes your forestay, but with the bonus feature of being able to roll the jib sail up, around the forestay wire, just by hauling on the furling line. This feature alone has made me "look" more professional when returning to launch site, jib is furled already, just before concrete ramp, head into wind releasing mainsail & traveller, hop off cat, drop main, park cat, go get trailer, load cat on trailer.

Impressive stuff huh?

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TurboHobo
H14T
H16
P18
G-Cat 5.0
P16
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P.M.

Rank: Mate

Registered: Jan 14, 2004

Last visit: May 07, 2024

Posts: 860
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 12:33 AM

coastratif you are caught in a squall(35+knts wind) and can't make land, your best survival strategy is to point up as far as possible, totally de-power the main(travelor and main sheet all the way out), and use your jib to sail with. if the main catches any wind the first thing that happens is the boat takes off like a rocket then one of three things happen next. 1-you instantly flip 2-your mainsail ripps 3-rigging fails. your jib is not big enough to flip the boat easily. use it as the storm jib and sail into the waves and wind unti the wind subsides. it takes massive pressure off of the boat. andrew posted some stats on wind increase vs pressure on rigging and its amazing. the main sail is way to much sail in a storm. if you don't believe me then try it next time you get caught in one. the end of this years slip to ship reggata ended with a squall at the finish line, i was the only one to cross the finish after the storm hit, the rest flipped, ripped, and were blown way down the beach. this is standard operating procedure on mono hulls, most monos over 20' or so have a storm jib and if they don't they sure want one.

That is utterly absurd!

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Philip
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TylerH

Rank: Mate

Registered: May 31, 2010

Last visit: Jun 21, 2017

Posts: 280
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 07:05 AM

If i got caught in a squall, i'd take down the main..

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Tyler holmes
Panama city, FL

Boat whore
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MN3

Rank: Master Chief

Registered: Jun 20, 2006

Last visit: Apr 06, 2024

Posts: 7088
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 10:02 AM

QuoteIf i got caught in a squall, i'd take down the main..

I hate to disagree (actually i love to) but unless you know ahead of time, and take down your main (and then you wouldn't have been caught) when you are hit with a wall of wind and rain... you are not going to have the time or ability take down 25'+ of mainsail and be able to manage it into a nice rolled up bundle to lash to your cat... you are going to do everything you can to keep your boat afloat, and taking down a main isn't going to help at that time...

If you try your main will probably smack the living daylights out of you, possibly tear and most likely end up in the drink.... (or fly away to oz if it gets airborne)
golfdad75

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Registered: May 29, 2010

Last visit: Apr 28, 2015

Posts: 454
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 10:15 AM

Andrew that is the most intelligent post I have read on this forum.

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Nacra 5.2
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golfdad75

Rank: Mate

Registered: May 29, 2010

Last visit: Apr 28, 2015

Posts: 454
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 10:17 AM

Other than of course the one about your wife and the trapeze harness.

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Nacra 5.2
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MN3

Rank: Master Chief

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Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 10:17 AM

Quoteyour best survival strategy is to point up as far as possible, totally de-power the main(travelor and main sheet all the way out), and use your jib to sail with

If i let my traveler and main out in heavy air.. it would beat the crud out of me, my sail and my boat. it (main/boom) would swing violently until it shredded my main, and then the falling boom would surely hit me in the head (even if i had fallen overboard and drowned, somehow it would still hit my head :) ).

I watch the weather, know the predictions, try to stay close to shore when there is weather around. I am not a racer, so i don't have to go in the gulf when its questionable (and it's usually questionable for a majority of the local fall/winter/spring races around here). I have seen the racers get really caught in it... For the hangover reggatta this year, i got on my friends Dart20 and didn't race in 45mph winds... but we did sail. WOW... most of the racers had to abandon their cats on islands in the gulf and collect them the next day (several broke and lost parts)

When hit with a squall line, i would first furl the jib and travel out about 6" on the main. i would get to a beach or island as fast as possible. if the wind was 40-50mph, and un-sailable for my cat, i would lift the rudders, drop the anchor, pull out the rum, and pray.

The last storm i was hit baddly in was 2 years ago, in the summer. we had thunderstorms all around and was trying to make it to an island to seek shelter. as i approchaed the island (doing well over 20knots) both my rudders popped up and i looked at my crew and yelled "hold on, we are gonna hit the island hard" (and then i jumped off my boat... :p

lucky for me it was a super hightide and there was lots of sea-grass on the shore of the island. my boat hit it at full speed and did a dukes of hazard into the island (with crew still onboard). the boat was fine, the only damage was i tore a few battens out of the Tornado jib i was using that day...and my crew needed new underware
Edchris177

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Registered: Nov 26, 2009

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Posts: 2524
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 10:59 AM

What about tipping the cat, ride out the squall, right the cat & sail away? (assuming you have 5-10 miles clear seaway to drift)
Crazy? Bad idea?

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MN3

Rank: Master Chief

Registered: Jun 20, 2006

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Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 11:31 AM

QuoteWhat about tipping the cat, ride out the squall, right the cat & sail away? (assuming you have 5-10 miles clear seaway to drift)
Crazy? Bad idea?

probably fine, but i doubt it would be any more "fun" to be in the water during this storm. even better if you can turtle
sailinagin

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Registered: Jun 14, 2010

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Posts: 242
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 12:04 PM

Back to the roller furler.....

I like the furler only because when I sail up to the beach, land, hop off the boat, yank the furler and the jib wraps up, then do a Capt Morgan pose on the bow I look really cool.

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David
Memphis, TN
'84 Hobie 18
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lawrencer2003

Rank: Mate

Registered: Sep 05, 2004

Last visit: Oct 19, 2015

Posts: 327
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 01:45 PM

QuoteIf you try your main will probably smack the living daylights out of you, possibly tear and most likely end up in the drink.... (or fly away to oz if it gets airborne)

I second the comment. You are most wise Andrew. Caught in a gale means you point into the wind and hold that position, furl the jib and pray that nothing cleats itself and you stay upright. You have enough to do fighting the tiller.

Best is not to put yourself in a position to experience that.

PS: Racing sometimes forces me to be out on the water when I otherwise would think twice. I'm rethinking the whole racing thing. (Plus it also ruins the good days with skippers meetings etc).

I cannot imagine even attempting to lower the main!
robpatt

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Registered: Aug 06, 2010

Last visit: Aug 07, 2022

Posts: 278
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 03:38 PM

Sail a boat w/a roller jib, see if you like it.

I love it... fast, easy.

I made a sock for it, use the main halyard to pull the sock up... when boat's on the beach, the jib is protected...takes about 1 minute to remove the sock... about 1 minute to put it on... beats putting the jib on and off the boat all the time.
coastrat

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Registered: Jul 16, 2009

Last visit: Oct 28, 2014

Posts: 1271
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 07:23 PM

andrew is right! he furled his jib, eased his travelor a bit, and crashed his boat into an island at warp speed! thats what i'm telling you, any main sail catching any wind at 40+kts will send you careening off like a rodeo bull. this is not theory. last month when i was racing in 40+winds and was the only boat to finish after the squall hit, i watched around 14 or so boats flip, rip, and snap all because they tried to sail with the main. when you point up tight, almost pinching, this puts you into the wind and waves, where you want to be. the boom hangs loosly over the lee rudder and stands like a flag in the wind. the battons keep the sail from flapping too bad and as long as you pay attention and stay headed up with wind shifts, the boom is a non factor. tighten the jib only to stop luffing and you will sail at about 4-5kts safely into the wind. you still have to keep you hands on the jib sheet because when a 50+ gust hits, the jib can still flip you. we didn't like the idea of flipping because the lightning bolts were all around us. bottm line is we beat a lot of boats who didn't know how to sail in heavy weather. for you recreational sailors, with the wife and /or kid on the boat, this might keep them from being too freaked out after a storm to go sailing again with you. look...you don't have to believe me, but if your caught in a storm and can't make it to shore, just remember this post if you want to slow it down out there.

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bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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MN3

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Registered: Jun 20, 2006

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Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 08:58 PM

Quoteandrew is right! he furled his jib, eased his travelor a bit, and crashed his boat into an island at warp speed! thats what i'm telling you, any main sail catching any wind at 40+kts will send you careening off like a rodeo bul

Since i have never tried, seen or even heard of this method before i wont say (imho) if its good or bad .. maybe one day i will try it

BUT i did not go careening off in like a bull... I had been planning on turning into the wind just prior to running aground, so i had my windward rudder already up, my lee rudder hit sea-grass and popped up about 30' ahead of where i planned. .my cat continued straight (into the island)..

This was not a 40+mph squall. this was thunderstorms all around (lightning everywhere) and all the winds that are around storms. It was probably gusts to 30. I was in hurry, get to the shore mode, not depower to survive

where this was

edited by: andrewscott, Aug 11, 2010 - 09:22 PM
golfdad75

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Registered: May 29, 2010

Last visit: Apr 28, 2015

Posts: 454
Posted: Aug 11, 2010 - 11:32 PM

Guys you know 40 mph winds are not very common.

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MN3

Rank: Master Chief

Registered: Jun 20, 2006

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Posted: Aug 12, 2010 - 10:20 AM

golfdad75Guys you know 40 mph winds are not very common.

it only takes 1 time
coastrat

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Registered: Jul 16, 2009

Last visit: Oct 28, 2014

Posts: 1271
Posted: Aug 12, 2010 - 12:40 PM

the scary part is that your not as worried about the wind as much as the fat lightning...the life jackets didn't offer much protection from that...as far as roller furl, its a want more than a need for me, we launch and land on big wide sandy beaches exclusively and the boat goes from trailor to sailing back to trailor. i don't have the luxury of a mast up spot right now, even if i did, it still cost me 30$ in gas round trip to the coast so i just drag the boat to and fro and spend my would be yacht club dues on cheesy poofs and such. that also has a lot to do with sticking with my p-16, its so light and easy to deal with. convience still drives my needs as well as solo sailing. i can load and unload and step mast all solo. i'll hold off on the big boat til i find some motivated crew who wants to sail as much as me.

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bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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MN3

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Posted: Aug 12, 2010 - 12:54 PM

Quotei just drag the boat to and fro

I have never sailed at Fro... ,how are the conditions? :)
robpatt

Rank: Mate

Registered: Aug 06, 2010

Last visit: Aug 07, 2022

Posts: 278
Posted: Aug 12, 2010 - 01:06 PM

yeah, slip to ship was frightening....
busted my comptip... etc, etc... lightening everywhere, thunder, waves... picking up new(old) parts boat tonight... hey, 28th is a bouys (Katrina Anniversary Party) at OSYC... see you there ?