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flexible roller furler on a mizzen staysail - F28 CK

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 8:41 am
by seadago
Hi all
I've got a (substantial) mizzen staysail that came with the wardrobe when I bought my boat; a F28 CK with wishbone booms.
I've only deployed it a couple of times. Maybe I do not know how to perform the maneuver properly, but TBH, in the event of having to gybe, it seems so cumbersome as to be hardly worth the bother on a leisurely day out.

Thinking to put the stay sail on a flexible (maybe top-down) roller furler. In paper at least, that could make things much easier.

Has anyone done this, or seen this setup, that can give me some pointers? The roller-furler gear is not inexpensive, so potential advantages also need to be significant!

Many thanks in advance
Rafa

Re: flexible roller furler on a mizzen staysail - F28 CK

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 11:51 am
by seadago
Just came across this clip in YouTube. This is pretty much exactly what I'd like to have.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5rmIj9_9Uk&t=5s
Is the current or former owner of "Reconneissance" a board member? If so, I'd like to have chat...
Rafa

Re: flexible roller furler on a mizzen staysail - F28 CK

Posted: Thu May 17, 2018 10:59 am
by bad
We have a series of staysails that fly off our mizzen (F40 center cockpit). When gybing, we release the tack, which is on a strop with a snap shackle, run the tack to the base of the mizzen, then gybe the main. With a little help from the crew, the staysail stays collapsed behind the mizzen sail. I would consider a sock as a way of controlling the staysail if shorthanded.

Erik

Re: flexible roller furler on a mizzen staysail - F28 CK

Posted: Thu May 17, 2018 1:05 pm
by seadago
bad wrote:We have a series of staysails that fly off our mizzen (F40 center cockpit). When gybing, we release the tack, which is on a strop with a snap shackle, run the tack to the base of the mizzen, then gybe the main. With a little help from the crew, the staysail stays collapsed behind the mizzen sail. I would consider a sock as a way of controlling the staysail if shorthanded.

Erik
Hi Erik
Many thanks for your input. Yep, that's what I do as well; loosen the halyard, release the tack, bring the luff close to the mizzen mast, gybe, pass the tack behind the Main's sheet to the other side of the boat, fasten the tack, and hoist tight. Easy enough in paper, but not in reality with any breeze. The ease with which the skipper in the clip above does it, made me turn a bit green (with envy). I normally sail single-handed so "easy" is the name of the game for me. You may very well be right. A sock could be the 80/20 solution; it would collapse the sail quickly and securely. The rest of the maneuver is not complex. Will drop the conundrum on my sailmaker's lap. See what they say.
Thanks again!
Rafa

Re: flexible roller furler on a mizzen staysail - F28 CK

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 1:33 pm
by arrancomrades
Yes but it,s worse as you have to transfer the sheet and runner as well. I sheet the staysail to the end of the backsail wishbone then down . Only use when racing, see www.whyw.org, search # 3534C. A

Re: flexible roller furler on a mizzen staysail - F28 CK

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 1:38 pm
by arrancomrades

Re: flexible roller furler on a mizzen staysail - F28 CK

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 7:34 am
by Castaway
It would be rather useful to have such a furler; presumably the traditional Wykeham-Martin style would do. We rarely gybe the staysail, it is so large; gathering it in means two people, one to manage the halyard whilst the other stuffs it down the forehatch, to be bagged later. Anything else leaves the sail in the water, and it still has to go below after that. We also take the sheet to a snatch block on the end of the mizzen, then through another on the toerail. With a furler, it could all be done single-handed.

Our big staysail has a rope luff, and is cut to fly with a curve when filled, but it could be tightened enough to roll the sail around, I think. Then the tack cold be unclipped from the toerail forward and carried round the mainsheet after gybing. One still has to gybe the mizzen boom and set the running backstay on the weather quarter, so it's never going to be quick.

If anyone finds a source for furlers like this, perhaps they would post it?

Regards,

Gerald