MacGregorSailors.com

I am currently researching roller furling jib options. I think for the type of sailing we intend to do that a 110 jib will do fine. (The M we bought came with a spinnaker.) Would like to find out what others found to be an all around best performer. I've looked through this site and seem to be having no luck finding discussions on what to and where to purchase although have found places on the net. Thanks in advance.

The big thing is to determine what kind of sailing you will be doing. I actually have about 7-8 sails, including a storm jib. Not being a racer (26X), I find my RF 150 Genoa is the most flexible. I can extend it all the way (light winds) or I can furl it up as much as I wish. I have both a sock and some Jibs/Genoa's with the UV protection sewn in. I tend to use the sock (got a skull and crossbones on it, son likes it).

Nauti Nell wrote:I am currently researching roller furling jib options. I think for the type of sailing we intend to do that a 110 jib will do fine. (The M we bought came with a spinnaker.) Would like to find out what others found to be an all around best performer. I've looked through this site and seem to be having no luck finding discussions on what to and where to purchase although have found places on the net. Thanks in advance.

dlandersson wrote:.. I find my RF 150 Genoa is the most flexible. I can extend it all the way (light winds) or I can furl it up as much as I wish. I...

I agree, if you aren't a racer a 150 or possibly a 135 will work in all conditions. In higher winds with the 150 pulled in it isn't the best shape but usually in those conditions I also have the main reefed and I'm just trying to get the boat to the point where I have good control of it and it is still usually running in the high 5 to low 6 kn range most of the time and that is great. Then on the low wind to almost calm days I'm really glad that I have the 150. If you race and want optimal sail shape under any condition you are going to have to invest in multiple sails and be changing them and that doesn't fit my personal use of the boat. You are going to have to decide if you are a cruiser, cruiser/racer or racer,

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

Will be a cruiser. Should have said that. Will be in no hurry to get anywhere. If I am, that's why I have the engine.

I have three hank on head sails, 60 storm jib, 110 Mac oem jib, and 150 genoa. Are there affordable and Mac compatible furlers that allow for a head sail change with the mast up. I know racing boats have such furlers however, I'm curious if there are any available for the mac that cost less than the boat.

If you figure the 110 will be best and you already have a spin for light winds the 110 IMO sounds like what you need. You'll be able to up and downwind in anything 10kt and over and make great time with the jib (upwind even in 5knts with the jib is still very doable and with some motor you can even make great time and headway) and if you're bored in anything less than 5-7 you can use your motor or that spin. Those 135's in anything more than 12-15knts you'll be furling anyways and in those higher winds you'll appreciate the shape of the jib full or furled. Note* this is assuming of course you're running a balanced sail plan with the main full or properly reefed.

1st Sail wrote:I have three hank on head sails, 60 storm jib, 110 Mac oem jib, and 150 genoa. Are there affordable and Mac compatible furlers that allow for a head sail change with the mast up. I know racing boats have such furlers however, I'm curious if there are any available for the mac that cost less than the boat.

I use a size A0 one of these on my http://www.alado.com/ ordered direct from Brazil was cheapest and best furler I could get. I did want a snap furl but they were as expensive as heck in OZ

The Manual says...On cruising boats with furling systems, the sail is seldom lowered once it is up. If you want to lower the sail, there are three simple alternatives to using the section that was cut off the furler halyard. The first is to bring the bitter end of the furling line forward through its lead blocks and tie it to the bitter end of the furler halyard. The second is to use the sheet to do this role. The third is to make the mast halyard "endless" by tying its bitter end to the end that normally attaches to the sail top. Then tie the bitter end of the furler halyard to the mast halyard so that when the genoa is lowered, and the furler halyard is carried aloft, it can be pulled down again with the mast halyard.

One thing to consider is what are the average wind speeds where you will be sailing for the months you most likely will be sailing.



For instance above is for the Atlanta area. Not sure if the majority of your sailing will be in that area or the coast.

I've been to different parts of the west and Florida and the Bahamas and I've found that at least 80% of the time I'm sailing the 150 is 100% of the way out and one thing I really like about having a roller furler is how fast it can be deployed or brought in or reduced to any degree. It is a really versatile size in my opinion. We started with a hank-on jib and genoa and I'd never go back. A spinnaker is an option for some situations but it sure isn't as easy to deploy or bring in, especially if you might be single-handing.

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

Ive found the 150 genny to be on the limit of what the FF2 can handle on the spool, so in my later years of sailing, Ive gone back to hanked on jibs with a downhaul for single handing.

It sure is easier to step the mast with just a forestay, too.

Sumner, where did you get that wind history graph?

mdbrown wrote:Sumner, where did you get that wind history graph?

I googled "average wind speed for Atlanta, GA and got a number of sites and clicked on this one...

https://weatherspark.com/averages/30314 ... ted-States

You can put in other locations there and they give a lot of averages,

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

Anyone familiar with the Schaefer Snapfurl. After watching the Schaefer video it looks like you can change out head sails about a easy as using my current hank on. The next questions is can you modify a hank on to work with a roller furler? There seems to agreement that hank ons are less hassel than a RF for trailer sailing. We still trailer sail but usually launch and sail for several days at a time. So I'm tempted to go the RF direction.

1st Sail wrote:Anyone familiar with the Schaefer Snapfurl. After watching the Schaefer video it looks like you can change out head sails about a easy as using my current hank on. The next questions is can you modify a hank on to work with a roller furler? There seems to agreement that hank ons are less hassel than a RF for trailer sailing. We still trailer sail but usually launch and sail for several days at a time. So I'm tempted to go the RF direction.

I like the look of the snapfurl before I went for the alado, snapfurl was way too expensive here in OZ

Head sail just needs a sail maker to add luff tape so the sail can feed into the foil a Snapfurl CF500 uses size #5 luff tape and a CF700 size #6

1st Sail wrote:There seems to agreement that hank ons are less hassel than a RF for trailer sailing.

I'm not in that camp. I don't find it much of a hassle at all to strap the furler to the mast, nor to raise/lower the mast with it (strapped to the gin pole), nor to make the stem fitting pin (I crank down on the MRS to stretch the side stays). And the convenience when sailing far outweighs the extra work in handling the furler over a naked forestay. To me, at least.

It is not just about the style of your sailing but also who is your crew if you have one. Two men with practice can trailer sail quite easily, but if you trailer and setup solo it becomes a challenge. I have that Snapfurler CF700 and as slick as it is to use it is also clumsy and awkward during setup-takedown. I only do it twice a year because I seasonally slip, but I can say from experience that it is cumbersome. Once the mast is up and secured though, you have a very nice furler, and yes you can change out your sails easy enough if you like, I do it before getting under way, I only have a jib & genoa, the genneker flies off another hound and rigging so no biggie. The snapfurler is more Skookum than the CDI FF2 but it also takes a heavier/thicker line so is much more comfortable on the hands, I got mine under $1000 some years back so was not that expensive, I am sure it cost more today. I believe the furler simplifies sail handling easier but that is just my opinion, I use to hank-on but found my sail landed in the water a few times and that I had to pull it down the forward hatch once down. The furler makes it easy. If I was a full time trailer sailor I might give up the furler because my wife is not strong enough to help. I recruit help twice a year. The furler adds time & effort to trailering, so go get a slip.