boom furling vs stack pack

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jmcbraye@hotmail.com
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:22 am
Location: Fort Lauderdale

boom furling vs stack pack

Post by jmcbraye@hotmail.com »

I need a new main sail and am trying to decide what kind of rigging. My questions are:

1) if costs were equal, would members choose a full batten stack pack main or a roller furling boom?

2) if the roller furling boom is your preference, is it worth the additional $7-10K in cost?

3) what is the best mainsail and reefing system for offshore cruising?

Any recommendations and experiences would be appreciated!

Jim McBrayer
s/v Escape
Hull #40
wolfe10
Posts: 587
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:58 pm
Location: Ft Myers Florida

Re: boom furling vs stack pack

Post by wolfe10 »

Jim,

There is NO "right" answer to that one.

YOU have to weigh out the extra performance of the fully battened main with its extra leach and better shape vs the extra work of stowing it.

For offshore, I am a STRONG believer in KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). The more complex, the more chance of failure, and failure generally occurs under the more adverse conditions where you can least well deal with it. Fully battened main with separate reefing lines for first and second reefs/leach and luff separate is what we speced on our Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37'. More lines and more work, but bomb-proof.

But, we use the Catalina 350 as a coastal cruiser, and appreciate the ease of the roller furling mast. Life is full of trade-offs.

Brett
Brett Wolfe
C350 #180
"Vindaloo"
Ft Myers FL
saileagleswings
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Location: Punta Gorda Fl
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Re: boom furling vs stack pack

Post by saileagleswings »

The rolling furler boom would be very nice. With it, you will be able to reef the main to any degree required and the reefed sail will be lower than the corrsponding reefed sail with the roller furling in the mast. Not sure how trouble free the furling boom is becuase I don't have one.

I am considering a stack pack for my fully battened main as the cost for the rolling furling boom is steep for me.
Triumph
Posts: 256
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:34 am
Location: Tampa, Fl

Re: boom furling vs stack pack

Post by Triumph »

I have sailed thousands of ocean or blue water miles with each of these system. To me, the roller furling main is the one I’d choose. The reason is that is effortless to let out and bring in. All from the cockpit. Because it’s so effortless, and any of the crew can do it themselves, I find that we are more apt to make sail adjustments. (read; reef at the first thought of it)

The ease of the outhaul verses and hoist of a halyard also makes it a winner. On the C350, it’s 14 feet verses 40 feet. The in mast system is faster and involves less labor. On one boat with a boom furler, we had to go forward to the mast to flip a lever on the furler to change it from up to down. Not all of them require this.

I have found in boom furlers are more finicky that other systems. The boom angle has to be perfect, the sail has to be luffing, halyard tension correct when furling, and so on. That’s my experience anyway. Generally, it takes two of us to do it right.

I agree with the others that simplicity is good. That takes us to lazy jacks or a stack pack. I have lots of ocean miles with each of these too. I like both so long as you are able to take the lazy jack lines and move them forward to the mast, out of the way. Then, when it’s time to drop the main, you release them, pull them taught, back into position. I like this setup for two reasons. One, the main sail battens do not get hung up on the lazy jack lines when raising the sail, and two, if you want to rig an awning, they are out of the way.

The other advantage I can think of for pulling the lazy jack lines out of the way forward is that if you have a sail cover, they do not interfere with this. You simply drop the main, put sail ties on when you have a chance, then run the lazy jack lines forward and put the sail cover on.

Granted, you do give up performance with the in mast furling mainsail verses any of the other systems. That’s just a trade off that you have to consider.

Bill
s/v TRIUMPH
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