19 Comments

There is one more option: hanked-on with a downhaul. This is good for smaller boats.

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I think hank on is more robust, but I prefer furling. I have never had problems with hank on headsails, but I have had a furling catastrophy. Nevertheless, I prefer furling for the sailing I do (coastal PNW).

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I had a furler on the Yankee jib on my 21' cutter, "Platero," and I liked that arrangement very much, but I did learn not to attempt to furl when going downwind in a fresh breeze. The jib decided to get cozy with the headstay, and I had an interesting time getting them apart. Kind of like trying to pry a dog off a bitch in heat. The Yankee's tack was at the end of a fairly long bowsprit, which didn't make it any easier. But my, what a powerful sail that was. I could feel the boat accelerate instantly when I deployed it (which was very quick and easy to do with the furler)

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I should add: I never tried to reef the Yankee with the furler. The reading I did about it advised against the practice.The boat also had a staysail, so furling the Yankee didn't leave me with no headsails.

I made a wishbone boom for the staysail, which worked very well in holding the clew down. The staysail was basically self-tending.

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Also should mention that converting the Yankee to a furling system was made easier because it already had a robust luff wire.

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Gettin' too old for hankin'!

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As with just about everything we do in sailing there is a bit more to the story. During my introduction to cruising off the west coast, conditions got bad and the water there is cold. The jib was hanked on and the situation demanded a change. We were going upwind, (it seems you always are going upwind when it's inconvenient.) I was elected to do the fore deck work so off I went to the pointy end. I jambed myself into the pulpit in an attempt to stay aboard and went to work. One moment 12 to 15 feet in the air as the bow came over the next wave, the next up to my neck in ice cold seawater. Needless to say I developed strong opinions about headsails and change. There are times and boats aboard which furlers don't belong or are not needed as well as a trusty downhaul to get one down from the cockpit but not bagged, Lots of options. I prefer a very strong or oversized furler coupled with a sail strong enough to take the strain and the ability to "reef" the headsail under some conditions. As usual, it's ok with me if you don't agree but the key is knowing what you will do when things don't go as planned.

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You don't have to go up in the bow to reef or furl. The technology is pretty good now.

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i have jib haul down that is handled from the companion way like the jib halyard. I use a working jib as it points better than a genoa that needs to go outside the stays. I do have a single reef in my jib and I do have to go on the bow to put that reef in. it goes in fast and is small. I have gone to windward in gusts well over 35 KTS with the reefed jib and the double reefed main. not fun, but necessary.

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The technology is good, but it's only as good as the maintenance. Most people don't like to take their winches apart. Taking your furling drum apart is a whole different level of maintenance schedule!

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My next boat, a Wharram Tiki 26, will be all about simplicity and self sufficiency. +1 for Hanked-on headsails.

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Sitting in my ComPac 16 right now at the Port Orchard Marina after the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Show. My Jib is hanked on with a "Gerr Downhaul" system. I would love to switch to a roller furling jib to deploy and haul in the Jib without climbing solo onto the bow when single handing. The Gerr Downhaul is better than nothing, crumpling the jib into a ball inside the bow pulpit when it all works out, but I haven't been able to get it completely smooth. I generally have to play with tension on the sheet, jib halyard and downhaul line to overcome moments of high friction. All the charter boats I've sailed up to 42' catamarans and my Catalina 30 had rotary furlers. A simple, robust system in cruising use. Maybe problematic in the winds of Tasmania, but not in the conditions I sail in.

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When I started sailing again my first boat (Capri 16.5) had a furler - pretty sweet once you get the hang of furling it in the right direction. My second boat spoiled me even more with a changable sail furler on the Capri 22.

But I eliminated the need and or desire with the Crawford Melonseed sprit rig and now the Lug sail on my Ilur. But I do have fond memories of cranking down on the jib halyard when racing the Windmill.

Nothing like a taut leading edge/luff of the jib.

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The Whitehall under construction will have a jib from a sailing canoe rig. That means it will be a true jib, with only three points of attachment. That means that when I lower it, all I will have to do is bring in the lee sheet and bundle it up. By the way, the halliard also will double as the forestay. Simplicity is good.

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I prefer furl on a small boat providing the jib has a wire luff and the boat has a head-stay as well. Such is clearly not as efficient as a furler on a head-stay, but I think it is much safer. I can always drop the jib if the spool breaks or jambs.

For a hank-on jib, I insist on having a down-haul, so I can drop the jib while still in the cockpit

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Used to say “hanked on”

I’m 67, move slower and lazy 🤷🏼‍♂️

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I've never had furling fail at a "good" time or in "good" conditions. Dealing with failed furling in the wrong conditions is worse than dealing with hanked on sails. Dropping my hanked on sails early is just part of good planning. (And, I've only had furling fail on chartered boats.)

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Furling is quicker-- and feels much safer-- at the end of the bow sprit on my 12 foot boat.

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I feel the headstay furler is one of the biggest safety improvements for short handed sailors ever. Along with self tailing winches

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