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Submitted
on September 15, 2003 by Johan Jonkman
Question: Two years ago we bought
a secondhand 37 ft yacht with a 3DL™ 150% genoa from 1999 and hardly
used it, so it's almost new. Is it possible to furl this sail and use
it in all windspeeds? I have heard you need a special kind of profile
for a furling 3DL. If so, how can I recognize this?
Answer:
Dear Johan,
Your 3DL 150% genoa was not designed to be used partially furled.
In 2000 North introduced the 3DL
Marathon product that is specifically engineered to allow it to be
roller reefed. The Marathon sail has addition structural yarn passes that
adress the catenary loading between the roller reefed head and tack corners
of the sail. Because this essential structure is absent in a normal 3DL
race headsail, you could damage the sail through stretch or even delamination
if you press it hard when partly furled.
A 150% race sail is not a good candidate for roller reefing, no matter how it is built. The sail probably has a low clewed, deck sweeper configuration. When you roll it up the foot will pile up on the furler which has the effect of making the sail get deeper the more you roll it. Also, you will quickly roll the sail past the point where the jib tracks are useful.
Regards,
Dan Neri
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