Submitted on October 21, 2003 by Dave Grover

Question: Hello North sails. I have a Morgan 462 Ketch with a 130% Genoa. We sail the Western Caribbean and often encounter 25 to 35 knot winds. I have had problems in high winds furling this sail and have had to use a winch to bring it in. Is there a better way to do this? Should I install a seperate winch for this purpose? Should I use a smaller sail say 100%? ANY ideas are appreciated.

Regards:Dave Grover

Answer: Hi Dave, The size of the headsail is just one factor in the amount of effort it takes to turn your furler. Before switching headsails, you should check the furler bearings and the fairleads that the furling line runs through. The first step is to flush the drum bearings with fresh water and as much pressure as you can get in there. Then make sure the fasteners on the foil and torque tube are tight and that the foil turns freely. In some systems the foil can work loose and drop through the torque tube where it comes to rest directly on the bearing, causing lots of extra friction.
Next, take a look at how your furling line is led from the drum back to the cockpit. Every turn or point of deflection adds considerable friction. Try furling the sail while standing on the bow and pulling up on the furling line by hand just aft of the first fairlead. If you can furl it easily from that position, the problem is that you have too much friction on the line as it travels aft. In that case switching to a smaller sail won't make much difference.

It is not unusual to use a winch for headsail furling, especially on a relatively large boat like yours in a windy area. The only problem with using a winch is that it takes longer to roll up the sail, which means the sail spends more time flogging. With that in mind, it is best to lead the furling line to the largest winch available. Then position yourself over the winch so you can turn it as fast as possible.

Regards,
Dan Neri

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