Yachting Monthly - November 2015

EXPERT ON BOARD

NOVEMBER 2015 http://www.yachtingmonthly.com 19

Genoa technique

How to use furling sails properly

Thanks to Barrie

and Heidi Neilson

at Sailing Holidays

for providing a boat

and their expertise

for this article

Tel: 020 8459 8787

Web: http://www.sailingholidays.com

Furling and unfurling the genoa
is an everyday action that should
be simple and easy, but all too
often it’s a back-breaking task.
No wonder many sailors resort to
their winches. Even a large genoa,
however, should be light enough
to be furled reasonably easily by
one person from the helm with
the sheet in one hand and the
furling line in the other. If it’s not,
have another look at your setup.
Check the lead angles, service the
blocks or replace the furling line.
Look up to check there isn’t an
issue at the masthead.
The technique is simpler than
with the mainsail, as you don’t
need to worry about the sail
passing though the mast slot so
it makes no difference which tack
you’re on. As with the mainsail,
however, it pays to keep the
wind on one side to keep the sail
drawing. Ease out on the sheet

as you pull in on the furling line,

but keep a little bit of tension on

the sheet to keep some wind in

the sail and to ensure that the sail

rolls nice and tightly onto the foil.

Unfurling

Unfurling the sail follows the

same process in reverse for both

sails. Having the wind ideally on

your starboard side will help fi ll

the mainsail and pull it out. Once

it’s out and the outhaul is pulled

home, you can always head up

into the wind slightly to make it

easier to sheet in the main. You

may want to wind the last bit in

with the winch to get enough

tension along the foot of the sail,

but as it’s a fl at-cut sail, leave

enough belly in the sail to give it

shape, as you do with the genoa.

As you unfurl the sail, give the

furling line one turn on a winch

(or half a turn on a deck cleat),

to keep it under tension so that

you get tight, neat turns on the

drum. Once the sail is set, take in

any slack on the furling line and

cleat if off. This stops loose turns

slipping down over each other,

which may lead to jams later on.

Reefi ng

Reefi ng is effectively the same

as partially furling the sail. The

time you are most likely to have

problems with your furling

systems is when you have held on

too long before taking in a couple

of rolls and the forces on the sails

are getting out of hand, just as

you would when putting in slab-

reefs. As with slab-reefed sails,

reefi ng early always pays and

probably won’t slow you down

much. The good news with furling

sails is that it is incredibly easy

to put reefs in early, and to shake

them out if you fi nd you don’t

need them after all. The best bit

is that nobody needs to leave the

comfort and safety of the cockpit

to do so. W

Putting a reef in is easier before

the wind really gets up

ABOVE: Barrie
trims the main
outhaul tension
with the winch
to set the sail
shape
RIGHT: Lock off
the genoa
furling line to
keep tension
on the drum

Don’t head into the wind to furl as a fl ogging sail makes furling hard

work. Keep just enough tension on the sheet to stop it fl ogging

Barrie

operates

sheet and

furling line

while tending

the helm