Trip 121 - Wednesday Evening - Oct 21st

 

Well, if Empty Pockets will get Jib Furling and new cloth, and, take advantage of the Discounts offered by North Sails by the 31st, I decided to run down and fetch the forestay and measure the length.

Monday, a crew came out to replace thirteen rotted fenceposts. Four guys did them all in three hours. And the work was very good indeed. Tuesday evening, in the rain, I put the panels back on. Wearing my "Miner's Light" strapped to my forehead made the task so much easier. I purchased that light originally to walk back in the dark when making photographs somewhere, usually out west on a workshop. It sure came in handy that night.

The night was a comedy of errors. Couldn't find the keys for the padlocks, hunted high and low back home for the padlock on the ladder. Found it where it should have been to begin with. After getting all things done at the boat, had to reset the ladder to lock the cabin.

But, in the end, I was pretty wet and the forestay came home with me.

Roller Furling is a very popular option for a sailboat. Thirty years ago, it was just coming into its own. Now, it is almost a standard feature on vessels larger than 18' (15?).

It consists of a drum that rotates a tube or extrusion which is wrapped around the forestay. And, the tubing or extrusion itself, plus a mean to raise or lower the jib sail. After that, the sail is simply unwound from, or wound back to, the forestay like an window shade is rolled to and from the wooden rod.

The primary reasons to equip a boat with furling are the headsail size can be partially exposed, or completely unfurled, or any parts in between. Instead of carrying a 110, 140 and 170 like we do now, one sail will extend from less than 100% thru 135 or even 150% or even larger. Plus, one does not have to crawl out on the deck to take the jib down. Which is important in heavy air.

Systems can be very simple or very well refined and complex. Needless to day, the price is reflected accordingly ...

This brand is the most popular, and the most expensive.

Shucks.

 

Later ...