Furling system
Furling systems are devices for the continuous reduction of the sail area ( reefing ) on sailing boats and yachts . With a furling system, a sail can also be recovered completely after a trip or in a storm.
With a roll foresail, the sailcloth of a foresail is wrapped around a pivoted forestay . A reefing drum is attached to its deck fitting to hold the reefing line. It is operated by muscle power, possibly also with winches or with electric motors. Devices of this type are often found on dinghies and yachts and are also known as “jib furlers”.
The furling system of a mainsail that is attached to the mast and boom can wrap the excess sailcloth around or in the boom. Various systems are referred to as "Drehreff", "Wickelreff", "Patentreff" or "Volksreff". There are also reefing systems that use a winding device in a cavity in the mast. In addition to simple rope or crank drives, there are also electrically operated systems here.
Advantages and disadvantages of furling sails
Compared to traditional binders , furling sails offer the advantage of being easier and faster to operate. While part of the crew has to go to the foredeck to reef or change the foresail , roll-up foresails can usually be operated from the cockpit ; Furling mainsails usually only require work from the cockpit or directly on the mast and not, as is the case with tying the Bindereff, along the whole tree, on the aft (rear) part of which it is often more difficult to keep your balance standing. The use of a furling system can thus increase the safety of the crew, especially in heavy seas, the boat is leaning heavily and the crew is inexperienced.
The disadvantage is that the exchange for a storm sail is difficult. In strong winds, furling foresails can partially unwind and lead to problems that are difficult to control. Mast winding systems are notorious for the fact that they lock mechanically in particularly critical situations and prevent the sails from mounting.
In addition, roller sails have an aerodynamically less favorable profile than conventional sails , especially when they are only partially rolled up. Moreover, the use of prohibitive at mainsail furling systems battens that are standard on modern sailing yachts and many smaller boats now and sail shape and profile significantly improved, but can not be rolled up. The systems common for mainsails, in which the sail is rolled into the mast, also require a mast with a large volume, which also has a negative effect on the aerodynamics.
In addition, the use of a partially rolled up sail leads to the fact that the sail is stressed unevenly and, in the long run, stretches (expands) more strongly in the rolled out areas than in the rolled up areas; the effect is reinforced by the fact that reefing is necessary in strong winds, which means that high wind pressure in particular has an uneven effect on the sail. A conventional headsail does not have the problem, since its sail area is not reduced by reefing or furling. With a conventionally tied up mainsail in a reefed state, the wind also has an uneven effect on the sailcloth, but its shape can overall be adapted more aerodynamically.
literature
- Joachim Schult: Sailing with furling systems. Delius Klasing , Bielefeld 1983, ISBN 3-7688-0446-1 .
- Harald Schwarzlose: Furling systems. Technology - sails - purchase advice. Delius Klasing, Bielefeld 1998, ISBN 3-87412-166-6 ( Yacht-Bücherei 124 ).
