DRAGONFLY Trimarans User Forum

After a recent dumping of the asymmetric in the briney at 14knts, and subsequent shedding of it as we tried to get pull it in, I'm in the market for a new one.

Does anyone have experience of a roller reefing Asymmetric, or/and Screecher (spl?)?

Any update on this topic?? Anyone? Roller furling the genniker would be great!


Phil

I'm sure you mean roller furling, not reefing. I've got a single line roller furling gennaker on my 920;- drum at end of bowsprit. Came with boat when I bought her second hand.

Because fabric of these kind of sails is relatively thin/light, you need lots and lots of rotations to roll the sail, and this in turn means loads of line on the drum. This in turn necessitates thin line, and lots of it. Sometimes, in fact usually, results in tangles and hassle.

If i were buying from scratch, I'd definitley use a continuous line furler. I know they are more expensive, and would be more difficult to install, but well worth the extra IMHO.

Hi Mal,

Thanks for the reply - I was certainly asking about roller furling. I can see the argument for continuous line furling.

Does the sail just furl round itself? Can a standard asymmetric be used or does it need to have some additional material or ???? at the luff?

Phil

Hi Everyone

We have recently purchased our 800 (May 2013). She came with a traditional Symmetric and a furling code 0.

The Symmetric is difficult to use without a pole although deep downwind it has proved useful.

The code 0 is rigged on a continuous line and is certainly easy to deploy and furl. However because you need a tight luff on the sail to furl properly this means the sail lacks real pulling power. A proper Asymmetric with decent fullness and curve in the luff "shoulder" would I'm sure give much more power and is probably going to be one of our first purchases over this coming winter.

Also you must make sure that you tie off the furling line securely otherwise it is possible for the sail to accidentally deploy when you are not suspecting it.

I guess this just confirms that it is not possible to get everything we want from one sail. It really is all down to personal preference as to what you consider best for sailing downwind.

David

Hi David,

Thanks for the feedback. There seem to be a handful of new 800 owners around the Solent, which is useful. Did you buy the one in Brittany by any chance?

Since posting this I've found out a little more about the top-down furlers, or continuous line furlers. They have a 'torsion rope' that stretches between the top and bottom swivels, but not attached to the sail. This effectively drives the top swivel and the sail furls around it.

Our boat came with a couple of asymetrics and being able to deploy and strike easily would make them so much more usable for short handed sailing. I can see some stressful family situations being avoided!

Phil

You need a wire sewn into the luff for assymetric to work on a furler. Don't know what sailmakers use;- maybe can be done with Dyneema or similar these days?

Ask your friendy local sailmaker.

No problem furling an assy. What you need is an anti-torsion line to furl around either with a top-down furler like this from Selden: http://www.benns.se/gennakerfurler-gx15 ... c-110.aspx or with a bottom-up furler with an intermediate furling line to middle of luff like on this film on Facnor site: http://www.facnor.com/uk/products/asym_ ... efault.asp

Mal wrote:You need a wire sewn into the luff for assymetric to work on a furler. Don't know what sailmakers use;- maybe can be done with Dyneema or similar these days?

Ask your friendy local sailmaker.

Hi Mal,

This link http://www.allspars.co.uk/news/46/51/Ka ... furler.htm shows that the anti-torsion rope can be separate from the sail. There must be different types/systems around.

Wouldn't sewing a wire into the luff change the sail characteristics...? I guess in light winds it might be a problem.

Phil

No wire or torsion line in the luff. For a gennaker it should be separate from the sail. Otherwise it's no gennaker shape. Normally a gennaker for furling are a bit more flat than a non-furling for easier furling but with the Facnor trick you can furl also a deeper sail without problem. On my DF800R the code 0 with torsion line in the luff (racing laminate cloth) is 31 m2 and the gennaker (nylon) is 71 m2.

For spinnakers and asymetric spinnakers - gennakers there are snuffers. Simpel, fast and easy to handel.

My view is that, the snuffer is better way of getting the sail out of the vind.

Hi Christian,

Indeed - I'm also looking at snuffers. Possible not so good for racing as there is extra windage up high, but for cruising it may be a good option.... Thanks.

Phil