Re: Furls v Hanks

David & chardy Lang (chrdvd@gte.net)
Wed, 3 Nov 1999 23:16:39 -0800


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Bill,

On a p19 I might agree with you but on a p15 and my size its not even
an option going forward. If I just used the jib I would use a downhaul
(thats what I do now)but in Southern CA. you can run into light winds. I
have seen it 5 to 10 knots often and rarely exceeds 15 (rarely does not mean
never).the Genoa and CDI is worth the risk to me. Of course now that I say
this my first time out will be in 30 knot winds and the darn thing will jam!

Happy Sailing, Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Combs <ttursine@earthlink.net>
To: wwpotter@tscnet.com <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Date: Wednesday, November 03, 1999 10:31 AM
Subject: Furls v Hanks

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> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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>Now that the fuss is abating, my (not necessarily 'the') final word on
>headsail attachment.
>
>With crew, I've been up on the foredeck when a sane person wouldn't be --
>it can be a kind of terrifying fun, like a berserk amusement park ride --
>but alone, I just can't take the chance, even with a harness. There are
>times when I absolutely do _not_ want to go to the foredeck. This is true
>almost exclusively because I am often all alone, sailing far from anything,
>land included.
>
>Furlers can fail with the headsail exposed, a massive bummer if a super
>squall is upon you. My simple downhaul can only fail if the line breaks, an
>extremely unlikely occurrence -- and one which can in any case be overcome
>oh-so-quickly by popping the top 1/3 of my body out the front hatch and
>clawing down the sail.
>
>For me, it's a no-brainer. I can't take the chance of using a furler, even
>if they _can_ reef efficiently (which I'm gonna have to see, as that goes
>against everything I've yet experienced, although admittedly that
>experience is with bigger sails on bigger boats).
>
>Different strokes and all that.
>
>Regards,
>
>Bill Combs
>WWP 19 #439 (Aug 1987)
>"Ursa Minor"
>Fort Walton Beach FL
>ttursine@earthlink.net
>