Some sailors swear by the mainsail retracting system, others swear by them. Graham Snook tried his best to control the retracted mainsail

The retracted mainsail (left) within the mast has been significantly developed, with vertical slats allowing more cockroaches and better sail shapes. Credit: Graham Snook

The mainsail retracting system has made great progress.

The sail no longer needs to be wrapped around the boom, and the main sail inside the mast does not need to be the hollow, leaching, loose triangle we saw for the first time decades ago.

The roll-up mainsail system can now provide a larger sail area than traditional plate mainsails.

Nevertheless, every sailor with a slab reef knows a horror story about stowing in a mast or boom, which is enough to make them turn clearly, and those who have a slab reef will not go to sea if they don’t have one. .

There is no doubt that retracting the mainsail is becoming more and more popular, even for serious offshore cruise ships.

Wrongly retracting the mainsail can cause costly and potentially dangerous problems. Credit: Graham Snook

In 2018, 38% of circumnavigating vessels in World ARC retracted their mainsails.

Hallberg Rassy reports that almost all new owners who purchase vessels over 40 feet choose to put away the mainsail system, and Discovery reports a similar trend.

So, is the reputation of putting away the mainsail unfairly tarnished, are they more prone to user error, or has the system resolved the failure?

Whether you have a retracted mainsail on your boat or use one when chartering a boat, it’s worth knowing how to avoid the pitfalls of retracting the mainsail.

In an era when we expect everything to be simple and effective, it sounds attractive to lay down one rope and then pull another rope to make the mainsail appear or disappear, but what is the best way to stow the mainsail?

Is there a correct way to do this?

"Be careful," Jeremy White from Elvstrøm Sails UK replied. "They are mechanical systems and need to be operated correctly."

Whether you are using a boom or a mast, they all work on a similar principle, and anyone who has stowed Genoa will be familiar with it.

Inside the mast is a layer of aluminum foil to support the main sail. In the boom, the mandrel supports the bottom of the main sail; both the foil and mandrel rotate to wind up the sail.

Many problems with stowage in the mast are caused by the sail not being stowed correctly in the mast, the stowage is too heavy, or the sail is rubbing against the inside of the mast.

Many problems in prosperity are caused by uneven rigging of sails at one end or the other.

Each system needs to pay attention to many issues to ensure pressure-free winding.

If you buy a new ship that is "good value" and is equipped with sails, then please question how good these sails are.

Many original Dacron sails are manufactured at a price that allows you to sail on the water and let you sail, but they may not be built for longevity or performance unless you have specified them and know what you get.

Great progress has been made in retracting the mainsail design, improving materials, vertical slats and increasing sail area.

Many new mainsail reefing systems have a larger sail area than traditional windsurfing reefing systems.

But what should you look for when buying a new sail?

"No matter which sailing manufacturer you choose, use the highest quality materials you can afford," Jeremy suggests.

Buying cheaper canvas is a false economy because it stretches and you will leave a loose sail after a few seasons.

For example, a laminated sail (on a 45-foot yacht) may only stretch 15 mm during its useful life, but it may be as long as 15 cm on a polyester sail.

The extra sail must be rolled up in the same space as the new sail.

For those who want maximum sail area and sail support, full-length vertical slats are the way forward.

These support the leeches and provide a good intact cockroach. It is important that they support the sail at the entire height, which makes it rigid when stowed, while the shorter vertical cockroach slats will keep the sail in its The bottom is not supported, which can cause storage problems.

For those who don’t have a budget or don’t want to use modern materials for windsurfing, sails with hollow leeches still have many advantages over flat reefing systems, namely, easy reefing, the ability to accurately set the appropriate number of sails, and the simplicity even if you Indeed, some power was lost due to the smaller sail area and the imperfect airfoil shape.

If you want to make new sails, please consider coating them with silicone.

This helps the sail to slide on itself, making the curl inside the mast tighter.

If you look down from the top of the mast, the foil usually rolls onto the foil in a counterclockwise direction, that is, the unfolded sail comes off the starboard side of the foil, although it is worth checking your sail.

This is the key to making the mast retractable and working properly; trying to retract the port side tack will drag the full height of the sail over one side of the mast slot, increasing friction where there shouldn’t be any friction.

When you stowed, the starboard side fixed stowed can eliminate most of the friction.

Full-height slats can support larger cockroaches, but will make the rolled sail more bulky. Credit: Graham Snook

Whether letting the sail in or out, the first thing is to loosen the rear brace (straighten the mast so that the aluminum foil does not rub) and place the boat on the starboard side-the wind is slightly forward on the beam-this is the sail cleanly Enter the mast and the curler inside.

If the sail is stowed correctly, unfolding the sail is usually painless.

The yacht is on the starboard side, and the wind is in front of the beam, loosening the mainsail and sail.

Make sure that the stowed rope is released, and then use a large drag to pull out the sail.

When you are rolled up, it is easy to perform maintenance so that the sail does not sway, but it also does not fill up. Credit: Siostok

You don't need to control the reefing line, because there is no pressure on the sails even on windy days.

However, if you plan to be refrigerated, don't let it run uncontrollably. When the right amount of sail comes out, close the retracted rope. If you are stowed, please tighten the outer pull so that the sail has the correct shape (flatter when pulled in strong winds and close distances), then set the mainsail and sail and leave your sail.

In order to retract the sail, loosen the rear strut and place her on the starboard side. After the wind is slightly forward on the beam, loosen the main sail, then relax abduct and start to retract.

When you retract the sail, always look at the sail-you will be able to notice the problem when it occurs, not after you roll the one-inch-thick sail through a half-inch gap.

Having different colored lines can make your staff's work easier. Credit: Siostok

If your sail has full-length vertical slats, make sure that the first slat is parallel to the mast when entering, and if the sail is reefed, leave a slat outside the mast slot.

Maintaining too much tension during an overhaul will drag the foil in the mast, bending it and causing the sail to rub against the inside of the mast, creating friction.

Once you untie the slack of the sail, relax the overhaul and put away the rope again.

Try not to sway the sail, as this will also bend the foil and cause more friction.

Repeat the easy curling process until only the UV bar is displayed.

Sailing on the starboard side, the wind is in front of the beam so that it can be stowed away. Credit: Siostok

If you have laminated sails and they have been wet, try to dry them the first time.

If you encounter problems when using the rope to retract, don’t be afraid to use the winch handle to walk to the mast and retract the sails on the mast.

Try it another day, it's very easy.

If you have to do anything different, such as raising the boom or failing to pray to the god of retracting, it is worth checking in detail whether there is a problem with your system.

The first thing to check is to look inside your mast and how your system should be stowed.

If your retractable system has this option, place the winch handle in the retractable mechanism of the mast, and then turn it in the direction indicated to ensure that the sail enters the mast in the correct direction.

Clicking on the ratchet on the mast before stowing will ensure that it always rolls in the correct direction.

The biggest cause of the problem is the sail itself-its age and the material it is made of.

The stretch on the cloth makes the sail loose, and the retractable system will chew happily.

The rolled mainsail is flatter than traditional windsurfing sails because the belly to accommodate the sails is problematic.

Old or loose sails can cause paper jams, as insufficient rope tension can also cause creases. Credit: Siostok

Some older retractable manifolds may be made into an inappropriate full belly shape.

If your polyester sail has a deep belly, please consider buying a new sail because you will fight a losing battle.

When the abdomen is folded, it doubles the thickness of the fur, leading to unsightly and inefficient creases at best, and horrible sail jams or tears at worst.

Excessive cable tension can also cause the fabric to wrinkle; vertical creases in the sail cause the sail to fold on itself.

The vertical crease at the luff indicates that the cable tension is too high and there may be more obstacles. Credit: Siostok

To solve this problem, loosen the halyard until a horizontal crease appears at the love, then add just enough tension to remove it, although you may need to make adjustments in progress.

When the mast is bent, the inner foil remains straight; the rolled up sail will be restrained at the apex of the mast's bend.

If all this fails, it is worth calling an assembler to check the foil tension.

If this has become slack, when you roll up the aluminum foil, the aluminum foil will bend and rub against the mast.

The next thing to consider is to reduce friction.

Normally, the ropes connected to the retractor and the overhaul pass through various fairleads and stops on the deck and mast.

Move the deck organizer to provide a more relaxed turning angle. Credit: Siostok

Make sure that all the angles they must pass are as wide as possible-if not, consider moving them-and all pulleys and pulleys run smoothly.

Washing it well with fresh water and spraying it with a little dry lubricant can do wonders.

Unlike the mast retracting, the boom retracting system can be modified to replace the traditional flat-panel retracting.

However, for the retractable system within the boom to work effectively, it must overcome many problems.

First, let the crew watch the sail on the deck as it rolls up to spot any problems. Credit: Advanced Rigging and Hydraulics

First, the sail must be guided from the boom to the mast, but the bearings of the central spindle and the gooseneck fittings of the boom need to have space, so the entire sail must move back along the boom.

To solve this problem, many boom internal systems have a protruding track at the rear edge of the mast, while other devices have a reefing mechanism at the rear end of the boom, or sometimes you will find a combination of the two.

Regardless of the system, there is usually a flexible feeder to guide the sail from the boom into the mast track.

The drum at the outer end of the boom brings the main mast closer to the mast. Credit: Advanced Rigging and Hydraulics

As Andy Cross of Crusader Sails explained, another problem with the lifting of the boom is the bolt rope.

'The sail must use a bolted rope, and friction comes with it. Unlike Genoa, which can only be raised and lowered once in a season, the mainsail is almost always used, so the Raf belt must be strengthened.

Any wear or damage to the bolt rope also requires a new bolt rope along the entire canvas of the entire sail, as any repairs will quickly wear out and increase friction.

The necessary extra reinforcement at the canvas presents another problem: the extra fabric thickness at the front of the sail.

When closing, stop when the slat is just above the mandrel, and then close the closing line. Photo Credit: Graham Snook/Yacht Monthly

When the sail rolls around the mandrel, the sail material is more than the rest of the sail.

Raise the rear end of the boom slightly to allow the extra canvas at the canvas to roll at a speed that matches the leeches.

The angle from the mast to the top of the boom must be 87° to the mast and 3° vertically above.

The full-length slats on the main sail help stabilize the sail when the sail is rolled up, and the slat pockets have been attached to the sail to match the mandrel angle.

What makes the correct cantilever angle the most important part of the system is the thickness of the cloth at the sides and slats.

The necessary volume of the bolt cable makes the angle of the boom critical.

Get it right and your life will suddenly become a lot easier.

When the boom angle is correct, marking the vang is essential.

Some owners choose to use low-stretch materials such as Dyneema to make a zipline next to the truck, so the top lift can be pulled, and the zipline can prevent the boom from rising beyond its intended height.

When marking or limiting the angle of the boom, it must be easy to see by any worker, day or night.

“Before raising, lowering or retracting the mainsail,” explains Kim Petersen, a cantilever sail expert at Elvstrøm in Denmark, “get in the habit of always releasing the backstay tension-this will successfully straighten the mast and eliminate any squashing The tension of sailing—and then make sure the boom is at the correct angle—is very important.

When using an electric winch, be careful not to over tighten the halyard. Credit: Graham Snook

To raise the sail, after loosening the rear brace and adjusting the level of the boom, point the boat to the wind, loosen the main sail and retract the mainsail, ensuring that the ropes that are retracted when you raise the mainsail can run freely.

After setting, increase the tension of the rope until the horizontal crease at the tie rod just disappears.

If you don't need a full sail, just raise the sail until the nearest slat is on the mandrel.

The sailmaker cannot reef the sail at any position where the lower slats are installed, but strengthens the sail to withstand the rope load.

Not shrinking at these points means that an unreinforced area of ​​leeches may be needed to withstand the loads it was not designed for.

Each slat represents a cold storage point. Credit: Graham Snook

You will eventually be full at the foot of the sail, the leeches will be stretched, or the sail will be damaged.

If you need to flatten the sail for better pointing or in strong winds, use the take-up line without adjusting the tension of the halyard.

This will produce the same result as using cunningham to tighten the luff.

When lowering the sail, loosen the rear brace and set the boom at the correct angle.

Then it is best to remove all pressure on the sail by facing the wind.

Whether the sail is whipped or not is not important; the slats keep the sail rigid and support it when it is rolled up.

If there is any pressure on the sail, this will cause it to roll up unevenly.

When using boom reefing, you should maintain a good sail shape even in deep reefing conditions. Photo Credit: Graham Snook/Yacht Monthly

Unlike the mast retracting system, the sail is visible. In the boom internal system, everything happens on the top of the boom, overhead, and out of sight.

If you have a spare crew and are safe, send them to the mast to pay close attention to the sail, as it rolls up to prevent damage, at least the first few times the system is used.

Pull in the retracted rope and loosen the main sail slowly and steadily, but maintain a little tension.

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If the tension is too high, the sail will want to roll away from the mast; if you see a boom with a crease extending 45° from the bottom of the track, loosen the halyard slightly.

If the sail is rolled towards the mast, the tension needs to be slightly increased.

When the sail is rolled up, the Raf belt will naturally roll backward, then move forward and repeat this operation-all this is very normal.

Once the sail is fully lowered, if your system allows it, tuck the head into the boom and add the sail cover.

To release the reef when sailing, loosen the rear brace and set the angle of the boom.

In bad weather or when there is sea, it is best to use the top lifting device of the boom to fix the boom and prevent it from rising and falling when the yacht crosses the crest.

After stowing, cover the sail to prevent ultraviolet rays. Credit: Advanced Rigging and Hydraulics

If you can put the boat in the wind and release the mainsail to remove all the drives from the mainsail, you will find it easier; if the sail is whipped, it will be de-energized and can still be stowed.

Next, when the sail is retracted, slowly and steadily loosen the halyard while retracting the retracted rope.

Graham Snook is a marine photographer and journalist who has been testing yachts and equipment for more than 20 years. Credit: Graham Snook

Once you reach the position where the slats are on the mandrel at the top of the boom, leave the halyard and retract the sail until the slats are below the mandrel.

The pennant without reefing is used to secure and support the sail, and the load is transferred to the slats and surrounding cloth.

Because of this, it is recommended to use a stronger stretch-resistant fabric for the mainsail of the boom reel, such as polyester reinforced with Vectran or Dyneema or a strong cruising laminate.

No matter which mainsail retracting system you have or choose, take a moment to practice what works and which do not work on the system at your convenience. When you find that you really need to rewind, you will be rewarded.

The mainsail has a bad reputation in the past, but if used properly and with a little care, it has no reason to keep you from sailing trouble-free in the next few years.

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