synthetic rigging and roller furler

[Andy Schell]

My solution to the furler issue to not to have one at all. I'm setting up my 35' yawl for offshore work, and plan on rigging with synthetics, and doing it as follows:

-on the bow, I'll have a 100% working jib, hanked on with either bronze or 'softie' hanks, onto a synthetic forestay
-on a synthetic inner forestay, I'll have the same setup, with either a staysail genoa, or a storm staysail. Most likely when heading offshore I'll leave the storm sail permanently hanked so it's ready to go instantly.
-Just inside the forestay, I'll have a 180% genoa rigged on a continuous line furler, independent of the forestay. This can stay rigged in normal conditions, dropped on deck when not needed. Even better would be to rig this on a bowsprit, if I had one.

I consider this the best setup for an ocean-going boat - three sails, ready to go, including a storm sail, with no need to hank on and off sails, and a furler that is independent from the forestay. Just recently before the Carib 1500 cruising rally, a Hylas jammed their conventional roller-furler with the sail half in, half out, and struggled with it for two hours. The end result? - The entire forestay came tumbling down on deck from the strain they'd put on it using the winch trying to unjam it, and the mast would have followed but they had an inner stay. Thankfully it was only on the Chesapeake, but it made my mind up.