Furler,Winter Storage

[Lorne Colish]

In the "great white north"where temperatures sometimes drop to -40F,I'm thinking that it's better to store the furler in a large coil indoors rather than strapped to the mast where it is exosed to high wind and extreme cold.And,If I decided to head to the Keys in January,I would carefully transfer the furler to the preheated van,and head south.
The CDI booklet suggests it is "best to strap the furler along the mast" for prolonged periods, and for short periods,"do not coil in a radius of less than 3 feet"
Any thoughts on "best" northern strategy would be welcome.

[craiglaforce]

In New Jersey, I've decided the winter arrangement I prefer is to keep the mast up and only cover the helm with the normal helm cover I always use.
This does several things.

1) keeps the furler straight and prevents additional kinks from settting in.
2) Keeps the cables from damaging the gelcoat.
3) lets me cover just the helm and autopilot.
4) lets the solar powered vent continue to operate.
5) makes it a little easier to get in and out of the boat.

Might even hoist a string of Christmas lights on a halyard to make a tree in the backyard.
But -40 is pretty cold. Maybe storing the furler flat along the mast in the down position, with a broom stick or 2X4 lashed to the front of the mast to support the excess furler length would be better to keep the furler from snapping in the cold.

[Harry van der Meer]

I take the sail off the furler and disconnect at the top. Then I strap the furler foil, with the drum as close to the foot of the mast, every two feet on the mast. I also remove all rigging, including the spreaders. I put a 8 ft 2x4 under the mast at the bow, raising the mast at the bow and bringing it to the same height as the mast crutch. I also put a support under the mast at the mast-deck plate. This will ensure that the mast can support a snow load. Then I cover the entire boat with a 30 ft tarp.

[Sloop John B]

Store the furler so that it's straight. If there's condensation or if for some reason you have to store it outside, take it apart and, of course, remove the foresail. I assume you have a basement or garage.

There are too many stories of kinked furlers. With your temperatures, it could snap trying to get it back to normal.

[Lorne Colish]

All good alternatives to consider for different situations.I 'm reluctant to cover the mast with a tarp as I did last year because it would always collect snowload in spite of my efforts to avoid it,mostly because of the stanchions.It would be easier to just to cover the deck and steering pedestal,leaving the mast uncovered .But I wouldn't leave the furler uncovered,so it has to go the garage(cold)or the Basement and would have to be coiled.
Being a retired guy, I like to have the option of heading south when it's cold,but moving that furler worries me.That's why I don't want to lash it to the mast.
Thanks for your input.

[Chip Hindes]

Storing it on the mast left up would make it pretty hard to haul it down to the keys. You know, power lines, bridges, and like that.

I stored mine outdoors, lashed to the mast one winter with the sail still on it; just waited too long to take it in before it got cold and snowed on; then I was afraid if I messed with it I might break it. It seems to have made it through OK.

Upstate NY, we don't get -40 here, but sometimes -15 to -20, though I don't recall how low we went the winter I left it out.

Usually I bring it inside and store it straight, in the attic. I have to bend it a little to get it around some corners, but it's never been a problem (except the time I didn't bring it in at all) even with the sail on. Attic is unheated. Though I'm sure there is some heat leakage into the attic from below which keeps it slightly warmer than outside, mostly it's just protected from sun, ice and snow. It would be easier for me to store it straight in the basement, which is heated, but since I leave the sail on and the basement is sometimes home to four legged critters...

If I had to choose whether to store it straight outside or coil it to store it inside, I'd leave it outside. I think it would be a particularly bad idea to leave it coiled for a trip to warmer climes, regardless of whether the transport vehicle is heated. From what others on the board have said, apparently it holds the set from coiling quite a long time, and can take several days, a week or more in the sun to straighten it out once you uncoil it.

I looked at the numbers and at just under 26' it might be possible to store it inside the boat. Obviously you'd have to feed it in through the forward hatch, and bend it to get it in. Wouldn't be good if you had to haul it to the Keys that way, though.

How about this wild idea for protection: Get three 10' lengths of PVC and two couplings and make yourself a tube case. Don't know the furler size, but I'm guessing 2" would work. Tie wrap five or six pieces of appropriate sized pipe insulation foam or maybe some pieces cut from one of those swim noodles at intervals along the furler to center it inside the tube, then just slide it in and strap the case to the mast. You can cap the mast end. With a 2" to 6" bushing, a 6" coupling and a screw on plug, you might even be able to build a bulge at one end for the drum.

[Lorne Colish]

Pretty cool idea,Chip,although the foam which is an important part of the plan might be tough to work with,but you got me thinking.
How about using a roll of that packing plastic stuff that's used to wrap and waterproof boxes on wooden pallets before shipping.It would hold it tight to the mast and keep it dry.
It's clear that nobody likes the idea of coiling it. Might cook it though in the southern sun?

[waternwaves]

rather than carrying another pole to support the extended forward portion furler (carrying a 150 genny) when trailering or storing, I installed a quick connect locking carabiner to hold the head of the furler/sail to the top of the mast, on an stainless eyebolt in the top bolt hole. and I clip the foot (roller) to the bottom set of holes on the pulpit, then wrap the furler lead to hold the furler tight to the mast. Fits perfect with no bow in the furler, only takes a moment to unclip and put it inthe correct position at launch. The weather sock/sleeve I have seems to do an alright job on UV protection, but mildew is the big issue here, and is a bear to remove from those dark poly fabric sleeves without staining the material. This year I think I will leave the mast above the protective tarp winds get pretty mean, and I am really only worried about the fiberglass, and that tent catches a lot of air.

I dont have a lot of snow here, more a pine needle problem ,but I remove the furler for winter, and store it straight. under the porch eve. I kind of figure with more wind in the winter if I do take it out the smaller jib is fine.

If I was going to put a tube case for the furler, I would integrate it into the tent ridgepole over the boat.

If I lived another 100 miles north, I would full tent the boat.

[kenny]

Lorne, I think it fully depends on whehter or not you want to trailer the boat in the winter.
I leave mine rig fully up all winter, west of Calgary, at -40 of lower, with very strong winter winds. Just remove the sail and store indoors. i've done this for 3 winters, with no problems.
Also I leave the stock battery in the boat, with a 5 watt Solar panel attached. The first winter I checked it on and off; never after that and my battery is still good. The panel, from Cdn tire, willl literally provide some output even under 4" of snow. I have mine bungied to the table in from of the helm.
If not moving it, I've found this to be the best and simplest way to go.

Last year, due to some unusual conditions, I left my main on for 3-4 months. Did no damage to the mainsail cover but seemed to weaken the small tie.
I leave the boat fully uncovered, after seeing what wind on tarps flapping can do to the finish of the boat.
R
Ken

[Jim]

I take the sail off and strap the furler to the mast with with a series of half hitches using the jib halyard.I strap a 2x2 to the mast to support the drum and cover it it with a heavy plastic bag.Then tarp the whole boat. Done it since I bught it in 96 and had no problems.

[RandyMoon]

My boat sits on the trailer over the winter, within spitting distance of the lake. In Kansas, it can get cold, wet and nasty during the winter. On good weather winter days (we do get some nice stretches of "warm" weather), I would like to run it down to the lake and and cruise if I want to. ["warm" winter weather in Kansas = winter in Tampa]

So I would like to keep the mast up and the furler/sail attached, ready to go. If I were to cover the furler and attached jib with plastic sheeting and make the whole thing waterproof, what is the downside of doing that?

What is the worst thing that can happen?

[Jeff S]

I'm thinking that it's better to store the furler in a large coil indoors rather than strapped to the mast where it is exosed to high wind and extreme cold.

CDI says not to recoil the luff once you have uncoiled it. My luff was damaged through probably mishandling in the past by PO during transportation that also caused premature failure of the forestay. The kinks developed cracks so I had to replace the luff extrusion. They do guarantee their products if you are the original purchaser as long as you make a reasonable attempt to take care of it.

Jeff S

[Hubert]

I also live in the great white north and do the same as Harry, disconnect the top and move the furler up the mast so the drum is at the base of the mast. I then lash it to the mast using the halyard.
Hubert