Uh… what’s this?
- Jimmyt
- Admiral
- Posts: 3166
- Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 9:52 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Mobile AL 2013 26M, 60 Etec
Re: Uh… what’s this?
Yep. Ray's right. Looks like a furling boom rig. Could you give us a shot of the whole boom? That's the first one of that configuration I've seen on a Mac.
Jimmyt
P-Cub-Boo
2013 26M, Etec 60, roller Genoa, roller main
Cruising Waters: Mobile Bay, Western Shore, Fowl River
P-Cub-Boo
2013 26M, Etec 60, roller Genoa, roller main
Cruising Waters: Mobile Bay, Western Shore, Fowl River
-
- Engineer
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2022 7:54 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
- Location: Atlanta
Re: Uh… what’s this?
Sure. Next time I go out I’ll get more pics.
So does the sail wrap around the boom then?
Seems handy if you need to reed quickly.
So does the sail wrap around the boom then?
Seems handy if you need to reed quickly.
- Piddle and Futz
- Engineer
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:18 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Corpus Christi, Texas, 2005 26M, 50HP E-Tec
- Jimmyt
- Admiral
- Posts: 3166
- Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 9:52 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Mobile AL 2013 26M, 60 Etec
Re: Uh… what’s this?
Yes. If I'm correct, turning the crank should cause the boom to rotate, rolling the sail around it (or unrolling it if you turn it the other direction). Reef points are infinite, but reef quality (sail shape) will be somewhat less than conventional reefing. Also, mine has no provision for adjusting outhaul, under full sail, or reefed. Curious to see if yours has any outhaul considerations.
I have a different version on my M. It uses a furling line instead of a hand crank. Feeding the bolt rope into the slot, and getting the boom angle correct (via the topping lift), when hoisting and dousing is the tricky part. Once you get that dialed in, it should work fine.
It's a time saver when trailering, since the sail stays on the boom, ready to go...
[note: there are some extraneous lines on the boom at the drum in the first shot. One of my wind whispering buddies was trying to fiddle with it to change the sail shape. It actually works better if you don't fiddle with it and just make sure the main sheet is slack during the hoist.
Jimmyt
P-Cub-Boo
2013 26M, Etec 60, roller Genoa, roller main
Cruising Waters: Mobile Bay, Western Shore, Fowl River
P-Cub-Boo
2013 26M, Etec 60, roller Genoa, roller main
Cruising Waters: Mobile Bay, Western Shore, Fowl River
-
- First Officer
- Posts: 471
- Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 12:53 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Belle River Ontario
Re: Uh… what’s this?
Very cool setup..
just wondering does this work with a standard mac sail? Or is it a bit shorter.. as you have a "space" between the actual boom... and the roller?
(or can you just hoist a bit higher??)
AD
just wondering does this work with a standard mac sail? Or is it a bit shorter.. as you have a "space" between the actual boom... and the roller?
(or can you just hoist a bit higher??)
AD
- NiceAft
- Admiral
- Posts: 6157
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:28 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Upper Dublin,PA, USA: 2005M 50hp.Honda4strk.,1979 Phantom Sport Sailboat, 9'Achilles 6HP Merc 4strk
- Jimmyt
- Admiral
- Posts: 3166
- Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 9:52 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Mobile AL 2013 26M, 60 Etec
Re: Uh… what’s this?
Hoisting a bit higher is what I'm going to say; with one big caveat.
My boat came with the Inmon main furler, so the sail cut may have been altered.
I haven't measured the sail to see if it's "stock size".
The halyard knot is on the turning block at the top, so there isn't much room for error.
Jim
Jimmyt
P-Cub-Boo
2013 26M, Etec 60, roller Genoa, roller main
Cruising Waters: Mobile Bay, Western Shore, Fowl River
P-Cub-Boo
2013 26M, Etec 60, roller Genoa, roller main
Cruising Waters: Mobile Bay, Western Shore, Fowl River
- BOAT
- Admiral
- Posts: 4967
- Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60
Re: Uh… what’s this?
That's a gooseneck on the front of that boom there guys in chumpys picture. The worm gear furlers work at the mast.
The way those furlers work is you walk up to the mast to furl the main. As you turn the crank the bolt rope on the main rolls up on that narrow part on the boom.
You CAN NOT use a standard factory sail or standard batten sail with that furler nor can you use a regular sail on the Inmon furler which was only available on the M boat.
The S boat was probably retrofitted but if anyone has dealer information for S boats they might find a dealer that offered furling mains back in the days when S boat was in production featuring wormgear goosenecks. (A nice option if you can't get in-mast furling).
You need a custom main sail to furl. You also can't use sail slugs on a furling boom main. The best performing furling mains are mast fed, not boom fed. I don't think in-mast furling is a good option for the M or X boat because of the weight aloft.
An in-boom furler would be GREAT on M or X if a decent main sail design was available with good performance. Have not seen one yet for those boats.
Mastreb had the Inmon furler and he removed it after a year - I was offered the the same furler when I bought 'boat' from the factory but declined it. I suppose on a S boat or a D boat it's okay cuz those guys can point and the D boat is fast but the M boat is already too compromised to sacrifice the sail shape IMO so I declined the boom furler. It was a bit awkward because Captain Mike Inmon sold me 'boat' at the factory.
The way those furlers work is you walk up to the mast to furl the main. As you turn the crank the bolt rope on the main rolls up on that narrow part on the boom.
You CAN NOT use a standard factory sail or standard batten sail with that furler nor can you use a regular sail on the Inmon furler which was only available on the M boat.
The S boat was probably retrofitted but if anyone has dealer information for S boats they might find a dealer that offered furling mains back in the days when S boat was in production featuring wormgear goosenecks. (A nice option if you can't get in-mast furling).
You need a custom main sail to furl. You also can't use sail slugs on a furling boom main. The best performing furling mains are mast fed, not boom fed. I don't think in-mast furling is a good option for the M or X boat because of the weight aloft.
An in-boom furler would be GREAT on M or X if a decent main sail design was available with good performance. Have not seen one yet for those boats.
Mastreb had the Inmon furler and he removed it after a year - I was offered the the same furler when I bought 'boat' from the factory but declined it. I suppose on a S boat or a D boat it's okay cuz those guys can point and the D boat is fast but the M boat is already too compromised to sacrifice the sail shape IMO so I declined the boom furler. It was a bit awkward because Captain Mike Inmon sold me 'boat' at the factory.
Last edited by BOAT on Sun Dec 11, 2022 8:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Engineer
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2022 7:54 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
- Location: Atlanta
Re: Uh… what’s this?
I’ll post more pics tomorrow but does this means it’s not furling? If so what’s the point of the handle?
Thx!
Thx!
- BOAT
- Admiral
- Posts: 4967
- Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60
Re: Uh… what’s this?
Hey Chumpy - it is a furler.
You have a worm gear boom furler. I must assume your boat came with a custom cut main sail also.
-
- Engineer
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2022 7:54 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
- Location: Atlanta
Re: Uh… what’s this?
Hmmm. I haven’t even looked at the sails yet. What would tell me it was custom cut?
Thx!
Thx!
- BOAT
- Admiral
- Posts: 4967
- Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60
Re: Uh… what’s this?
The battens.
A regular sail will not roll up because the battens would prevent it - the battens on a regular sail are at different angles and they would be twisted an mangled if you tried to roll up the main but a furling main has battens set all at the same angle so they match the foot and can roll up.
Maybe Jimmy can send a picture of his sail so we can see the batten arrangement.