![]() ![]() The second generation units that are now on the market have a lot more to offer. Despite the shortcomings of these early versions, top-down furling caught the interest of sailmakers and hardware designers. Both used a stiff torsion rope, but the CDI unit was troubled by its open drum configuration and tendency to let the furling line jump out of its slot. These are the early innovators in the realm of top-down furling. ![]() What we did discover was that it was a splendid approach to handling large-sail-area, lightweight sails off the wind.Īmong the units we tested in those earlier evaluations were Bamars Roll Gen and CDIs spinnaker furler. This approach was not appropriate for heavy genoas, or for that matter, upwind sailing in anything but the lightest of wind. The big upside was that it allowed these large sails to be hoisted and doused completely furled and completely under control. In these earlier tests, we noted that light-air sails could be made with a stronger bolt rope or luff tape and flown as well as furled without a rigid slotted foil. ![]() In many ways, these furlers are similar to the endless line, foil-less furlers used to roller furl straight-luff, light-air drifter/reachers and code sails ( PS, March 2008 and April 2011). Shorthanded cruisers can cut engine run times in half and double the pleasure of being under sail. By eliminating the loose nylon plunge toward the sea, spinnaker fire-drills can become a thing of the past. In no time at all, youre left with a snuggly rolled-up spinnaker, thats ready to be lowered to the deck and stowed away in its turtle or bag. The 1-2-3 process begins by steering a 90- to 120-degree heading to the apparent wind, easing the sheet and yanking away on the furling drum, which is driven by an endless loop. Spinnaker-dousing anxiety drops significantly. Furling involves a reciprocal approach: You simply wind up the sail and lower the halyard. During the hoist, the sail is fully furled, and once up, with sheets, run, and the crew at the ready, the sail can be easily unfurled via a tug on the sheet. The furling units that tame A-sails give us a chance to hoist a cloud of nylon under complete control. Test results and final ratings will be published in part two next month. In this, part one of a two-part series, well compare basic features. These systems are designed for nylon and other lightweight, off-the-wind sails dubbed A-sails, gennakers, asymmetric spinnakers, and other appellations referring to light-air, curved-luff sails. The newest crop of top-down furlers adds more than a new twist to headsail handling. The legacy is a new way to handle off-the-wind sailing in light air, plus an ability to ghost along efficiently on a close reach in those all-to-familiar five-knot zephyrs. What began in the esoteric big boat, big-budget racing arena has trickled down to club racers and is now being cross-decked to the cruising community. Sailmakers and roller-furler designers deserve energy-saver awards for their success in reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Photo courtesy of Quantum Sails all other photos by Ralph Naranjo ![]()
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