folding sail for storage

[hinmo]

hi - how do I fold or roll my jib for winter storage (real small, 110 for a CP16). It has a furling tape on it. The tape does not want to fold,. Do I have to roll it lengthwise? That's a little large for storage....any ideas? thx

[HeaveToo]

Fold it.

To pack a jib you fan fold it but try to keep the head and the tack on the same line.  Once you fan fold it then start folding from the clue.  That way when you bring the sail out on deck you have the head and the tack in the right spot to attach it and then roll the clew back. 

http://commutercruiser.com/how-to-flake-a-sail/

[JBC]

I have a new 110 furling jib with # 6 luff tape.  It came from the sailmaker flaked and folded.  When I pulled it off the furler luff and put it up last week, I chose not to repeat the folds, as I have worried about continuing to crease a sail over and over again in the same way.  Instead, working from the foot, I brought the clew over to the tack, and then folded the new "clew" end over to the tack one more time, then gently rolled the sail loosely from the foot to the head of the sail, tucking the sail in here and there as I rolled.  It makes a bundle of about 20 inches by 10.  Not hard to store that size.  It will go in the bag sent along with the sail.  My furler is a CDI, so this may not work with other sail/tape configurations, but in my case it works just fine for winter storage.

Jett

[hinmo]

Jett = the luff tape is rather rigid and it does not lend itself to folding nor rolling. I guess I will try a large diameter roll and see what happens

[ChuckO]

As much as possible, I have always rolled sails instead of folding as it eliminates creases and even though they take up more space I feel they store better.

This year I started a new method of rolling the sails around a large (4 inch) pool noodle.

I leave the mainsail on my CP-16 attached to the boom and roll it, starting from the "Head" of the sail.  Once it is rolled I attach the rolled bundle to the boom with sail ties or bungees.


Works for me !

ChuckO'
CP16-2 Carpe Diem
Charleston, SC

[JBC]

Hinmo, your sail luff tape does seem very rigid, from your description.  So forgive me for asking: did you remove the jib from the pvc luff, which is what the CDI flexible furler has, or do you have a different furling system?

[hinmo]

yes - its off the luff, it is a CDI FF1.

[JBC]

It seems then that sailmakers must use different internal tape line materials, some stiffer than others.  The internal line in the luff tape on my 110 jib is fairly flexible.

[hinmo]

i rolled it up best i could, its a small sail with stiff tape, so it is rather messy to roll. Good enough, I'm no fanatic
thanks all

[skip1930]

Both the head sail and main sail are spread out on the grass and 'flaked' loosely, not rolled, not folded, even keeping the batten and head sail sheets in place.
Then the sails are slipped into there bags in a back room in my house for the winter.

skip.

[hinmo]

Both the head sail and main sail are spread out on the grass and 'flaked' loosely, not rolled, not folded, even keeping the batten and head sail sheets in place.
Then the sails are slipped into there bags in a back room in my house for the winter.

skip.

i'm not doing a good job describing it, but I flaked it head to tack for two folds, then its a long (10ft?) 1 ft (?) wide bundle. Then I have to roll it because the tape does not want to fold. It is in a sailbag with other sails in the house

[kickingbug1]

    my jib is on a furler without tape so it is always rolled (make sure its dry). the main i always roll and put it in a long bag that my wife made. i have always trailer sailed and never store my main flaked on the boom like some others do. the main is rolled pretty loose and the battens are kept in. in the winter i store it in the basement hung from the floor joists. looks like a big cocoon.