sun protection sock for roller furling jib

[chas5131]

Who makes a sock for the roller furling jib that could be raised to keep the sun off the jib when the boat is in a slip or on a trailer?

[slowshoes]

  Any sailmaker can add sun protective cloth to the leech of the jib so when the sail is furled, the cloth protects the sail. Alternatively, a canvas maker could probably sew up a cloth sock to protect the sail. I don't think you will find anything ready made, so you'll probably have to work with a canvas shop if you want a sock.

[Lafayette Bruce]

Check out Lee Sail Covers.  She does great work, has good prices and will custom make whatever you want.
http://leesailcovers.com/Jib_Sock.php
I personally like the Weathermax material she uses better than Sunbrella.
Lafayette Bruce

[Bob23]

I believe my sock is from ATN, if I remember correctly. My sailmaker supplied it when I bought my sails. It has some cool tensioning lines in it to minimize flapping in the winds. Pretty durable. I wanted that as opposed to sewn in sail cover material in the sail to mimimize the weight of the sail. I like it but it is more work than just rolling up the genny!
bob23

[skip1930]

Just have your sail loft sew on a UV strip. It covers the entire sail when furled. That's that dark strip along the edge of this headsail on Wind Rover and Comfort & Joy.

skip.

[chas5131]

Did not think about a sun protection slip.  Had one on my Tartan years ago.
My current marina is largely racing boats and I have not seen a strip like that for a while.
The J80s have a sock, which would be more to deal with, as mentioned.

[chas5131]

Ordered the sock from Lee Sails.   Have a racing background and don't want heavy cloth on the leech and foot of the sail.

[wes]

Chas - I felt the same way about the weight of a protective Sunbrella strip, but my sailmaker (Dirk at National Sail) had a great solution. They can make your jib with a sacrificial strip of Dacron sail cloth, same weight and color as the sail. No performance penalty as far as I can tell. It's designed to be easily removed and replaced after a few years when the sun eventually weakens it. It will not last as long as Sunbrella of course, but in my opinion the performance and appearance are worth it.

Wes

[chas5131]

Wes,
Will do that next time I order a headsail. 
Thanks,
Charley

[skip1930]

Actually my brown sun protection strip became a blown off rag after some spirited sailing into some really big wind.
Dropped the sail off at Doorsal in Sturgeon Bay and had the seamstress stitch it back on. Some $35 later, all better.

skip.

[Davo]

I made a sock, takes down in less than a minute, about 5 to put it back up when docking.  I love it, you won't regret it at all.  It is zippered all the way and I only wrap it with a bungee at the bottom below the roller furling lines and tension the bottom down to the pulpuit with another bungee, I've never had flapping issues with wind.

[chas5131]

Check out Lee Sail Covers.  She does great work, has good prices and will custom make whatever you want.
http://leesailcovers.com/Jib_Sock.php
I personally like the Weathermax material she uses better than Sunbrella.
Lafayette Bruce

Got it.   Like it.  Should have asked that it be a foot shorter.

[Lafayette Bruce]

How hard would it be to have a local alternations person shorten it up a little?  Maybe even take some off the top and bottom to get your shorter length, so as to not have to get into the zipper.
Lafayette Bruce

[JBC]

Chas, can you clarify if your roller furler is on a bow sprit?  (I had a furler on a MK I model, and obviously the forestay is a different length for MK II and after models, with the sprit).  Can you then share with us the length of the sock you ordered?  Thanks.

[chas5131]

The furler is on the bowsprit.  Ordered the Standard 18' sock, assuming the zipper lengths required that.  The last foot or so is velcro and could have been easily shortened.