Flaking the Sail

[reedtg3]

To break the 10 day fast on this forum, I pose the following question:  Is there a preferred way to flake the* sail on a Suncat?  It may be that my sail is still too stiff, but I have trouble folding it on the main boom neatly.  Also, how do you stabilize the gaff boom when it is stored?  Has anyone built a gaff boom crutch that rests on the flaked sail?  Yes, I know I should be sailing this time of year, but it has been very hot here in central Florida.  Tom Scott says that this is the time of year Floridians focus on heavy maintenance.     
*by your leave, Captain
Tom Reed, CP 17 SC 377, Cattail

[capt_nemo]

Tom, the mainsail doesn't really have to be stored that "neatly". I just fold the sail back and forth stacking it on the boom being careful not to bend or otherwise damage a batten. (The sail cover is large enough to cover everything with room to spare.) Then I secure it with ball-bungies which I find to be much more effective than sail ties. The outboard or free end of the gaff boom is "stabilized" on the boom with a ball bungie as well, the rest of the gaff often being covered by folded "flaked" sail cloth held down by bungies. No need for a gaff boom crutch.

When it is time to raise sail, with the topping lift already tightened for the boom end to safely clear the gallows, I remove all bungies except the one holding the end of the gaff. Then I make sure that both throat and peak halyards are running free and snugged up slightly in the cams. Then I release that last bungie holding the gaff end and proceed to hoist the mainsail.

capt_nemo

[GretchenG]

I think I know what a ball-bungie is, but want to confirm.  Is it a light bungie cord made into a loop with a large bead on it, so you can loop the bungie end over the bead and secure the sail?

[capt_nemo]

Gretchen,

YES, you described it perfectly.

The major advantage is that you don't waste time or energy tying a slipping reef knot (square knot with quick release loop) to secure the sail tie.

By the way, I recently saw a small trailerable sailboat with ball-bungies used through reef cringles instead of lines to secure the excess sail to the boom when reefed. Interesting concept, again with the BIG advantage of not having to tie in a reef knot while trying to balance yourself on a pitching and rolling boat. Don't know if or how they were secured in some way to remain fixed in place "at the ready" but I really like the idea. Will have to give it a try in the near future.

capt_nemo

[crazycarl]

when your sail is new to almost new is the best time to "train" it to flake properly.

if you store the sail on the boom, flake it properly, secure it, and cover it.

if you store it indoors, find an area large enough to flake it, and store it this way.

the sail will take on this shape and after awhile will drop into the flaking position easier. 

i had new sails made at the end of the season once and stored them over the winter this way.  the next spring the sails behaved and fell into position with ease.

some people will mark their sails with a "p" or "s" for port or starboard or place a dot of red or green at the fold so they flake them the same way each time.

carl

[tmorgan]

Lazy Jacks are the best thing I found for making it easy to raise, lower and store the sail on my Suncat.  I use sail ties because those ball bungees have hit me once to often and they hurt!