The roller furling system offers the single most effective way of exactly matching the amount of sail area to the amount of wind. The boat will sail very well with the jib or genoa completely rolled up, partially unrolled, or completely unrolled to full size. The sail keeps it’s shape no matter how much is rolled in. It is particularly useful when sailing into the wind. If the wind becomes too strong, and the boat is leaning too much, simply roll up some headsail and ease the pressure on the rig. In many situations, the boat will actually sail faster with less sail. All this can be done from the cockpit, and it is not necessary for anyone to go to the foredeck to reduce sail area.
This system consists of a tough plastic extrusion that slips over the headstay, and a hardware system for rotating the furling extrusion. The leading edge of either the jib or genoa slides into a groove on the rear side of the extrusion. By pulling on a line that leads back to the cockpit, the extrusion can be rotated, rolling up the jib or genoa just like a window shade is rolled up on it’s roller.
In areas where winds are generally heavy, skippers will usually keep the jib on the furler. In light wind areas, the genoa will be attached. It takes only a few minutes to switch the sails on the furler.
