A new in-boom furling system has been hailed as the solution for fast and efficient
reefing and mainsail handling when sailing single-handed or short crewed.
Using the Hi-Low system, as the mainsail is hoisted,
reefed or lowered, it is rolled inside the boom, which provides
secure and protective stowage.
It is claimed that sail shape is always
uncompromised and sailing performance is improved by
using a fully-battened sail.
Unlike in-mast furling, the reefed
sail weight remains low down to minimise pitching and
rolling. And the system eliminates another problem with in mast furling - then the sail can become jammed and cannot be lowered and stowed.
The Hi-Low system can be retrofitted to almost any yacht and
is said to be suitable for most types of sailing boat from 20 - 40' in overall
length. It is easy to fit without the need for unstopping the rig.
No more packing the main with sail ties or going on
deck to reef or stow the sail, say the makers. And no more blocked views from the
lowered mainsail when entering the harbour or mooring.
Hoisting and reefing is performed from the comfort and safety of the cockpit. And another claimed benefit is that the sail will last longer and perform better because it doesn't get creased.
The system's benefits are such that two leading
specialists - HYS Rigging and Doyle Ssails - have
combined forces to offer a complete turn-key package.
Of course roller reefing booms are hardly a new idea. A few years back a system where the mainsail was reefed by rolling round the boom was commonplace, but was superseded by what was then known as “jiffy reefing” - slab reefing, which provided a much better sail shape, with better outhaul tension, and also overcame the problem of having to remove the kicker etc when the sail was reefed. (Remember the “reefing claw” which was used to reattach the kicker round the rolled up reef?)
The Hi-Low system solves this problem because instead of reefing round the boom, the sail is rolled round an extrusion inside the boom, which means that the kicker and other fittings remain in place and operational when the sail is reefed.
The Hi-Low hardware comes complete inside a new boom, which is fitted with adjustable outhaul, kicker and gooseneck toggle. A special sailcloth luff track completes the
package. Additional fittings to the deck, leading the halyard
and reef line aft to the cockpit can also be fitted.
In boom reefing has a number of significant advantages over in mast furling: notably
better sail shape and therefore sailing performance, lower centre of gravity, and in the event of a system jam, the sail can still be lowered.
However, on bigger boats, it takes more effort to hoist an in-boom reefing sail than to unfurl a sail from in-mast stowage.
The other disadvantage of the Hi-Low system is obviously having to replace existing boom and mainsail. However, more than 300 systems have already been fitted in Europe, and customers are said to be well satisfied.
Cliff Dance, from Hamble, says: "I had a Hi- Low system fitted to my Westerly Centaur and it's great. It has changed my sailing. Now I can manage the boat easily by myself. If my wife comes out with me she handles the system herself. And the sail shape is really good. The battens support it. When it comes out of the boom it has no creases"
