In-Boom Mainsail Furling

[dave6330]

I saw an ad on boats.com for a mid-80's Endeavour 42 with a Hood boom furling system for the mainsail. Does anyone have any experience with this particular system?

Is this the infamous Stoboom system that Practical Sailor's article dissed?

"The sail entered and exited the Hood boom through a narrow slot in the top of the tube. For that and several other reasons Stobooms proved jammable. They were also fickle in terms of boom angle, and costly in terms of luff chafe." A little later, the article lays it out pretty plainly: "One overall conclusion is that, while Stoboom may have spoiled the boom- furling parade for lots of sailors, today's systems really work." (Article online at In-Boom Furling: Five Systems)

Assuming it is the Staboom, what would be needed to retrofit for slab reefing with either a good lazyjack or Dutchman system? Would the boom need to be replaced? What about the sail itself?

[sailingdog]

Dave—

it does sound like a Stoboom. The newer in boom furling systems generally are fairly wide open, not using a narrow slot, to help prevent jamming issues that the narrow slot creates.

You can probably use the same sail and just have them add reefing points to it. You'd need to add a gooseneck tack hook or go with a one or two line reefing system. The two line system is better IMHO.

As for lazy jacks. They're fairly easy to install yourself. I did this on my boat a couple seasons back and you can read about what I did here.

[St Anna]

I have a similar system (on the boat when purchased). I have a spacer in the mast track to allow the main to slide directly up. Heavy to put up unless I reel off a few metres before winding up the halyard, but easy to furl and I have thin but full battens.

When I need to change the main I will go for simple system with lazyjacks