Sail folding..

[groundhog]

Is there an easy way for one person to fold a jib/genoa?
thanks,
gh

[Giulietta]

DO you have a forward hatch??

If you do I teach you a trick..

[Giulietta]

If you don't have a forward hatch, then normally the boat is small and just take the sail to a surface, and fold it there...or on the cockpit...

[Idiens]

Originally Posted by Giulietta

DO you have a forward hatch??

If you do I teach you a trick..

Yes. Please!

[Giulietta]

But..if you have one..

just throw the sail inside thru the hatch but leave the tack end outside.

You then hold the tack and make a cylinder, while you stand outside with one leg on each side of the hatch, and as you make the cylinder along the sail's luff (the part that slides up the mast) pulling more as you go...

Once you have made a nice cylinder with it..pull it outside, carefully as to not unrap it and fold the cylinder.

If the sail is small enough, do this while just standing up.

That's how we folded on the 470's at sea or when alone, because we launched from beaches and didn't want the sand in the sails.

If this was not clear I will make a drawing.

[Idiens]

I think I get the idea, I will try it soon. Thanks Alex.

[Giulietta]

Here are some drawings..

Step one

send the sail down the hatch, if it's a large sail, or simply keep it at your feet if its a small sail...






Pick up the tack end and with both hands start rolling the sail along the luff.
Remeber that as you roll the sail, one hand keeps holding the roll at the tack portion as you rotate the roll (the roll rotates). Not pull the sail around..rotate the roll.



Keep rotataing the roll slowly holding each turn, so the whole luff is in one of your hands..



keep doing till you have the head of the sail in your hand



Once you d, pull the roll out, and lay it on the floor deck or whatever you are..you can also do this inside if its wet outside.



You're done...

the beauty is it will never fold in the same spot, which is good for the sails.

I do this with my main sail, and that is one big sucker..

[Stryker72]

If there isn't a forward hatch do you still roll it before folding?

[NOLAsailing]

I roll my main, because of the battens, but I flake the headsails. I fold the headsails just like you would with two people, just walk back and forth and carefully smooth out the folds. It's not too bad and it's much easier off the boat.

[nolatom]

To answer your question, as succinctly as possible:

No.