Mine came from the factory with a Dutchman system. While not perfect, overall, I think it works better than lazy jacks, which tend to catch the ends of battens if you're not directly into the wind when raising the main. My C30 had lazyjacks, and I solved that problem with some shock cord attached to them, to pull them toward the mast when they were slacked off.

I have never used a furling main, so can't comment on using one. But I find that handling the main is a piece of cake compared to a tall rig 150% genny, which takes a lot of work to sheet tight in any kind of breeze. And furling it in a blow isn't easy either. When I replace it, I'll probably go with a 130 as I'm turning 60 this year, and need to lower that effort a bit. I was twice unable to furl the jib in a blow, once with a halyard wrap, once with a broken furling line (most unpleasant).

I do need to reduce the friction in the slab reefing system for the main, something that's high on my list of things to do. Otherwise, the non-furling main has worked fine for me.

However, that's just my opinion, others opinions and experiences may be different.

Agree with Gary about the Dutchman system, we have it and it works well. Had lazy jacks on our last boat and they can be a PITA. Have used stackpacks on charters, they are common on charter boats, very easy to use I guess that's why they're on charter boats. Don't know if I'd ever have one on our boat though, seems overkill when the Dutchman works as it does.

I have had a Dutchman and liked it fine, but I really llike the Stackpack. In my opinion, the raising and lowering of the sail is not the differnce maker.

For me, its the ease and quickness of putting the mainsail up after a sail (and usually by myself). It gets HOT in Georgia during the summer and its no fun on a hot dock. With the Stackpack, I just drop the mainsail, a little quick flaking, then zip it up and go! It doesn't get any easier....no sail ties, no getting the mainsail cover out from wherever you store it, or puttting the cover on and around the Dutchman lines...

I'm guessing that an important benefit of Stackpack-type systems to charter companies in the Caribbean, Florida and other hot locales, beside the ease of flaking the sail, is the ease of covering it. Here in the high latitude Pacific Northwest the sun isn't the destructive force that it is down south, and I sometimes leave my sail cover stowed for the length of a trip, ie days at a time. But in the sunny south the sun can kill a sail.

I like my Dutchman for flaking the sail, but handling the sail cover is a detestable hassle.

I'm getting older and much of my sailing is solo. I was thinking of getting a trawler until I sailed with a roller furling main. For me, it's the only thing that allows me to keep sailing. I often prefer to sail in heavy weather and I've had no problems at all in sailing 25 to 30 knot winds and 8 to 10 foot seas. Dutchman is nice, but you still need to climb around on deck. I never go on deck unless I'm running the chute.

Another factor is the autopilot. A wheel pilot is a great assistance in fair weather, but cannot keep up at all points of the wind in heavy weather. I upgraded to a good below deck system and find that helps a great deal with solo sailing.

G. Jackson

Lazy Jacks Trick

Many folks complain about full battens getting caught up when raising the mainsail. They then spend a lot of time moving BOTH sides of the lazy jacks to the mast.

We developed an easier way with our lazy jacks.

We have a small cleat on the forward starboard side of the boom. When we put the halyard on the headboard, we move ONLY the starboard side of the lazy jacks forward and snug them under the forward side of the horn of this cleat.

Then, when we raise the mainsail, instead of going exactly head to wind, we bear off a tad to starboard so the wind is coming from the port side of the bow.

We then raise the mainsail and it doesn't get hooked on the lazy jacks even though the port side jacks are still there.

Been working for 13 years.

Yes, we have to go forward again to unhook the starboard lazy jack for dousing the sail, but there's never any hurry.

So, for those of you with lazy jacks, consider doing only one side.

Your boat, your choice.

Greg, is yours a mast or boom furler? I've often thought that, if I were to retrofit a furler to my boat, it would be a boom furler.

I hear you on the autopilot. My wheel drive ate the gears last fall. Shipped to Raytheon for the flat rate repair. 3 weeks to get it looked at, another week or so to get it shipped so a month without it. That was not fun. And you're right, it's just about useless in any sort of heavy weather, especially when the wind is aft. A below decks pilot will be my next big purchase.

I single hand a lot and put in the North Sail version of a sack pack. Yup the battens can be a problem, but usually not too much. So, in the bang for the buck category I like my set up and would do it again.

[QUOTE=plaineolde;12074]Greg, is yours a mast or boom furler? I've often thought that, if I were to retrofit a furler to my boat, it would be a boom furler.

I hear you on the autopilot. My wheel drive ate the gears last fall. Shipped to Raytheon for the flat rate repair. 3 weeks to get it looked at, another week or so to get it shipped so a month without it. That was not fun. And you're right, it's just about useless in any sort of heavy weather, especially when the wind is aft. A below decks pilot will be my next big purchase.[/QUOTE]

I have an original equipment mast furler. I checked into a boom furler upgrade and found it would cost $20,000 which pretty much kept me looking at boats that were designed for mainsail furling. There are quite a number of details in getting the geometry correct, as a furling mainsail is a different shape than a regular one (clew is higher and boom isn't a right angle to mast). I also felt that getting an original equipment furler, done by a naval architect instead of some marina guy, was going to be better.

That prejudice did make my shopping more difficult. There were a bunch of C36 boats in the Great Lakes at the time, but none with mast furling. That forced me to go boat shopping on the east coast. Shipping the boat to Lake Michigan added $7000 to the cost.

My two cents.....I installed a stack pack last spring. Reminds me of the joke about the moron who kept hitting himself in the head....felt so good when he stoped! Well, I feel the same way about the stack pack should of gotten one years ago....yeah, came with lazy jacks which have their issue but when I drop the sail it just collapes into the stack on the boom and I zipper it up. No ties, no struggling with getting the sail up on the boom, no sail cover to install, and it is so much neater. I single hand most of the time and before I got an automatic furling system I wouyld get the stack pack!

I have been a Catalina owner since 1982, several boats, Dutchman, Stackpack and lazy jacks. My 2002 Catalina 34 has in mast furling and after 6 years of sailing I would not buy a large boat without the furling. Easy to use, no going forward to fold and cover. New Catalina's all come standard with in mast furling; resale should also be higher. My opinion only!

Dave, I'm with you. I would not own a sailboat w/o in mast furling. I know a purist would never consider this option but the reality is simply this - it makes sailing so much easier. We were on the water yesterday and had a delightful time sailing and I happen to sail past another guy who was wrestling with his lazy jacks. I guess no one ever told him to get into the wind to make it easier to control and douse the main.

BTW DaveDeAre, you might want to consider adding a signature block on this forum. It makes it easier for others to respond to your questions or posts knowing what year and options you have on your boat.

[QUOTE=blair;12091]Gary,

that sounds like a pretty cool set up.
do you have a ballpark idea on how much something like that costs?[/QUOTE]

Blair, In looking this string up again I realized I had not answered your question. The cost on this was around $1500 for the stack pack and the lazy jacks installed by Hallet Sails
Gary