The Flexible Furler ranked #2 in quality
of reefing performance in the 1996 Practical Sailor owners survey, just one percentage
point out of first. Our customers felt we were better than Furlex, Harken, Schaeffer
and Profurl. (There have been no other furler owner surveys since 1996.)
SAIL SHAPE
When you reef your sail, the amount of cloth rolled up is the same at the top
and bottom as it is in the middle. Because of the shape built into the sail,
rolling the sail will leave an increasingly large belly in the middle of the
sail. The amount you can reef and still have an acceptable shaped sail varies
depending the flatness of the sail and whether or not there is a padded luff.
In most cases, reefing to approximately 70% of the original LP (a 150% genoa
becomes a 105% genoa) is about as much as you can do. If you don't care about
the shape of the sail (if, for example, you are sailing with the wind aft of
the beam) you can reef more.
If you anticipate reefing frequently, your sailmaker may advise you to add reefing features to your new or existing sail. (See Sail Conversion.)