Some of the most common sail repairs and horror stories we receive have to do with roller furling jibs. They are a convenient solution to having to move around the deck under way packing and unpacking a sail, but from a sail makers perspective, the roller furler is a potentially hazardous solution. Most times, the sails are rarely handled and inspected because they almost never come down, so small problems and potential failures often go unnoticed until there is a complete blowout of the sail; possibly when you need it most.
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Back in 1975, my dad created a wind funnel to fit in an open hatch with the purpose of ventilating his boat. All you have to do is hang it from a halyard and the vanes in it allow it to funnel air from any wind direction if you're at anchor. It worked so well, that other cruisers and yacht owners began asking where they can get one for themselves. He reproduced the simple invention and sold a hundred or so out of a magazine from a company called Sail Services in San Diego. Years passed and demand for the ventilator dissipated but this last year we had a particularly hot summer, so he brought up his idea to improve on his old design and create a new wind funnel. Around the loft, they're known as The Ayr Vente. Over the year, there have been a couple different versions we tested out while hanging out and working on our boat in the harbor here and its a necessity on those variable light wind days.
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Cutter Spanier
I'm the apprentice sail-maker and the son of Barry Spanier, the head sail-maker at West Maui Sail and Canvas. Archives
February 2017
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