Roller Furling - backwards

I'll fess up to one (of many) of my blunders. We have a roller furling genoa. I thought one season it might be a good idea to end for end and wrap the furling line around the drum the opposite way to put a different strain on the line. Well, it appears that the UV protecting cover on the Genoa is only on one side of the luff. (It is also white like the sail.)

The whole summer that season the sail was being furled without any UV protection. When I took the sail off for the winter and was cleaning it I noted that there were several threads hanging and some small tears in the luff. I figured I better get the sail to the sailmaker. He said we had it furled with the non-UV protected side out. This resulted in a fairly costly sail repair job the following season. When I picked up the sail he had it clearly marked "This side out."

I left the sign on to remind me of my "stroke of brilliance." Regardless, it was a learning experience. It seems that one learns something new (or should) every day on a boat.

Pat
Holiday IP 38 #69
Jamestown, RI

I just delivered an IP460 where the dealer who had the boat on display did that for an unknown length of time. Like yours, it was white UV protection so difficult to tell. I was hired to move the boat from Florida to St. Thomas. You can guess where this is going, but I'll give you the punchline: Our jib shredded along the aft and lower edge within 24 hours of sailing, causing us a week's delay (waited for new sail as repair was not available).

The sail tore in 4 places and you could push your finger through any of that exposed area.

You are very lucky to have caught your mistake before more damage was done.

Thanks for sharing your story - I'm sure there are many boaters who can benefit from the lesson.

Cap'n Blaine