Q: As an older cruiser looking for a new boat, is in-mast furling right for me?

Rob K.
Seattle Washington



A: The invention of in-mast furling was a real godsend for helping to tame the mainsails on larger boats. What could be nicer than reefing from the safety of the cockpit? The trade-offs are numerous. In order to wrap up neatly, the sails need to be very flat with a deep hollow cut out of the leech. This means making the sail smaller and less powerful. It also means giving up nearly all means of controlling the shape of the sail. The larger mast section, along with the furling extrusion, swivels and sail add to weight aloft, which will make a boat less stable by reducing its righting moment. Some boats (like Little Harbors) were designed to carry this weight aloft, and others were not.

Some more recent options are in-boom furling units. The advantages of these include less weight up high, larger sails with horizontal battens, and the ability to drop a sail, even if a jam-up has occurred. If repairs are needed, they will be much closer to deck level.

If you are planning longer passages or travel to more remote areas, the simplicity of slab reefing should be considered.



Q: If I'm buying a used boat, do I need a survey? How do I find a reputable surveyor? Who pays for the survey?

Todd G.
Pittsburg Pennsylvania



You need a survey because boats are a big investment and you may not be an expert. Both banks and insurance companies will not get involved without a recent survey. The buyer normally pays for and owns the survey. I know of cases where the buyer passed on the boat, but later sold their survey to another buyer. I smart way to choose surveyors is with the help of your banker or insurance broker. They share your interest in having no bad surprises later.