Many sailors use a whisker pole to hold the headsail to one side and the mainsail on the opposite tack to fill the sail, a technique commonly known as "wing on wing" sailing.
Energy (air) will be lost as it passes between the mainsail and the headsail, which is not conducive to achieving higher speeds. To prevent accidental and violent shifts, a jibe preventer system is necessary to stabilize the mainsail boom.
A better way with the Alado Roller Furler
If you are looking for a great, safe way to add power to your downwind sail, you might want to try "true wing on wing" sailing with the Alado Roller Furler.
Twin roller furling is a sailing technique where two identical headsails are deployed on opposite sides of the boat. This creates a wing-on-wing setup, which increases the sail area exposed to the wind. In stronger winds, both sails can be reefed at the same time for better control.
This will result in greater speed, better endurance against strong winds, and enhanced stability, while also mitigating the inherent risks associated with mainsail jibing.
The sails will indeed be set "wing on wing" on the same forestay.
Aside from downwind sailing, both sails will be set on the same side, forming a double sail with an inner and outer layer. The leeward sail will experience less pressure but will still capture any remnants of air that slip past the windward sail.
The combination of two sails becomes advantageous in strong winds; roller reefing enhances sail strength, and the "double layer" effect increases wind endurance.
What about stress on the rig or Alado Foils?
A basic tenet of common sense dictates that if the winds are so strong that there's concern over the sails reaching their breaking point, it's well beyond the time to reef the sails and reduce the stress on the rigging.
The Alado Roller Furler is an ideal system for twin sailing, featuring double luff feeds that enable the loading of two headsails and facilitate the easy removal of either sail.
To set up your twin sails with the Alado Roller Furler, you will need two head sails of similar size and shape.
You will also need to install two permanent external halyards, through the self-contained Top Sheaves and secured onto the drum.
We recommend that the Dual Halyard Installation be done at the time of installation of your entire Alado System to save you time and effort. Not to worry if you don’t have the second sail yet, you can always sail with one sail and two halyards at any time, adding the second sail at your convenience.
Each head sail will require a separate set of sheets.
You can use either the same winch for each sheet or add an additional winch.
You can furl or reef either sail as needed, using the furling line on the drum.
Twin sailing with the Alado Roller Furler can be a fun and efficient way to sail downwind, especially on long passages or in light winds. It can also reduce the wear and tear on your sails and rigging, as well as your workload and stress.
The Original Alado Furler
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