Furling mast vs. furling boom – differences, advantages and operation

Furling mast or furling boom

[Translate to Englisch:]

Conventional or furling system?

Anyone fitting out a modern cruising yacht today is bound to face the question: furling boom or furling mast, or perhaps a conventional rig? Furling systems make sail handling much easier – particularly for small crews or owners who often sail alone. Nevertheless, there are clear differences that you should be aware of before making a decision.

 

Why use a furling system at all?

Nowadays, many boat owners mainly sail as a couple or even alone. A conventional mainsail often involves more effort in such situations:

  • Hoisting and stowing the mainsail properly takes strength and concentration 
     
  • When reefing, you often have to look forward and work 
     
  • Handling the sail is more strenuous and time-consuming 
     
  • Especially in stronger winds, you want to be able to control as much as possible directly from the cockpit 

This is exactly where furling systems really come into their own: greater comfort, improved safety and a more relaxed sailing experience thanks to easier handling. 

[Translate to Englisch:] Rollsegel beim Rollmast
[Translate to Englisch:] Rollmast mit Rollgroßsegel
[Translate to Englisch:] Rollbaum mit Rollgroßsegel

Furling mast or furling boom?

The main advantage of a furling boom lies in the combination of ease of use and full sail profile. A major safety benefit becomes apparent if something gets jammed or blocked whilst sailing: with a furling boom, the sail can still be lowered in a controlled manner if necessary – even if it falls to the side of the boom. This provides a margin for manoeuvre in situations where you need to act quickly.

 

A comparison with the furling mast

With a furling mast, too, many functions can be operated conveniently at the touch of a button. For many cruising sailors, this is a practical and straightforward solution.

Generally speaking, a furling mast is considerably heavier than a conventional mast. The key difference, however, becomes apparent when problems arise. If a sail becomes jammed or stuck in the mast and can no longer be moved, the only options left are often rather unpleasant:

  • Leave the sail out
     
  • send someone up the mast
     
  • or, in extreme cases, damage or cut the sail 

In this respect, the roller boom offers clear advantages, as the system remains technically more accessible and problems can usually be resolved in a more controlled manner.
 

Which system is suitable for whom?
 

Furling boom

Ideal for sailors who:

  • value good sailing performance 
     
  • want to make the most of the sail area 
     
  • enjoy a sporty style of sailing 
     
  • want to reef comfortably and safely 

 

Furling mast

Ideal for sailors who:

  • look for maximum simplicity 
     
  • be happy with slightly less sail area 
     
  • focus more on comfort than on performance 
[Translate to Englisch:] Aufgerolltes Großsegel im Rollbaum
[Translate to Englisch:] Mastschiene am Rollbaum

Easy reefing with the furling boom

Reefing with a furling boom is very straightforward and can easily be done by a small crew or even on your own. Often, all you need to do is release a single clamp and roll the sail up neatly.

The sail disappears completely into the boom and is tidied away straight away – no fiddling about with a cover or lazy jacks.

[Translate to Englisch:] Segeln mit Rollbaum
[Translate to Englisch:] Elvström Großsegel mit Rollbaum

Full sail profile, as with a conventional mainsail

Particularly important for many sailors: a furling boom allows you to create a virtually classic sail profile – including a healthy amount of leech flare and a correspondingly large sail area.

This means:

  • better performance
     
  • more drive
     
  • a sportier sailing experience 

It is precisely those owners for whom sailing performance is important who therefore often opt for a furling boom.

Lightweight and compact

Thanks to modern carbon booms, today’s furling booms are surprisingly light and often barely any larger than a conventional boom.

In this video, we explain the differences and demonstrate how to hoist and lower the mainsail using a furling boom on a Hanse 458.

Our conclusion

Both systems have their merits – ultimately, it comes down to your sailing style and your priorities on board.

If you want to keep sailing as simple as possible whilst still retaining a high-performance mainsail, a furling boom offers a very attractive solution. The system is a real boon today, particularly for small crews and solo sailors.

Our tip: Make sure you seek thorough advice before making a purchase, so that the system is truly suited to your yacht and the sailing area.

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