Ep 23: How to Flake a Mainsail 

Marco. I really appreciate your instructive videos. Thank you

50 years sailing enjoyably and still learned a few tips thank you for your efficient explanations!

It would not be a stretch to say you are my favourite sailing instructional channel.

You produce by far best instructional videos. Thank you. I’m so grateful for them.

Thanks so much for these videos. Taking a class or getting a weekend certification still leaves you in the dark so these videos showing these techniques are so valuable.

I was really uneasy about flaking the sail on my Cat 27 for the first time. After watching your video it was easy and came out perfect!!! Thank you !

I love this channel. I'm a seaso ed sailor and live on my sailboat. But it's really fun to watch this and sometimes I pick up a new tidbit that's helpful. I'm never assuming I know everything about sailing. Thanks.

I'm nearly 63 haven't sailed since I was a kid just brought a Roberts 33 thank you you can never know enough, I will be sailing single-handed

Your videos are so great

good method to flake, we, on the other hand have a duncanson 29'6" which has a roller_boom this means we flake as a 'standby', like you do, BUT at the end, roll the sail onto the boom (with the vang disconnected, it has a door chain style lock for the anchor point for this 'furling' purpose), then we clip the halyard to the boom tip (where the toping lift connects to), and with one of those lever style shackles it is a sinch to 're-rig' if we have to, without losing any shackle pins!, and fast, only a 1/2 turn to unlock the pin.

at 8:44 good tip, but another is, if the halyard gear is on the mast step, use a cleat, or a free winch drum, and grab the wire, and place it under a horn; this gives quick deployment, but allows tension to stop the wire 'jumping' the pulley atop the mast.

Excellent!

Thank you very much. Clear and to the point.

Excellent video, as always! Thanks!

Great video. I really like the trick of securing the main halyard away from the mast with a tie.

These are a great series of videos. Thank you for doing these!

Thanks for your teachings

Great instruction. I know now how to flake my mainsail properly. Many thanks

I really enjoyed this video. Like all of your videos you are very well spoken. Your camera angles make it easy to follow. We finally got working wifi (again). So I am doing a lot of video catch up. Hope life is treat you well my friend.

You make it look so easy. Great instructional video like always.

Thanks, I needed this demo!

Thank you

Great Instruction.

Keep the vids coming!

It is easy to do when it is dead calm like that. But when you are out sailing and drop the sail for the day the wind is seldom cooperative. I find it effective to drop the sail and put the first 2-3 flakes in. I then move aft and put the first tie on. I use a straight tie with no loop and simply tie a simple bow. I then go forward and drop the sail a couple more flakes, move aft and put the next tie on. I repeat that until the sail is down. This method keeps the sail under control. Of course if you have lazy jacks you can just drop the sail into the lazy jacks and put a tie or two on to control the sail until you are back at the dock or mooring where you can flake it properly. Alternatively just upgrade to a furling boom and the need to flake the sail goes away as does the need to leave the cockpit. There is no correct way to tie sail ties, just do what works for you. I freely admit that I am a relative new comer to sailing having only sailed since the middle 60s. Also, since my crew (aka wife) is now a passenger (she is 80), I am always single handing.

Well done, Cap’n

Thank you.

We were just struggling with our mizzensail today. It’s always a two-person job. Will have to try this now.

Nice video! This really helped me out. I had been struggling with flaking my mainsail until I watched your last video. So much better starting at the luff instead of wrestling it in place at the clew and trying the straighten it out moving forward. Much neater and safer. Thanks!

1:36 5:01 sail tie 5:19 sail tie

I sail a Spencer 42 with a 48ft mast and 19ft boom. When coming into either dock, moorage, or anchor .. when do you drop your sail? I've been tying in 2 reefs will still about 1/2 mile out. I guess I could then take the reefs out and do flaking like you do. I never thought of leaving the halyard attached. I'd sure make it easier since I have to actually sit on the boom to reach the head.

All you videos are well done and informative. My boat has a soft dodger and lazy jacks - now what do I do? Flake at the main then drop the lazy jacks?

Thanks for the video. I have to say allowing all the mainsail to fall to the side is fine when it’s calm (and in your case alongside). However, at sea or with a wind the large amount of flapping sail on one side is to difficult to control or manage. Perhaps you could demo this on a windier day to see how it works? Thank you

Dude, you left out two steps. One, how did you get the wind to stop while lowering the mainsail, and Two, how does the sail cover fit with the halyard solidly pulled aft away from the mast? Neat result though.

Question: what changes when you are using a stack pack/lazy jack bag?

What about flaking a sail for those of us who use luff rope not luff slides?