They are nice, a little costly. I have a sock for my a-chute, but have sailed with a top down. They are very helpful and quicker and safer getting the sail out and back in. Can be setup before you leave the dock and can wait till you get back to be taken down, safer there. Also nice if the sail is staying up for the day setting and resetting. Helpful if sail is launched from a bow sprit, it's ready to go. One thing they take a little more time to set up, but after that much easier to deploy. They are also easier to stow, as the are rolled up tight. Top down furlers, the sails go almost to the deck, needing a new sail to use. Lower to the deck sails are very hard to see under and add some risk and safety concerns. The close to the deck a-chutes allows for bigger sail and with the sail closer to the water. That was a big concern for me when offshore or being overpowered. I actually went down in size on our a-chute, got scared a couple time with the bigger one offshore. In the bay it was fine.
_________________ Hull #208, Puff Card Southern Chesapeake Bay
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