How to Use a Luff Tape Conversion Kit

Roller furling is a method of furling or reefing a sailboat’s staysail by rolling the sail around a stay. You can easily convert a hank-on jib or genoa sail into a roller furling sail. At Sailrite^® we sell Luff Tape Conversion Kits in a variety of sizes to suit a wide range of sailboats and sail sizes. This how-to video will show you how easy it is to convert your sail to a roller furling sail. Let’s get started.

In our video tutorial you will follow a series of steps for converting to a roller furling sail. These steps include: removing the old luff tape and hanks, shortening the luff, and installing continuous support tape and webbing loops. Our Luff Tape Conversion Kits have all the supplies you need to remove the old grommets and luff and add a continuous support tape. You only need a handful of tools and supplies to complete this DIY. You need a sewing machine, some basic tools like scissors, measuring tape, etc., and a Sailrite Luff Tape Conversion Kit in the appropriate size for your sail.

To do the sewing on our sail, we’re using the Sailrite^® Ultrafeed^® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine. This powerful and portable straight and zigzag stitch sewing machine is a sailor’s best friend. You will need to sew rows of zigzag stitches through multiple layers, so this might not be a sewing project that your home sewing machine can handle. The Ultrafeed LSZ is world-renowned for its versatility. You can sew at home, at the marina or even on your boat. Equipped with the patented Posi-Pin^® Clutching System, your Ultrafeed will never drop stitches or lose power through thick assemblies.