An apparatus for furling a sail on a sailboat having a mast includes a stay extending between the deck and the mast on the sailboat, a hollow shaft loosely fitted over the stay and supporting the side edge of the sail, the hollow shaft being rotatable about the stay such that the sail can be wound and unwound about the hollow shaft, at least one ring member disposed around the shaft and having an opening which permits the sail to move onto the shaft therethrough, and wire ropes extending between the deck and mast on the sailboat and supporting the ring member about the shaft.