Best guide for Genoa bolt rope

x25dave

x25dave

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Hi all, I am frequently having problems with my Genoa bolt rope jamming whilst being hauled up. There is a guide tied to the bottom of the furling foil, but it doesnt seem to cope too well in aligning the sail.
Any suggestions?
 
The "guide" is known as a pre-feeder. If the jib/genoa is correctly lined up with the track by the pre=feed then it should go up without jamming. The causes of jamming could be: damage/irregularity to the bolt rope/luff tape, damage to the foil, foil too small or foil too big.
 
What usually happens is the pre-feeder is tied with string some way down from the entry to the foil, the sail and bolt rope between the entry and feeder puts them in line. You have to make sure they are as far apart as practicable and the bolt rope and an equal distance from the forestay at the entry and the feeder. If you can't resolve it put a picture on.
 
If it's a furlex the prefeeded attachment to the foil is shock cord ,which perishes over time .
If you make sure the prefeeded is low and tight to the foil, it will be a better lead in to guide it up .
Alternatively have someone hold the bolt rope forward and in line when hoisting .
 
x25dave said:
Hi all, I am frequently having problems with my Genoa bolt rope jamming whilst being hauled up. There is a guide tied to the bottom of the furling foil, but it doesnt seem to cope too well in aligning the sail.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I assume your bolt rope or luff tape is correctly sized. Put the head of the sail in the groove. If you can't slide it up and down by hand something is wrong.

I'm also assuming your sail is jamming where the luff enters the groove on the foil. If it is actually jamming higher up then lubricant might help, although that would be limited if the tape is the wrong size. MacLube is the lubricant of choice but is quite pricey really. A good PTFE spray is an alternative.

The guide, politely called a pre-feeder but almost universally known as the monkey balls, won't cope with just anything. You can make life easier by flaking the sail so that the luff doesn't have to be dragged forward during the hoist. One trick is to make the first flake a triangular fold. If not, then handy to have someone at the bow to pull the luff forward during the hoist.
 
Indeed! We only recently bought the boat, a Beneteau 317. It is fitted with a Facnor twin track furling foil. Ill try researching what size the bolt rope should be.
Thanks for all info so far.

Regards Dave Broughton
 
The 'reassuringly expensive' Harken one worked OK
http://www.harken.co.uk/productdetail.aspx?id=5520&taxid=4068
I've got a similar one made of solid stainless.
But somehow the luff always needs a helping hand.
When putting the genoa on the furler on my own on the mooring, I extend the halliard tail, lead it aorund a winch, and do most of the hauling on the foredeck, so I can control the sail directly.
 
x25dave said:
Ok, so it sounds as if I need to reposition my pre-feeder?
Thanks
Dave
Click to expand...

I use a Hood pre feeder tied on a ft long line tied onto the pulpit lower rail & silicon spray on the foil luff groove. Its a simple single handed job & no winching involved on a 48ft luff
 
wilkinsonsails said:
If it's a furlex the prefeeded attachment to the foil is shock cord ,which perishes over time .
If you make sure the prefeeded is low and tight to the foil, it will be a better lead in to guide it up .
Alternatively have someone hold the bolt rope forward and in line when hoisting .
Click to expand...

On my brother's Furlex, the prefeeder was attached with a length of stainless wire - is it likely that somebody would have fitted that instead, or could it have been original?
 
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