Peppermint
New member
Anyone use one?
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Covers for roller furling headsails
- Thread starter Peppermint
- Start date
VicS
Well-known member
I have one. It's home made, but not by me. I dont use it because it flaps violently when the wind gets up.
<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>
<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>
Oldhand
New member
Yes, I had one on our previous boat, made by Hoods. I forget the material used but it was not acrylic (now the common material for "canvas" products) because it has poor chafe resistance. It is important that it is sized correctly for your sail, too skinny and it would be difficult to deploy and remove, too fat and it couln't be prevented from flapping in a breeze. The latter is critical if you (or near neighbours) frequently sleep onboard. It must have a strong and effective cross-over drawstring system which can be pulled really tight and tied-off. This minimizes the additional windage and eliminates the cover flapping in strong winds.
Another point is that a cover usually has poor aerodynaics and the turbulence it causes in breezy conditions can set the rig into a nasty vibration if the forestay is not fairly tight. An adjustable back-stay is useful for eliminating this as you can find the tension which eliminates vibration by trail and error.
Hope this is the sort of advice you were looking for.
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Another point is that a cover usually has poor aerodynaics and the turbulence it causes in breezy conditions can set the rig into a nasty vibration if the forestay is not fairly tight. An adjustable back-stay is useful for eliminating this as you can find the tension which eliminates vibration by trail and error.
Hope this is the sort of advice you were looking for.
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yoda
Well-known member
Asked a sail maker about using one knowing he had one. His advice was not to bother unless you were very worried about the performance from your headsail and better off sticking to a UV strip.
Yoda
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Yoda
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PeterGibbs
New member
Bet you'd only raise it now and then. Bet the sun'd rot your sail 3 times faster than if you had a built in UV strip. Bet you'd curse your performance. Bet you'd be no good for a drink at the bar - you'd be thinking about the cost of a new headsail - with UV strip this time!
PWG
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PWG
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Heckler
Active member
got one on my bene 351, its a pain at the end of a weekend, it has to be drawn up tight, the zips have rotted, i am having a uv strip sewn in the sail this winter, says it all i think
stu
<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.beneteau-owners-association.org.uk
stu
<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.beneteau-owners-association.org.uk
Chris_Stannard
New member
I have one and a uv strip as recommended by my sail maker, although they came with my boat when I bought it, and were not made by him. He said it is more effective than the strip and should prolong the life of the sail as long as you pull it tight. If it is well fitting I think there is not more windage than a rolled up genoa, so the viabration argument is equally applicable in either case. The advantage is that I can leave the boat and be sure that the genoa will not come unrolled whilst I am away, something I have seen happen all to often with rolled genoas.
I put the cover on when I am not going out for a week or two. It is not to easy to hoist, because of the need to get it over the sheet bowlines, but It is worth the effort. To lower I use the spinaker topping lift to pull the zip well up. the cover is made of canvas, same as the spray hood.
<hr width=100% size=1>Chris Stannard
I put the cover on when I am not going out for a week or two. It is not to easy to hoist, because of the need to get it over the sheet bowlines, but It is worth the effort. To lower I use the spinaker topping lift to pull the zip well up. the cover is made of canvas, same as the spray hood.
<hr width=100% size=1>Chris Stannard
extravert
New member
I have one. It is a manufacturer supplied optional extra, but made by Elvstrom. It has a well designed system of tensioning lines so it is possible to get the bag really tight after raising it. It's not too much of a fiddle taking it off and replacing it each time I go sailing, certainly easier than removing/replacing the headsail which was what I did for years. It's easy to do while motoring out to or back from sea so doesn't encroach on sailing time.
This time last week winds gusting to 70mph blew through Pwllheli. My sail bag survived with no damage either to itself or the sail underneath. However, quite a few rolled headsails without covers around the marina were completely destroyed.
<hr width=100% size=1>One day, I hope to own a real boat.
This time last week winds gusting to 70mph blew through Pwllheli. My sail bag survived with no damage either to itself or the sail underneath. However, quite a few rolled headsails without covers around the marina were completely destroyed.
<hr width=100% size=1>One day, I hope to own a real boat.
dickh
New member
UV Strip Life?
I have considered one, but am now in two minds with your replies. I do have UV strip on my headsail, but will have to be renewed this winter - it has only lasted 4 years, is this the normal life of UV strip? It has only gone on the leech the foot seems OK, but it looks as though the leech has been put on 'upside down' - the texture is different.
Is this material special or only lightweight spinnaker material?
<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing...
/forums/images/icons/smile.gif
I have considered one, but am now in two minds with your replies. I do have UV strip on my headsail, but will have to be renewed this winter - it has only lasted 4 years, is this the normal life of UV strip? It has only gone on the leech the foot seems OK, but it looks as though the leech has been put on 'upside down' - the texture is different.
Is this material special or only lightweight spinnaker material?
<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing...
/forums/images/icons/smile.gifmalcp
Member
Re: UV Strip Life?
It ought to be acrylic, not normal sail cloth material. I have had a UV strip on my genoa for 5 years. I don't know how long they are supposed to last but I guess it depends on where it is (which part of the world), ie how much UV it's had to put up with. May also be abrasion against your rigging when tacking. Any sharp or rough points?
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It ought to be acrylic, not normal sail cloth material. I have had a UV strip on my genoa for 5 years. I don't know how long they are supposed to last but I guess it depends on where it is (which part of the world), ie how much UV it's had to put up with. May also be abrasion against your rigging when tacking. Any sharp or rough points?
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Peppermint
New member
Re: The reason I asked
was I got one with the boat and never used it. This year though, because I'm leaving her in, I gave it a try and I reckon it's a good gadget. I've had no difficulty getting it fitted each time and it's easy to tension.
It gives you a bit of peace of mind if, as I do, you live a couple of hours drive from the boat.
As an aside. I asked a sail maker to give me a quote for putting a UV strip on my jenny. It turned out that I had one all along but it's white.
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was I got one with the boat and never used it. This year though, because I'm leaving her in, I gave it a try and I reckon it's a good gadget. I've had no difficulty getting it fitted each time and it's easy to tension.
It gives you a bit of peace of mind if, as I do, you live a couple of hours drive from the boat.
As an aside. I asked a sail maker to give me a quote for putting a UV strip on my jenny. It turned out that I had one all along but it's white.
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dickh
New member
Re: UV Strip Life?
Malcp,
Interesting, mine looks like nylon/taffeta material, and as far as I know it does not abrade against anything significant. My friends genoa did have what appeared to be acrylic canvas type material, quite thick, similar to spayhood material, and his genoa when rolled was dreadful. I also have rollers on my shrouds so they should not abrade them; I'm based on the east coast incidently.
<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
Malcp,
Interesting, mine looks like nylon/taffeta material, and as far as I know it does not abrade against anything significant. My friends genoa did have what appeared to be acrylic canvas type material, quite thick, similar to spayhood material, and his genoa when rolled was dreadful. I also have rollers on my shrouds so they should not abrade them; I'm based on the east coast incidently.
<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing...
/forums/images/icons/smile.gifCactus
New member
Re: UV Strip Life?
Get yourself a proper hanked sail or two. Old Skool! That's were the fun is...
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Get yourself a proper hanked sail or two. Old Skool! That's were the fun is...
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Trevor_swfyc
New member
Yes I'm on my second both made by SWMBO. The first lasted three years and did tend to flap as the material was to thin. Then we saw an article in Sailing Today May 2001, (Making a Genoa Cover), this gives you a complete list of materials and step by step instructions. We obtained the material from Point North <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.pointnorth.co.uk>http://www.pointnorth.co.uk</A>. We used the material code AC11 Acrylic Canvas without PU Coating. It is vital to get a sample of the material to check you can sew through two layers. Use a plastic toothed zip which is kinder to the sail and doesn't rust.
Yes it can be a pain to put up but not as bad as the pain in the wallet when the genoa is ruined by UV. Pulling the lines tight stops or at least very much reduces shaking.
Measure twice cut once, she measured the old cover and made it 10.3 metres. After she had made it we had a trial fit, it was nearly 1 metre short, woops. If looks could kill /forums/images/icons/frown.gif and I was only on the zero end of the tape measure, but I should have known it was wrong!
Yes go for it it will keep her busy over christmas. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
All the best.
Trevor
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Yes it can be a pain to put up but not as bad as the pain in the wallet when the genoa is ruined by UV. Pulling the lines tight stops or at least very much reduces shaking.
Measure twice cut once, she measured the old cover and made it 10.3 metres. After she had made it we had a trial fit, it was nearly 1 metre short, woops. If looks could kill /forums/images/icons/frown.gif and I was only on the zero end of the tape measure, but I should have known it was wrong!
Yes go for it it will keep her busy over christmas. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
All the best.
Trevor
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sparkie
Member
Bit late in on this one but if anyone is still watching...........made my own from acrylic 4 years ago and apart from fading it's been great. Must be tight enough, get the dims right and you don't need lacing. Hoist with chute halliard. 5mins with practice. Sight cheaper than new gennie. Recommended.
Sparkie
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Sparkie
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