Does this look right?

[haydude]

still doing the shore based stuff at the moment. need to work up a lot of miles!

a lot of yachties I know who have huge miles very rarely question sail cut and shape. it's only racers who seem to worry!

I am a cruiser who does occasional racing. Good or bad trimming and sail shape can make more than one knot difference on your boat speed, and thus on the excitement that you get when you see your yacht getting to hull speed.

If you are in Sussex get in touch, I am always happy to share some experience with those willing to keep me company during a day sail.

 

[causeway]

that's a really nice offer, thankyou! unfortunately I'm in northern ireland so a bit of a trek would be involved!

kind of you none the less!

 

[causeway]

3) What do you think it would happen with a strop? Think about it ..... yes the top of the sail will hit the end of the track before the halyard can tension the luff. If you even think about doing that and cutting the top of the sail you should not be buying this boat, or any other boat.
4) Clearly the sail in the picture is sheeted for a close reach in light wind, if the yacht were sailing close-hauled or the wind were stronger the sail would be sheeted in further and the Genoa car would go further aft, so that the foot of the sail would fall inside the guard rail.

In my experience the Genoa does not always reach the top of the roller reefing. On my current boat I think there would be a good 6 inches to go. I have read about people using strops before, I don't see what the problem would be? I certainly wouldn't like to cut the sail in any way.

I have done some dinghy sailing so not a complete novice (actually novice is exactly what I am, now I come to think of it).

Do you have any links for me to read regarding keeping the Genny at deck level? I'd love to know the physics.

 

[Rossynant]

any links for me to read regarding keeping the Genny at deck level? I'd love to know the physics.

You may use google search and find a lot - but almost all wrong
Plenty of oversimplifying, guesswork and old wives tales.

Better buy a book of Czesław Marchaj (I may be patriotic but know nothing better anyway) C.A. Marchaj - "Aero and Hydrodynamics of Sailing" or "Sail Performance: Techniques to Maximize Sail Power". The physics, but written for not physicists too

As for genny on deck - there is a bit to be gained, but mostly with light wind, and when the deck lies flat, not on boat heeled much; and when on flat water too. Otherwise no much improvement there, other than the sail area is bigger if you fill whole foretriangle, to the brim. With a particular sail, as you have it, better to hoist it all way up.

 

[DJE]

Simple basics on sail trim here:- here.

Good luck with the YM course and don't worry too much about the headsail in the picture. There is nothing unusual about a big genoa catching on the guardrails.

 

[alant]

Not at all unusual. All you need to do is go and flip the foot of the sail inboard over the rail by hand. If you tried to prevent it happening by raising the tack, you'd be cutting a lot of area off the sail.

Pete

Skirt!

 

[30boat]

Dufour 35?That appears to be a similar genoa to mine,a Kemp triradial(or is it biradial?).Mine is about 8 years old and is still in great shape.I like to have the sail set low as this helps to keep the center of effort down.Mine is even lower than that.I can usually get it to slide over the lifeline with a bit of careful tacking,only very rarely do I need to go forward.

 

[causeway]

why yes it is a dufour 35. not sure who made the sails as they weren't on when I was there.

do have a duffer 35?

thanks for suggestions and kind words too everyone.

 

[30boat]

I crewed on a girlfriends fathers D 35 from south France to Portugal once.A great boat,very strongly built that sails well.

 

[alant]

I crewed on a girlfriends fathers D 35 from south France to Portugal once.A great boat,very strongly built that sails well.

Sailed a few of those as Sailing School boats - extremely tough & great sailers.

 

[BurnitBlue]

In my opinion hoisting a roller sail to the top of the foil may assist in a halyard wrap if the bobbin contacts the foil collar. Firction and tension will cause the bobbin to be dragged round the foil by the collar. A few inches clearence between the bobbin and the collar is all that is required, but necessary.

 

[causeway]

ok I will remember that and be sure to leave myself some space.

I'm glad to hear the d35 is well regarded as there isn't much about them on the net. the high volume hull shape makes it a good choice for me to live aboard.

 

[30boat]

Is the mast original ?The latest boats had black anodized rubbing strakes and I think grey anodized masts.The early ones had teak rubbing strakes and gold anodized masts.

 

[causeway]

black strake, silver mast. circa late 70's.

it's not had many upgrades as far as I can see, except engine.