Flapping leech

[Avocet]

I've just had a sacrificial strip sewn on my genoa and now the leech flaps (quite violently at times) when hard on the wind. I've played about with the sheet lead angle and it's a bit better with the lead forwards (lots of leech tension) but it never completely goes away.

Any ideas anyone?

 

[Chris_Stannard]

Adjust the tension on your leech line. This would have been part of the original sail and should have been incorprated in the modification. Pull the tension on until the leech just stops flapping, do not pull so much on that you hook the leech. you may find that as the wind increases you need to pull a bit more on.

Pulling down too hard on your leech, by moving the cars forward, makes the genoa inefficient, since the loower part of the sail will not be flat enough, and will also tend to increase the the heel for a given wind strength. I often move my cars aft in strong winds so the lower part of the genoa is working whilst the top is not to keep the heel angle withion the management's requirements.

Chris Stannard

 

[Avocet]

Ah! good idea!

I'd completely forgotten about leech lines until you mentioned it! The only slight problem is that my sail doesn't have one. OK, I guess it's back to the sailmaker for a leech line this winter. Can they be retro-fitted?

many thanks.

 

[claymore]

Sounds like a trip to Steve Goacher in Windermere - additions to sails never just really do it properly so I reckon its time to get your hand down and get a new Genoa!
Regards
John S

What care we - tho' white the Minch is,
What care we boys, for wind or weather?

 

[Chris_Stannard]

I am afraid you will have to ask your sail maker but I would have thought the answer should be yes.

Chris Stannard