Foam Luff

[bazobeleza]

When we went to the LBS this year to look for a new roller reefing genny, we visited all the sailmakers there looking for a quotation. Some said yes we install a foam luff and anybody else who says they dont .... well....... and the other half said we don't install a foam luff any anybody that says you need one....
well .......

So there we had it, not even the sailmakers themselves could make their minds up so what chance do we mere mortals have?

We settled on a genny from that nice Mr Kemp, with a thickened luff, mainly because he was nice, knew his stuff, was fairly keen on price but not the cheapest and with good delivery dates.

 

[pandroid]

Problem with socks can be a tendency to disintegrate if exposed to strong winds after a year or two.

They use socks a good deal in the Baltic, but try standing in a marina in a full gale - the shock loads they put on the rigging are frightening - even for those strung up really tight like you are supposed to.

We thought about this long and heard on our last Genny. In the end Jon Parker came up with some uv-resistent film which covers the relevant area. It is light weight, almost invisible and has done the job for over 5 seasons now. Mind you, we dont leave the sail on if we're away from the boat for more than a few days.

 

[dunedin]

So there we had it, not even the sailmakers themselves could make their minds up so what chance do we mere mortals have?

Yes tricky one. But having direct experience of changing two boats from standard sail to a rope / foam luff I would certainly recommend it.
(We also fitted a third reef on the mainsail and the combination transformed the boat in strong winds)

 

[davidej]

.

When you furl a non-foam-luffed genoa the shape of the sail deteriorates as the roll takes up the built in 'belly' of the sail. The foam sausage minimises this effect.


- W

Not sure that is quite right!

The problem is that, without the foam luff, the roll does NOT take in the belly and it becomes more pronounced the less genny you have out - just when you want a flat sail (ie in strong winds). The foam luff ensure the belly is rolled in as you go keeping a better shape.

 

[webcraft]

Not sure that is quite right!

The problem is that, without the foam luff, the roll does NOT take in the belly and it becomes more pronounced the less genny you have out - just when you want a flat sail (ie in strong winds). The foam luff ensure the belly is rolled in as you go keeping a better shape.

That's what I meant, and I think that is what I said - although you have perhaps expressed it better. It is all to do with the consequences of winding a curved thing round a straight thing.

- W