Foresail reefing

[Andrew_B]

To try and get a better shape when reefing the jib using roller reefing I am thinking of having foam strips sewn into the sail as advertised by a few sail makers.
Do they work?
How do they effect the sail when fully out?

Thanks

 

[Miker]

I had them put in my genoa last winter. I just cruise/potter so I can't be that objective on performance. Certainly the top of the sail was tighter when reefed in. Before it was a bit like a wind sock.

 

[extravert]

The problem with roller reefing is that a sail is not flat but has more depth in the middle. This shows up when a sail is partly rolled up when sailing. It is particularly apparent with a big sail heavily reefed. You will find in this situation that the head and the foot are too tight (too flat) and the middle is too loose (too full). Beating with a sail like this is not very successful.

A foam luff is a section of thin foam rather like camping mats are made of. This foam is in what is best described a straight crescent shape, ie a geater fore-aft measurement in the middle that the ends. The idea is that when a sail is partly rolled this extra material in the middle will compensate for the problems described above.

Do they work? Well yes sort of, but...

1) They add extra thickness to the leading edge of the sail at all settings, not the best for air flow at the most important part of the most important sail when beating.

2) They will compensate for the bad setting of a heavily reefed forsail, but they will only do it properly at one particular setting. Before that setting they will be taking too much out of the sail, after that too little.

If you have a large foresail and you method of reducing sail is to furl partly, then they are an improvement over not having them. However, they will never be as good as different sized foresails for different wind strengths. For a new sail they add little to the cost and I would recommend having one. I don't know what a retro-fit costs, but probably not much.

 

[dickh]

My genoa has them fitted and in my opinion it works well - certainly the sail is a much better shape than my friends boat which doesn't hav the foam strips - go for it - but not sure of retro-fitting.


dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[kds]

You are absolutely right with points 1 and 2 in your letter.
I have used and seen quite a few and decided not to have a foam insert in my new genoa - but I also did without the sacrificial strips as I think they exacerbate the situation. I never leave the sail up when I leave the boat.
It is not ideal, but I can still beat hard after 2 or 3 rolls. After that, it goes great on a close reach ! (photos on my site)
The foam is surely too thick for a start. Why not just an extra layer of sailcloth of the same thickness as the sail (or thicker ?) which is a longer and deeper than the foam strip. As it rolls, it will take more out of the sail on each roll and should avoid causing the problems you describe in 1 and 2. If so - why do they use foam ?

Check out some pictures of my boat at;
[link]www.canongrange.co.uk/boat/[link]

 

[dickh]

kds, I agree about the sacrificial strip exacerberating the situation, when/if I have a new genoa, it will be with foam strips and no UV strip - and I will have a pull-up sleeve with a full length zip for UV protection on the mooring.
My existing genoa has foam strips wit a UV strip and works well, even reefed. I suspect it was made deliberately as a fairly flat sail as I don't get excessive bagginess when reefed. Made by Gowen/Ocean sails in West Mersea incidently.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif