Genoa Roller reefing

[AndyMc]

Having recently purchased a Seafarer 565 with an unknown roller reefing system I am at a loss to understand how the halyard system works, the genoa is raised by a halyard on the foil (not via a spinner to the mast), the question is how do you tie the halyard off, then store the reamining rope so that it doesn't get tangled when reefing. I'm sure there is a simple solution any help would be appreciated.

 

[jeanne]

I have one like that, made by Bowman in the early 80's. When a sail is to be removed, a temporary long line is attached to the wire halyard, and hauled up as the sail is lowered. This may then be used to haul the sail up again. When the sail is in position, remove the long line and replace it with a lashing or a shackle attaching the wire hayard to the point provided on the top of the reefing drum.Then tie a short line to the tack, about four times longer than the gap between the tack [ at the bottom of the sail] and the drum, which should have another attachment point on the opposite side to the first. Take this round and round between the eye in the tack and the attachment point on the drum, and you will find it forms a tackle, and enables you to pull the luff quite tight. Make it fast with your favourite knot , and you are ready to go sailing. On my spar , the pulley at the top is offset, so that one side is meant to be the sail, and the other the halyard, which is not easy to spot if the spar is rigged, but it would work either way except for a bit of chafing. When the sail is fully unrolled there is a distinct bend in the spar, as the halyard tension is low, and I often sail with the first roll in, which wraps the sail round the halyard, and gives a much straighter luff.

 

[AndyMc]

Thanks for that, another one of those great sailing mysterys solved.

 

[johna]

I have a similar system on my boat which suffers the same bowing of the luff when going to windward. I have solved the problem in the same way that is by leaving one roll on the foil. However, I have always thought the problem was due to a relatively slack forestay combined with the compression in the foil owing to the halyard load.

Anyone else with views on the arrangement and methods of keeping a tight luff?