Genoa sheets - slack or tight on leaving the boat?

Burnham Bob

Burnham Bob

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I must admit I've always left them tightly secured. However the way they run on my boat they make it difficult for SWMBO to get on and off whilst hanging onto the stays.

Thinking about it, if the furling line is made off tight and secure the genoa can't unroll in a blow so the sheets are fine left slack. And then SWMBO can get on and off. Looking around the Marina there seems to be no consensus. What does the forum suggest?
 
Most of the time it probably doesn't matter much but in a strong blow, lose genoa sheets could let the wind get under the clew and flap it around enough to do damage. We normally wind in the furler until we have a couple of turns of sheet round the furled genoa, then tighten everything off.
 
We roll it in so there are a few turns of the sheets around the genoa, and then make fast the sheet away from the pontoon and leave the other slack to facilitate getting on/off the boat.
 
maby said:
Most of the time it probably doesn't matter much but in a strong blow, lose genoa sheets could let the wind get under the clew and flap it around enough to do damage. We normally wind in the furler until we have a couple of turns of sheet round the furled genoa, then tighten everything off.
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+1 - except when we are rafted inside when we tend to get them out of way to avoid tripping hazard for unfamiliar visitors. Not had anyone trip over them yet at all, just a tip we got from another Yottie.
 
I wind two or three turns around the sail (still trying to train my parents out of the dangerous habit of leaving a square-foot of corner exposed) and then leave the sheets tightish. They don't obstruct getting on board at our home berth. In a raft I would let them down slack, though the situation hasn't arisen yet with the new boat.

Pete
 
Well priorities around here are firstly UV damage to expensive sheets then secondly the importance of having that genoa tightly rolled and having it stay that way in a blow.
Any tendency for genoa to come loose can kill the sail and even the whole rig in short time. So if you want to leave sheets on I would wrap them around the genoa a lot.
good luck olewill
 
alteredoutlook said:
ensure the furling line is made off tight and put a sail tie thru the clew and around the furled up genoa and don't worry about the sheets.
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Really not convinced about that one.. I think some weight on the sheets is important, the sail can still start to loosed with just a sail tie round it.


prv said:
(still trying to train my parents out of the dangerous habit of leaving a square-foot of corner exposed)
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Why? as long as sheets and reefing line are properly secured nothing is going to happen...

For the OP you could always rig secondary line from the mast to the clue (if its not to high up) and release the jib sheets. Although I always kept the jib sheets secured and quite tight as they made an additional handle if some one lost there balance.
 
Leighb said:
We roll it in so there are a few turns of the sheets around the genoa, and then make fast the sheet away from the pontoon and leave the other slack to facilitate getting on/off the boat.
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+1

But both sides tight as we get on the boat over the transom.
 
I have a very short strop permanently spliced to the lower horizontal pulpit tube, with a snap hook on its other end. The hook is attached to the genoa tack shackle after the sail is fully furled. The furling drum is then fixed and cannot turn. We use this when anchored in big blows because walking along the side decks with the genoa sheets tight is difficult and potentially risky. If we leave the boat for a time we do the same. Genoa sheets left loose. When not in use I slide the strop back to the upright pulpit tube and fasten it to itself around the tube.
 
The sensible thing to do when leaving the boat is to tie a sail tie around the genoa. It doesn't matter if your furling line chafes through or similar, the genoa will stay wrapped. I am on an exposed swinging mooring and I was glad I'd done it when I live 140 miles away and the wind was gusting 60kts in the harbour...
 
onesea said:
.....

Although I always kept the jib sheets secured and quite tight as they made an additional handle if some one lost there balance.
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I also keep ours tight. Of course I do not rely on them for hand holds but they are sometimes handy for keeping balance. This is probably a bad habit as if they are not made off one can get a bit of a fright !
 
Iain C said:
The sensible thing to do when leaving the boat is to tie a sail tie around the genoa. It doesn't matter if your furling line chafes through or similar, the genoa will stay wrapped. I am on an exposed swinging mooring and I was glad I'd done it when I live 140 miles away and the wind was gusting 60kts in the harbour...
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Agree: if boat being left :-

1 - at least a full turn of sheets round genoa clew,

2 - a stopper knot in the furling line just before the jammer or block as appropriate, so even if the jammer/cleat released it cannot unfurl,

3 - and finally a bit of strong string or a sail tie round the sail, just in case the furling line breaks, though it really should not as there should be no stress on it apart from a slight torque from the jib sheets, perhaps this is a reason not to have them bar taut.

No 2 takes about three seconds, and if done by everyone, would save hundreds of shredded headsails every year.
 
Surprised no-one has suggested taking off the genoa (& sheets) when they leave the boat. I do, doesn't take long and then no worries whatsoever about genoa getting loose whatever the wind.
 
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