genoa trim / mast rake etc

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davidbfox

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On my old Snapdragon 747 my attention has turned to the sails.

It points very poorly - I know that is to a large extent to be expected in a heavy old bilge keeler.

When close hauled the top third of the genoa starts to luff well before the lower part, unlike most boats I have sailed. I seem to recall that this means something significant (maybe just a knackered sail), but googling sail trim has not helped.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
 
davidbfox said:
On my old Snapdragon 747 my attention has turned to the sails.

It points very poorly - I know that is to a large extent to be expected in a heavy old bilge keeler.

When close hauled the top third of the genoa starts to luff well before the lower part, unlike most boats I have sailed. I seem to recall that this means something significant (maybe just a knackered sail), but googling sail trim has not helped.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Try a barber hauler. I.e. run the sheet of the genoa through a block with a tail and haul that block down closer to the deck to put more tension on the leech of the genoa.

You might also want to haul it in board a bit as well.
 
Lots of reasons for poor pointing but genoa shape and therefore power is part of it. If its the whole of the top third then i suspect the sail is v baggy there, other things to consider are luff tension and sheeting angle as already mentioned. If the leech flutters first then sheeting point is too far aft.Hauling the sheet inboard may help. Forestay tension also important - wind on the backstay.
Other things are mainsail shape - less baggy to point well, boom position - up the track.

How old are the sails - if dacron and over 8-10 yrs the shape will be going, or gone, and pointing will suffer. if for no other reason than excessive heeling stops you pointing.
 
Attach some tell-tales to the genoa close-ish to the forestay or a few inches back if you have a furling spar.

Three will do, one 1/4 way down, one 1/2 way down and one 3/4 way down.

You should aim to sail so that those on the windward side lie flat on the sail while those on the leeward side have no more than the slightest tendency to lift from the surface.

Adjust the position of the sheet lead ... it sounds as though yours needs to be much further forward to take the twist out of the sail ..... so that all three do the same and so that as you start to luff up all three lift off the sail together.
 
Barber haulier is a possibility but usually the only place to fit them is on the toe rail the problem with that is the clew needs to come further inboard. Moving your genoa car forward if you can will help. Tell tales are an excellent indicator on the foresail but can also be fitted to the leech of the main. An oversheeted main will also cause poor pointing.
 
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Steve Goacher told me that the headsail sheet should be at such an angle that it would bisect the forestay about 40% up the luff of the sail.

If that's any help.

On a small boat it's possible to physically move the sheet up and down by hand (if it's not to windy) to see the effect position has on leech or foot tension.

You don't have a leech line in the sail you could give a tweak do you? Although if the sail is worn it'll just make the leech hook round a bit, which won't be much help.
 
genoa

on my 747 i sheet the genoa until it is as far in as the end of the spreader, i must admit it is smaller than the standard sail as it goes better this way.not sure of the size offhand but the leech does not come past the end of the spreader.
the 747 wont point very well owing to the keels and likes to be sailed upright (15 degrees of heel) and are better sailed a bit free. if you try to point to high you will make a lot of leeway.
enjoy it for what it is.
 
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