Going to windward with a roller genoa

[dickh]

My rolling genoa has a foam luff and I find it works well even when rolled. It's a fairly old heavy sail, cross cut by Cranfields. I also have a hank on storm jib set up on an extra jib wire halliard, going to an eye bolt, which replaced a bolt on the samson post, but this has an eye under the deck with a turnbuckle and wire strop going to a U bolt set into the stem. The sail is hoisted with the spinnaker halliard with it's own sheets. But I've never used it in anger yet.

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[tomboy352]

Re:Yet still another alternative

Tom,
You're right, moving the inner foil to its out of the way position is tricky and I now only attempt it hove- to in light conditions or in harbour. I have a gash piece of s/steel under the ratchet stay adjuster which I add or remove when I move the stay. We sail with both stays in their working positions normally. For the sail which is not in use, I hitch up the sheets and put them in the anchor locker (leaving them bent on the clew) ,as I have only the one geona car track.The two furling lines are lead down opposite sides of the deck. I fitted an extra halyard winch at the mast for the inner stay. At the moment, I have no storm jib facility but wondered how I could rig one using the bare, inner foil ? Luff tape would probably pull out in bad conditions, and sail hanks would damage the foil. Perhaps some form of straps which are attached to the luff and pass around the foil to clip back on themselves ? But that will be for another season as we will be coastal this summer. Regards,
Chris

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[tome]

Re:Yet still another alternative

Chris

Interesting observations, thanks. Like you, we have only one car track.

The storm jib was fitted with a luff tape to fit the groove, but also with eyes every couple of feet. I assume this was to allow the sail to be tied around the foil as a safety measure in case it pulls out. Like you say, probably for straps or maybe just simple sail ties. I like the idea of dropping the unused sheets into the anchor locker.

Couple of questions:

1) How do you hitch the sheets to make sure the unused sail won't come loose? We shredded our first genoa in 55 knots+ when I thought it was furled.

2) You mention that you sail with both stays in their working positions, I hadn't planned for this (thinking I'd only rig the inner when needed). Doesn't this make tacking/gybing tricky?

I'd like to get my system working this season in preparation for a North Sea crossing next year, so very interested in your experience. Might call in en route.

Regards
Tom

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[tomboy352]

Re:Yet still another alternative

Tom,
When I furl a sail on the stay which is not going to be used, after the sail is furled I give it about three more turns with the sheets under load, to wrap the sheets around the furled sail barber's pole fashion. The furling line is then cleated off. The sail will stay wrapped up. I then go forward and pull the sheets through the carrs. The two sheets from the clew end, are then pulled tightly down the barber's pole and made fast to the furling drum with a sail tie. I then gasket hitch the two loose ends separately and drop them down the anchor locker.

When on passage and in light winds , provided I dont expect to put in more than three or four tacks, I sail with both stays rigged, use the genoa on the f/stay and when I need to put in another long tack, I furl the genoa , tack using the engine to go through the wind, then unfurl the Genoa on the new tack.
If I'm expecting a day of light sailing with a lot of tacking, I clip the inner roller to it's bespoke, secure point near the fwd shroud chainplate and sail as normal (working jib still rolled on this stay). If I have more than 10kts over the deck, I dont bother with this system and sail on the working jib on the inner furler. This sail will tack through without chafe or assistance. We may loose a knott of speed on the smaller sail but it doesnt detract from the pleasure of being on holiday, on a cruise and being under sail.
The real bonus to the system is being able to run off downwind with a lot of sail up. You can wander up to 50 degrees either side of a dead run , pole set and no main to watch without having to attend your sails. Its the next best thing to having a Spinaker up but not having to watch it, and if you become overpowered, you just put in a few rolls on each stay curtesey of the two furling lines from the cockpit. The ideal cruising man's down wind rig.

If you decide to visit Great Grimsby sometime, send me a PM .
Chris

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[tome]

Re:Yet still another alternative

Thanks Chris, very interesting stuff. GG will almost certainly be on our waypoint list as SWMBO hails from there and we'll want to visit family en route to my family in Norway. If we come by, I'll certainly PM.

Cheers
Tom

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[Chris_Robb]

Get a Cutter

A problem I had with mine was stretchy halyards - Braid on Braid is no use at all, as soon as the wind gets up - the halyard stretches and you have got a belly in your sail. I cured much of the setting problems by going back to a wire halyard.

But having sold Corsair - my next boat will most definitely not be a ketch but a cutter rig. I hate big headsails!

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Chris_Robb on 16/06/2004 19:04 (server time).</FONT></P>