Hoisting furling genoa in groove in forestay

[FairweatherDave]

As you hoist the genoa and feed the luff tape into the groove the sail is entering the groove about 2 feet above the drum. However there is a continuation of the groove below the entry point and in an idle moment looking at photos I wondered if the bottom two feet of the genoa should feed down the groove before shackling to the drum? It is a Furlex system. It is probably a stupid question and the answer would be evident if I was on the boat to try things out.

 

[Aeolus]

Depending on the length of the entry slot and the flexibility of your luff tape, you may find it quite difficult to do this. Also adds a complication if you need to take down the genoa in an emergency. Not sure how much benefit you would gain by doing this.

 

[Quandary]

It is not intended, you can buy Furlex TD (through deck) if you have the room and want to achieve your objective of full hoist in the foil but even this will have the entry well off the deck to accommodate the position of the luff securing point, but perhaps simpler and cheaper to remove the drum if performance is critical but few folk would bother.
TD works fine but with the smaller drum and extra blocks to get the furling line down into the anchor well needs more grunt.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Thanks both. That's good. Sounds like I have been doing it right all the time. Good to know! The boat is nothing modern or racy, and the sail looks right as I had it, but for some reason doubt crept in

 

[VicS]

As you hoist the genoa and feed the luff tape into the groove the sail is entering the groove about 2 feet above the drum. However there is a continuation of the groove below the entry point and in an idle moment looking at photos I wondered if the bottom two feet of the genoa should feed down the groove before shackling to the drum? It is a Furlex system. It is probably a stupid question and the answer would be evident if I was on the boat to try things out.

I can see very little benefit from doing this.

As said it might be difficult to achieve anyway and will be a complication if the genoa has to be removed in a hurry.

The part of the extrusion which forms the track is cut away below the sail entry point on my luff spar.

 

[pvb]

As you hoist the genoa and feed the luff tape into the groove the sail is entering the groove about 2 feet above the drum. However there is a continuation of the groove below the entry point and in an idle moment looking at photos I wondered if the bottom two feet of the genoa should feed down the groove before shackling to the drum? It is a Furlex system. It is probably a stupid question and the answer would be evident if I was on the boat to try things out.

The system isn't designed to have the sail tucked into the very bottom groove. When reefing, the Furlex system allows the furling spar to rotate almost a revolution before the tack swivel starts rotating; this is to help flatten the sail. If you tuck the sail into the lower part of the groove this feature won't work.

 

[FairweatherDave]

I've learnt something, thanks. Always worth asking the question

 

[RichardS]

The system isn't designed to have the sail tucked into the very bottom groove. When reefing, the Furlex system allows the furling spar to rotate almost a revolution before the tack swivel starts rotating; this is to help flatten the sail. If you tuck the sail into the lower part of the groove this feature won't work.

That's interesting. With my Profurl system I'm able to curve the bolt-rope sufficiently to be able to slide the bottom section down into the groove and I have always done it this way and it seems to furl properly. I'm sure it was like that when we bought the boat.

However, it would definitely be easier to simply leave the lower section out of the groove and, in an emergency, would make taking the sail down in adverse conditions far easier.

You and Vic are definitely onto something here so when I hoist my genoa at the start of next season, I'm going to try leaving the lower section un-fed. :encouragement:

Richard

 

[Dipper]

I always thought that it allowed you to use the foil as an ordinary (non-furling) foil with a racing genoa set right down to deck level.

 

[richardbrennan]

My sailmaker (North) put a small webbing loop about halfway between the tack and where the sail enters the Furlex to keep the sail close to the foil.

 

[lw395]

My sailmaker (North) put a small webbing loop about halfway between the tack and where the sail enters the Furlex to keep the sail close to the foil.

Different sails will be cut with different details around the tack, to either suit the bottom part of the luff being fed down the foil, left free or supported in some other way.
Different sails will have the tack eye varying distances behind the line of the bolt rope.
Different sails may be cut to suit the bolt rope entering the foil at different heights.
I tend to do whatever looks right with fewest creases.
On our small jib, I found a longer tack shackle was better as the sail was not actually cut for that furler.
The laminate racing genoa is clearly cut to enter the foil at a certain height, the luff has a curve at that point.
We have a Harken furler where you cannot feed the luff down the track to the tack, it has an ss feeder around the foil.