New geno

[sadlerbob]

I'm wondering if its better for sailing performance to have the 140% genoa above the guard wires or a deck sweeper?

 

[cmedsailor]

Deck sweeper so no air escapes under the sail. In windsurfing terminology this is "closing the gap"!

 

[KellysEye]

The curve in all genoas including a deck sweeper will almost certainly rub against the guard wires and the sail will get considerable chafe. We had a 120% genoa and it was above the guard rail for that reason. Windsurfers don't have guard rails.

 

[johnphilip]

I'm wondering if its better for sailing performance to have the 140% genoa above the guard wires or a deck sweeper?

Is the sail on a furler or set like the racing men do with the tack down at deck level?
If it is on a furler not only will the drum raise the tack above the deck but the cut of the sail will be with a fairly high clew or it cannot roll properly.

 

[doug748]

Unless you race seriously, the chafe KellysEye mentions is a bit of a pain. There will always be a crease at the bottom of the luff where it bears against the pulpit and you may have to go forward to skirt the sail when close hauled.

I ordered a new sail with a slightly higher clew and reduced the luff length so a short strop can be used to lift the sail higher. A bonus is that vision forward is improved.

Of course you lose sail area and hoist up the centre of effort - So, that's the gamble, as Jim Bowen used to say on Bullseye.