Novice question: furling Genoa in moderate winds

[cpthook]

Hi
Was on a close reach with the wind picking up to around 23knots and
heel increasing. Decided to furl Genoa. Couldn't winch in Genoa
(sheet kept slipping on winch) so decided to turn into wind. Genoa
flogged madly and sheets became caught ahead and had to be freed -
a bit hairy in the swell! Should I have turned into the wind or gone on
a broader reach? What's the best way to do this? Thanks in advance.

 

[billmacfarlane]

I usually steer the same course and let the sheets fly , take in a bit of genoa , adjust genoa track and winch the sheet in .

 

[stretch33]

I generally ease the the genoa sheets and haul on the furling line, this tends to keep the sail under control and saves all that flogging about. You can always let genoa sheets right off then roll it away, that way theres no tension to haul against on the furling line. Hope this helps.

 

[Chris_Stannard]

In a situation like this I would suggest the following:

Come hard onto the wind, by this I mean as if tacking, not straight into the wind.

Put one or two reefs in the main. If you are still hard pressed bring the main traveller up the track and ease the sheet, this will tend to spill the wind out of the upper part of the main, whilst leaving the lower part working.

Release the genoa sheets keeping just enough tension on both of them to stop them wrapping round each other. With the genoa sheets loose you should now be able to roll in some of the genoa to balance the boat, whilst the main continues to provide enough drive to give you steerage way. Be careful about starting your engine as many may suffer damage from lack of oil if working when the heel angle is twenty degrees or greater.

If all else fails and you cannot roll the genoa, bring the cars as far aft as you can. this will spill wind out of the top of the genoa whilst keeping the bottom part drawing. This in turn reduces the heel angle. You may also need to do this whilst you get ready to drop the sail should you need to do that (if your roller jams as mine once did).

Finally the old salt's saying, "The time to reef is the first time you think, 'I wonder if I should put a reef in'". In the event, you will often find an increase of speed when you reef, because the boat is no longer being knocked on her ear. You will also find that by reducing the main first, the amount of weather helm also reduces and with it the drag that will be slowing you down.

Have a good season

Chris Stannard

 

[robp]

I'm sure someone with more experience will comment on this but my two penn'th is. The sheet to windward of the genoa should be ready on it's winch for tacking anyway, so not too much slack would exist there. (Not too tight either). Keep sailing direction on the main. Either be ready to haul on the furling line, or have crew ready the same. Let go the sheet on the Genoa enough to completely de-power it but keep it on the winch if poss. Quickly roll a couple of turns with the furling line, then sheet back in.

It's normally at this time that I find the furling line is jammed under a stanchion!!

What was it I read on here the other day? The sound of a flogging sail is that of the sail maker clapping his hands together....

 

[gerryl]

I would'nt recommend letting the sheets fly, you can double wrap the genoa round itself, especially in any sort of wind, and it's very difficult then to sort it out. Plus the strain on the rigging is very high. ( trust me, I've been there - twice) What I now do is turn slowly into the wind, easing the sheets and hauling the furling line at the same time. This keeps the tension on the luff and saves any drama's with flying sheets. Hard to do if single handed though, but if you've got autopilot you should be ok. Also, try to remeber to adjust the genoa car on the leeward side before you furl so you'll be ready for the next tack.
hope this helps...

 

[tome]

I have a rotostay furling headsail on a 28ft boat. I find it much easier to furl if slightly off the wind, though why this should be I can't quite figure. I thought perhaps I had insufficient forestay tension, but this wasn't the case.

Everything is free and checked (with very good support from Rotostay) so now I live with it. If I want to furl to windward I need to use a winch.

 

[vyv_cox]

In any boat to nearly 40 ft you should not need to winch a furling line, provided the sails have no wind in them. Winching the line gives no sense of the loads you are pulling against and if there is a problem you can "basket" the forestay, with a risk of losing the rig over the side.

Personally, I let the sheets go, no matter what point of sailing I am on, heave in on the furling line and re-sheet, the quickest way in my experience. I see no value in changing course.