Towable Genoa cars

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mdonnelly

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Are they worth the expense? I’m a cruiser, and will never race but I like to get the best out of my boat. I’m in the process of getting new sails and furling gear and think they might be useful but have no experience of them. Current Genoa cars are awkward to move by hand. Some insights would be useful. Thanks, Mark.
 
I'm a very great fan of them. OK I race, but I also cruise on my own boat. You simply can't get the shape of a headsail right without them, particularly off the wind. This is not just a performance issue, if you allow the upper leech to flog or flutter you shorten the life of the sail.

Genny cars that are moved by hand are often left in the same place except for headsail changes. They are hard to move when bearing off - often requires a couple of crew if racing with such cars which just adds complication to manouvres and puts weight in the wrong place for too long, so you can understand why cruisers often just don't bother.
 
Having sailed first with genoa cars with stops and with towable cars, the difference is enormous.
Moving the cars used to involve freeing the sheet, standing on the sheet forward of the car in order to tame the sheet, getting a bashing while holding on and moving the car. Now it is so much easier and safer, so it gets done much more frequently. Better shape, better speed and more fun tweaking, what is not to like?
 
there's an article in ym a few months ago by grahame snook who made an arrangement with a line and a ring to do the same thing without the cost and hard work of replacing the genoa track and cars
 
niccapotamus said:
there's an article in ym a few months ago by grahame snook who made an arrangement with a line and a ring to do the same thing without the cost and hard work of replacing the genoa track and cars
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Should be easy to do. I've trimmed headsail on a racer that had both lateral tracks and had a block around the sheet that could be pulled down or allowed up as an alternative to the usual fore and aft track. Lots of control lines coming aft though.

Not sure it would be simple to replicate fully as the block goes outboard as well as up when the control line is eased, depending upon point of sail, but a simple set up with a line from a cleat through the current block and up to a block around the sheet should be easy to set up for a trial. Probably necessary to have the existing cars further forward for it to work well.
 
As said additional control lines would be much cheaper and more convenient than towable sheet cars. You set the jib sheet block back to a position suitable for full jib hard on the wind. You fit a turning block on the front of the track or on the deck forward of the track and run a line through that up to a ring that the sheet passes through. (or a block) the other end goes to a cleat or even a winch so that pulled right down the jib sheet angle will be good for mostly furled jib beating in strong wind. Intermediate positions for partially furled jib or for reaching with full jib. Not too difficult to try it when sailing. olewill
 
Having reached a certain age when crawling forward along the side decks when about to shorten sail - in the obviously increasingly boisterous conditions - becomes increasingly unattractive, I have just fitted towable cars to my Beneteau 311.
I had hoped to fit new cars to the existing Amiot tracks but none would fit so new Barton track and cars fitted. The good news is that the new and old tracks both had bolt holes at 10cn centres so no deck drilling required. The bad news is the rather high cost; but if it keeps me on the water a few more seasons I consider it money well spent.
By the way I now have a pair of 1.2m tracks with pull button adjusters available to a good home for the sake of a tenner or two to the RNLI - buyer collects or pays delivery
 
William_H said:
As said additional control lines would be much cheaper and more convenient than towable sheet cars. You set the jib sheet block back to a position suitable for full jib hard on the wind. You fit a turning block on the front of the track or on the deck forward of the track and run a line through that up to a ring that the sheet passes through. (or a block) the other end goes to a cleat or even a winch so that pulled right down the jib sheet angle will be good for mostly furled jib beating in strong wind. Intermediate positions for partially furled jib or for reaching with full jib. Not too difficult to try it when sailing. olewill
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I think you'll find it's called a Barber Hauler - several threads on here about them. Very handy for quickly adjusting the sheeting angle when reefing.
 
westhinder said:
Having sailed first with genoa cars with stops and with towable cars, the difference is enormous.
Moving the cars used to involve freeing the sheet, standing on the sheet forward of the car in order to tame the sheet, getting a bashing while holding on and moving the car. Now it is so much easier and safer, so it gets done much more frequently. Better shape, better speed and more fun tweaking, what is not to like?
Click to expand...

That post sums it up, well worth the money in my experience.
 
Always worth it. The ability to control the sheet angle on your Genoa is huge. As the breeze comes up you can easily drop you car back a bit to flatten the sail and open the exit and decrease heel and improve pointing! Saves you having to furl up so early, and as you do furl you can maintain a good sheet angle. Winner if your racing or just getting to the next lunch stop for a beer!

More detail on headsail trim here https://northsails.com/sailing/en/2016/09/how-to-trim-a-genoa
 
Definitely worth it. I converted mine last year - I fitted a piece of split hose to keep the button raised, secured with whipping twine. Easy to do and didn't have to buy new track & cars. Also fitted blocks to be able to tow the cars with a cam cleat in the cockpit. Fitted bungy cord to return the cars, but this needs upgrading as not strong enough. Copied from a racing yacht in SYH.
 
The only problem with Barber haulers and the like is that when you release the sheet to tack in blowy weather the ring or block attached to the sheet thrashes on the boat as the jib flogs. I have removed them in the past because of this. Good towable cars are gods gift if you have any desire to sail efficiently and great fun to play around with.
 
niccapotamus said:
there's an article in ym a few months ago by grahame snook who made an arrangement with a line and a ring to do the same thing without the cost and hard work of replacing the genoa track and cars
Click to expand...

An earlier forum post of Graham’s had inspired me to follow suit. My arrangement is here: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?457431-Line-sizes-and-low-friction-rings/page4. It has made an enormous difference to my sail trim and ease.

I did notice Graham’s subsequent write-up of his rig in Sail Magazine. It’s here: https://www.sailmagazine.com/diy/sail-trim-rigging-adjustable-sheet-leads

tjanderson said:
The only problem with Barber haulers and the like is that when you release the sheet to tack in blowy weather the ring or block attached to the sheet thrashes on the boat as the jib flogs.
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Yes, I made a few dings in the gel coat. I since find that if you back the Genoa a bit before hauling in on the new leeward side, it doesn’t flog - it’s furling the Genoa up in a breeze that causes the flogging. The answer is to turn downwind to furl - good practice anyway - and also to haul the tweaker tight down to the side deck before furling - which also makes for a neater furl on the forestay.
 
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