UV strip = baggy genoa

J

jonjo

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Perhaps because I am buying a racy yacht sail makers assume I want to go fast.

For example I have been told I should buy a more expensive foresail sock for my furling jib rather than fit a conventional UV strip.

I can see the logic, in theory the extra material in the UV strip will cause a partially rolled genoa to be more baggy but how measurable is this effect?

Foresail socks are 2 to 3 times more expensive than a UV protection strip and will involve more labour each sail.

Decisions, decisions!

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Probably ideally better without BUT socks are a pain to fit, chafe the sail and are noisy. Probably you would only replace the sock as you leave the boat and leave it off whilst on board, more UV exposure therefore.

You pays yer money and makes yer choice....

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>
 
Socks are not noisy if properly designed and properly tightened down. However, they cause more turbulance in high winds and can set the rig into a vibration, which can be noisy.

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Yep that's what I meant, boat 2 up from us had one and it drove me nuts, they never slept on board with it up.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>
 
If it is a racy yacht why are you bothering about UV protection? Surely you will take the foresail down when leaving the boat and keep it below; with a racing boat you will be replacing the sail so often that you will not need to worry about UV on the sail when it is being used.

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The design is racy but to me she is a fast cruising passage maker with a daft big wheel.

My first set of sails will not be that high tech. I hope to get 8 years out of the first pair of white sails, Hood's dracron/vectran.

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Thanks Robin, I had not considered the noise issue. Guess I could remove the UV strip later if it caused a real performance hit.

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I have to say I thought about a sock but went for a white UV strip. Trouble is the white UV strip is now dirty grey despite annual valeting, although since we have grey canvas now at least it matches!

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>
 
I have seen a sock come loose in a bad gale- the whole boat was being shaken like a terrier with a rat. They are also a pain to take down and put up - and be very careful tightening so that they do not flap around. With the UV strip, you could get the sailmaker to change it every couple of years. So if you are just cruising, keep the the UV strip

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My rolling genoa, by Cranfields, has a foam luff which works very well as well as UV strip. I also thought about a 'sock' when I had the UV strip added after I bought the boat, but decided against it - mainly for the inconvenience of fitting it etc. The UV strip my local sailmaker put on was only thin nylon type material, which has only lasted 5 years. The recommended material now is a lightweight acrylic which lasts longer, but is thicker than the nylon. My sail always set very well, even when reefed down small.
Perhaps your sailmaker should advise you more on the different types of solutions to this problem. My friend bought a new genoa from Kemp last year, with UV, on a Furlex, and it works well.

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... :-) /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
What are the benefits of a foam luff, apart from doubling up as UV strip?
Is it difficult, ie expensive, to have fitted to an older sail?

Reason for asking is that our UV strip is slightly torn and quite faded so will need to be renewed in the coming year.

<hr width=100% size=1>I can't be bothered with a footnote - it's usually rubbish anyway.
 
A foam Luff helps flatten the sail as its furled. On new sails I have had quote for the extra £100 to have it on a 33ft luff.
The down side I have found is the luff does not respond quickly in light wind and sometimes even gives a reverse camber even with the halyard released.

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How does a foam luff work as a UV strip?

Surely when the sail is rolled it's on the inside of the roll!

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