How to fly a jib with a Genny on the furler?

[danstanford]

It has been some years since I was a sailor and in those days we did not have a furling head sail. I carried a 100% jib and a light 150 Genoa. I just bought a newer sail boat and it has a 150 Genoa on the furler and I am wondering how to treat this from a trim perspective once I get her in the water. Do I simply reef the Genny by furling some of the head sail in, or should I be buying a smaller jib for the occasions when it is appropriate? How do I fly this sail with the furler in the way? I feel like a bit of a rookie again!

Thanks,

Dan

 

[inarathree]

I believe that most people just furl the genny in. Although you loose sail shape when you do this, its better than having too much sail out.

 

[Winters Dream]

Unless you have two headstays, the 150 jenny has to be removed and the 100 jib put on the furler. If you reef a 150 more than 20% or so it becomes distorted because the furler winds up the foot and leech tighter than the center part of the jenny.

We have both of those sails on our boat and very rarely use the 100 jib because we don't want to take the time to switch sails. We sail on Lake Michigan. When the wind blows over 20 knots it's difficult to switch sails out on the lake. If we think the wind will be 20 to 25 knots, we put the jib on at the dock where it's easy.

The jib is made of heavier cloth which takes higher winds better. It can also be reefed smaller if need be.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

You didn't mention the manufacturer of your furling system. Most are also reefing capable so that you can partially furl the genoa in to reduce sail size when the wind pipes up. But, to get best sail trim, you also have to move the fairlead (to the winch) block forward too.

 

[RichH]

Dan -
Does the 'furler' have a 'top swivel' (halyard connects to the top swivel)??? If so, you can furl/reef any head sail by approx. 30% without gross distortion of the shape. So, for a 150%LP sail, you can reduce it down to approx. 110% and still have 'some' shape. To help the shape down to this 30% 'reduction' many times the genoa can be fitted with a 'foam luff' to help with the shape when you 'reef'. You can obviously 'reef' beyond the typical 30% reduction but the sail shape will be grossly distorted and you will have great difficulty in 'pointing'
For most versatility, and for sailing in 100% LP jib conditions, a 100% (working) jib should be changed to ... 100% ---> able to be 'reefed' to 70% without 'distortion'.
If the furler has no top swivel, then its either 'all the way out' or 'all the way in'.

As another poster listed, when reefing down with a furler, you also need to move the fairlead car .... forward, so that when 'luffing' the sail, the entire luff section 'breaks simultaneously along the entire luff.

If you are 'just getting back' to sailing, suggest you get a copy of Don Guilette's "Sail Trim Users Guide" .... look at the 'header' above on this page and follow the link.

 

[dscribner]

Roll it in. But as other have said, there is a law of diminishing returns here. The draft of the sail becomes distorted, the more you roll it in do you begin to loose lift and increase drag. And if that isn't bad enough, the sail rolling around the foil creates a barrel on the leading edge of your wing, so it really screws up the air flow. Were I to guess, you could probably furl to about 75% and have a usable foil, beyond that, we're talking heeling forces, primarily. If you're racing, you can probably add a forestay without much trouble. If you're cruising, furl, heel and enjoy the spray!

 

[danstanford]

As someone who has always hanked a jib on, I am as full of questions as I am looking forward to doing it all from the cockpit.
So if the furler can be let partly out, is there a ratchet in the unit so it doesn't just roll the rest of the way out when it fills with wind? Dan

 

[Winkfish]

So if the furler can be let partly out, is there a ratchet in the unit so it doesn't just roll the rest of the way out when it fills with wind? Dan

I believe you just cleat or tie off the furling drum line.

 

[Alan]

The furler on my boat has twin luff groves. I do not leave the headsail furled and don't use the upper swivel. We change headsails as conditions dictate. I carry our medium #1 to 15kts true. When it's time for a change the #3 is loaded into the furler's second luff grove and hoisted inside the other sail. Then The #1 is lowered to the deck. The whole operation takes about two minutes. Of course, if you don't do sail peels regularly it can seem like a monumental undertaking. Just like practicing your MOB drills or mainsail reefing drills practice will increase efficiency and reduce your time spent.
The result is a sailboat that sails and points well in all conditions. 'Push button' sailing is a compromise at best and can lead to a skipper loosing touch with how to do what's needed and when.

 

[Gudenuph]

The furler on my boat has twin luff groves. I do not leave the headsail furled and don't use the upper swivel. We change headsails as conditions dictate. I carry our medium #1 to 15kts true. When it's time for a change the #3 is loaded into the furler's second luff grove and hoisted inside the other sail. Then The #1 is lowered to the deck. The whole operation takes about two minutes. Of course, if you don't do sail peels regularly it can seem like a monumental undertaking. Just like practicing your MOB drills or mainsail reefing drills practice will increase efficiency and reduce your time spent.
The result is a sailboat that sails and points well in all conditions. 'Push button' sailing is a compromise at best and can lead to a skipper loosing touch with how to do what's needed and when.

Is the hoist and/or strike done on the windward or the leeward side?
Geohan

 

[Alan]

Geohan, Hoisting the new sail on the inside (if it's smaller) bc we have inside tracks and cars for the #3. Dropping the larger sail on the outside works well because the air pressure on the sail is keeping it pinned to the back of the other. Pulling down from under the foot of the new sail works best.

 

[Gudenuph]

Allen, how do you change up to the genny?
Geohan

 

[Alan]

If you're trying to go up in size you simply use the outside luff grove to hoist the larger genoa. Hoist the larger genoa on the outside grove then drop the other. It will slide down the inside of the sail and fall on the deck. If you want you can flake it as it drops and immediately bag it. The nice thing about this flake method is it keeps the luff tape forward to make the next hoist easy.

 

[RichH]

So if the furler can be let partly out, is there a ratchet in the unit so it doesn't just roll the rest of the way out when it fills with wind? Dan

The best way to do this is to use a Harken "ratchet block" (http://www.harken.com/blocks/ratchetoverview.php) ... allows the furling line to be 'eased' under precise control while the sheet/sail is under full load, yet applies very little friction when pulling the furling line 'in'. To 'lock' the action of the ratchet-block you cleat the 'tail-end' furling line to a horned cleat, jam cleat, etc.
The ratchet block is usually placed on/near the further-most aft part of the boat ... to ensure that the furling line has the maximum contact with the ''faceted' sheeve in the block.

Ratchet blocks prevent severe 'rope burns'.