The previous owner installed an adjustable genoa car system on our 1991 Legend 37.5. The system uses a 5-1 block advantage, approx 3/8" line, to pull the cars forward. This works if the cars are not too highly loaded. Under heavy loads I cannot budge the cars. With a system like this, should we be able to pull the cars forward under heavy loads? To pull the cars aft, the PO used bungee cord line to connect the aft end of the sliding car to some point at the stern of the boat. We have replaced those lines with newer and heavier bunge cord line. With any load on the cars, we cannot pull the cars aft. Is the intent with adjustable genoa cars to only pull them back when the load is taken off the cars? What other ways (i.e arrangments of lines) can be used to pull the cars aft?
Adjustable Genoa Car System
- Thread starter Steve Carpman11081
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You can adjust....
...at least I can with mine. I release the line going to the genoa car system, then simply start cranking on the winch. At this point, you will begin pulling the car toward the stern as you crank on the winch. When you get the car back to where you want it, simply cleat the line again.....to adjust forward, you should be able to simply pull on the line. The loading of the sail should give you an assist to allow the cars be pulled forward.
...at least I can with mine. I release the line going to the genoa car system, then simply start cranking on the winch. At this point, you will begin pulling the car toward the stern as you crank on the winch. When you get the car back to where you want it, simply cleat the line again.....to adjust forward, you should be able to simply pull on the line. The loading of the sail should give you an assist to allow the cars be pulled forward.
Check out the pictures of mine on my web site
Photo 93.1 and #95. It sounds like you might have the wrong system. The genoa cars have to be ball bearing models to work under load. On mine, pull the greed rope and the car moves forward UNDER ANY LOAD. Un-cleat and let go of the green rope and the car moves back wards. If it isn't under load at the time, the bungee cord pulls it back. If it is under load, the bungee cord is redundant. But again, it has to have ball bearings on the genoa car or it won't work under load and that's the whole idea of the block and tackle.
Photo 93.1 and #95. It sounds like you might have the wrong system. The genoa cars have to be ball bearing models to work under load. On mine, pull the greed rope and the car moves forward UNDER ANY LOAD. Un-cleat and let go of the green rope and the car moves back wards. If it isn't under load at the time, the bungee cord pulls it back. If it is under load, the bungee cord is redundant. But again, it has to have ball bearings on the genoa car or it won't work under load and that's the whole idea of the block and tackle.
Fred Ficarra
I looked at your photos. We have virtually the same arrangement of lines and bungee cord. Our system does not perform anywhere near as slick as yours does. We cannot pull the cars forward when the jib sheet is highly loaded. We are never able to pull the cars back (with the bungee cord) with any load on the system. I will check the cars next. Thanks for the help.
I looked at your photos. We have virtually the same arrangement of lines and bungee cord. Our system does not perform anywhere near as slick as yours does. We cannot pull the cars forward when the jib sheet is highly loaded. We are never able to pull the cars back (with the bungee cord) with any load on the system. I will check the cars next. Thanks for the help.
if it's not the cars...
Fred's right about the cars needing to be roller bearing. If, however, you have the proper type of car and still can't make the system work, there's a good chance that your lines are too large a diameter. Use the smallest lines possible, just as your would on a traveler car system.
Fred's right about the cars needing to be roller bearing. If, however, you have the proper type of car and still can't make the system work, there's a good chance that your lines are too large a diameter. Use the smallest lines possible, just as your would on a traveler car system.
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