Adjustable Geona Car System

[captron]

I want to buy the adjustable geona "E-Z" Glide car system from Garhauer so that I can adjust the geona under load my question is there is a optional swivel cam on a slide and was wondering does anyone have this system, comments? and the optional swivel cam slide as I' not sure how this option works and is it worth the extra$$.

Happy Holidays
Capt Ron
S/V Windreamer
New Bern NC

 

[Sam Salter]

I've got the EZ Glide system from Garhauer.
I've also got the swivel cams for the cockpit end of the track.
These don't slide and I'm not aware that any are available. (Although you could talk to Garhauer, they are nice people!)
But I'm not sure why you would want the cam to slide. Once you get it in the right position for your jib trimmer in the cockpit it is always going to be in the right position. There is only one place that's right for it, whether it's being used on a 150 Genoa or a Genoa furled up to 90 or more. But you pick that place along the track and tighten it down.
I think it's a worthwhile add on. Certainly makes sail trimming faster, as you don't have to waite until the next tack to move the car.

 

[rpwillia]

Sam Salter is right

I also have the EZ Glide system with the cam cleats. Originally I did not get the cam cleats, but that mean I was always reaching over the coaming (I had cleats on the tracks) to adjust and it was a minor PITA. Definitely like the cam cleats. The way it is set up, it is very easy to adjust the cars under load and that is sweet - for me it was the difference between never changing them and tweaking them a lot. It also makes you look like you know what you are doing! :dance:

Garhauer gear is always top notch, well designed and bullet proof. They even did a custom mod for my traveler that made my wife very happy. FWIW, they also have a cam cleat assembly for your furler that is also sweet.

 

[captron]

Sam, thanks for the reply, I get it, I wasn't sure how the swivel cam worked or is positioned, makes sense that it is in a fixed position, it's just that in their catalog it is identified as a swivel cam on slide.

Capt Ron

I've got the EZ Glide system from Garhauer.
I've also got the swivel cams for the cockpit end of the track.
These don't slide and I'm not aware that any are available. (Although you could talk to Garhauer, they are nice people!)
But I'm not sure why you would want the cam to slide. Once you get it in the right position for your jib trimmer in the cockpit it is always going to be in the right position. There is only one place that's right for it, whether it's being used on a 150 Genoa or a Genoa furled up to 90 or more. But you pick that place along the track and tighten it down.
I think it's a worthwhile add on. Certainly makes sail trimming faster, as you don't have to waite until the next tack to move the car.

 

[captron]

Ray thanks for the comments and the attached picture that is what I was looking for will order with the cam cleats.

Capt Ron

I also have the EZ Glide system with the cam cleats. Originally I did not get the cam cleats, but that mean I was always reaching over the coaming (I had cleats on the tracks) to adjust and it was a minor PITA. Definitely like the cam cleats. The way it is set up, it is very easy to adjust the cars under load and that is sweet - for me it was the difference between never changing them and tweaking them a lot. It also makes you look like you know what you are doing! :dance:

Garhauer gear is always top notch, well designed and bullet proof. They even did a custom mod for my traveler that made my wife very happy. FWIW, they also have a cam cleat assembly for your furler that is also sweet.

 

[Rick D]

Me Too

I put on the e-z glide system too. Yes, you want the cam cleat. Ultimately, I took off the shock cords for the rearward pull on the car and replaced it with a 1/4" return line and jam cleat, none of which has anything to do with the other parts of the system. This is not the first order of business and you may not need to do that at all; I had a particular need for it. I also left my original car in place at the aft of the track to run all the control lines through and to use for my windseeker and staysail lines.

BTW, Garhauer had me take measurements of the track which they instructed me to take so that they could be sure the car would match up. They said they would special machine it at no additional cost if needed. Not sure if they had to or not.

You'll find the adjustable system well-made and useful.

 

[rpwillia]

Two Things

Be very careful when you install the new cars on the track. That piece of track they ship them with is to hold the little ball bearings in place while you slide it onto the track. Otherwise they fall out all over the place.

Not sure if you can see in the picture I posted, but I left my lines a little long and looped them back to the end of the car so if I needed to I could pull the car back. Just as good or better than the bungee cord.

Also don't go too thick on the line as you will find with this setup it is not all that hard to move the cars back when they are under load with the ball bearings.

 

[Joe]

As far as the cam cleat sliders....... don't get them now.... just find a convenient location for a Vee cleat... that's all you need.

The problem with the slider cam cleats is that they are on the track which is not an optimal location.

I purchased the slide mounted cam cleats also...... but I didn't mount them on the same track as the EZ glide system. I mounted them on my inside track, which I rarely use, choosing to barber haul when needed.

Look at the pictures and you'll see that my cam cleat is mounted up on the coaming... very accessible and out of the way of the sheet and the shock cord return system.

Also note that I route my sheet straight back to a turning/foot block before leading to the winch. This allows the shock cord to pull the car backwards, with a little help from the small, line handle I use to help..... otherwise... if the sheet runs upward from the EZ glide car directly to the winch... the upward tension on the line makes moving the car backwards difficult.

If you have a fair run from the EZ glide car to the winch, backwards movement won't be much of a problem... but on the Catalina 27 the winch mount location compared to the track requires this modification.

 

[captron]

Rick,
Whats a wind seeker?, a modified gennaker, cruising spinnaker?.


OTE=Rick D;875702]I put on the e-z glide system too. Yes, you want the cam cleat. Ultimately, I took off the shock cords for the rearward pull on the car and replaced it with a 1/4" return line and jam cleat, none of which has anything to do with the other parts of the system. This is not the first order of business and you may not need to do that at all; I had a particular need for it. I also left my original car in place at the aft of the track to run all the control lines through and to use for my windseeker and staysail lines.

BTW, Garhauer had me take measurements of the track which they instructed me to take so that they could be sure the car would match up. They said they would special machine it at no additional cost if needed. Not sure if they had to or not.

You'll find the adjustable system well-made and useful.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Ted]

Adjustable genoa car system

Captron

Your decision to add the cam cleat option that mounts on the genoa track is dependent on your particular boat. In many instances, the coaming gets in the way and you won't have convenient access to the cam cleat. In some installations it works and in others you have to come up with another location. When your genoa if fully loaded, it will take a considerable amount of force to move the adjustable genoa cars. You want a convenient location so you won't be hanging over the leeward rail making adjustments. I have a twin towable Harken system and located the cam cleat on a custom fitting mounted to the base of the stern pulpit. What is particularly nice about this setup is that the crew can adjust the genoa leads from nearly any location within the cockpit, even from the windward rail. Here are some photos of my solution.

 

[rpwillia]

Options, Options ...

Ron, Joe and Ted bring up good points about placement of the cam cleats. I have never been on or close to a Hunter 40.5 so you may have to do a little survey. For most I suspect the standard cam cleat on the slide car is the best option. BTW, what they mean with the slide mount is you slide the cam cleat assembly onto the track and then it is locked in place with the screw in the front, and thereafter does not move.

Another option you could consider is something similar to what Ted suggested are the Garhauer SB-25C Stanchion Blocks. I got one of these for my furler and it is pretty sweet. Again not knowing your particular configuration and preferences, it is hard to judge. A final thought is the slide cam cleats do stand up about 4-6 inches and they are right there on the track so even novice sailors can figure them out. :dance: Now if I could just get this one crew member to quit popping the windward line on the traveler onto the winch and cranking down AND THEN remembering he needs to ease off on the leeward side line life would be better - even the technology has its limits.

 

[Joe]

I think mounting the control line cleat directly behind the car on the same track is about the most inconvenient place to put it.... unless the track is on the cabin top like some smaller craft... Sonic comest to mind... The control line should be easily accessible to the trimmer... because that is the person who will use it. In any event the line can easily be led to a convenient location... and to spend 50-70 bucks just to moiunt it on a track is a waste of money.... you need to rig up the system before you place the cleat... once that's done, it will be clear where the cleat should be.

If you run shiock cord to pull the car backwards the track mounted cleat will definitely interfere, even more so it you need to run the sheet to a foot/turning block for a fair lead to the winch.

If you take a look at some of the systems available from Ronstan and Harken you'll note that they all run their control lines away from the track system... to a location convenient to the trimmer,.. that's not wedged in behind the car with the sheet and return system.

Take a look at some of the systems in the link http://www.pyacht.com/Harken-Genoa-Trav-Diagrm.pdf notice that the control lines all direct away from the track towards a cleat. ALSO..... note the depiction of the jib sheet (blue line). In all cases, the sheet runs flat, as it exits the lead block.... it does not angle directly up to the winch. This is critical for the car to be move aft under load..... an upward angle from the moveable block to winch will inhibit it's ability to slide backwards under tension.....

 

[Rick D]

Rick,
Whats a wind seeker?, a modified gennaker, cruising spinnaker?.


OTE=Rick D;875702]I put on the e-z glide system too. Yes, you want the cam cleat. Ultimately, I took off the shock cords for the rearward pull on the car and replaced it with a 1/4" return line and jam cleat, none of which has anything to do with the other parts of the system. This is not the first order of business and you may not need to do that at all; I had a particular need for it. I also left my original car in place at the aft of the track to run all the control lines through and to use for my windseeker and staysail lines.

BTW, Garhauer had me take measurements of the track which they instructed me to take so that they could be sure the car would match up. They said they would special machine it at no additional cost if needed. Not sure if they had to or not.

You'll find the adjustable system well-made and useful.

[/quote]

My windseeker is an ultra light high aspect ratio blade jib with a very high clew which is used to finding the wind and to get the boat moving so that the genny can start pulling again. However, I have used it for longer periods when it was the only thing that would move the boat.

 

[Rick D]

Some photos...

Took some pix when I was down at the boat. I rigged a small return line to pull the car aft because I found that I wanted it all the way aft when I run the genoa poled out when running or reaching in light air. Shock cord didn't cut it for that and left a mess on deck. The return line goes through a block affixed to the swivel cleat car and then just cleats off in a simple jam cleat attached to the cabin side.