Genoa percentage

[Bill C320 Papillon]

Thank God for roller reefing

I have one headsail and it's pretty big. When it's too big, I roll some up. So I guess that makes my headsail "variable" and I don't have to give a rats rear end over the mathmatics. It also means only 1 sail bag that says "front sail" and really saves on storeage.Buy a furler and leave your calculator on shore.

 

[Capt Ron;-)]

Thank God - Devil in The Drum!

Bill, it is allmost guranteed that it will jam whilst out one day. I have had many rollers jam.Most folks keep the halyard slightly loose, and roll it up EARLY. Do roll really EARLY, but the roller halyard loose is not a good system.Walk down a dock, traditional stayed wire forestays, the rig is pretty straight and well-kept. Most all roller-furlers re lazy and drooping, not good for the rig.

 

[Moody Buccaneer]

Loose is no good

Capt Ron is right on.Roller furlers are a huge percentage of a rigger's service calls. 98% of the problems are owner induced. Most of those are due to lack of tension in forestay or halyard.I was at a boat this summer for a furler service call ... the halyard and forestay tension had not been adjusted in 15 years!Furlers require a tight forestay to work correctly. Modern Genoas need very little halyard tension in light air and a loose forestay. After a nice light air sail with proper tensions for good sail shape, the furler is just waiting to not work properly. The forestay and halyard must be tensioned before furling the sail, then halyard tension eased after the sail is furled.When getting underway, the halyard is snugged up and the forestay left taught as the sail is un-furled. Then halyard tension and forestay tension (sag) adjusted for conditions.Gee ... that almost makes a roller furling genoa MORE work than a hanked-on sail ...

 

[David W]

This thread is as much fun as...

asking which boat brand is better... C? B? or H?

 

[Big Windy]

Genoa

Joe...give us a break here...he asked a simple quesion and higgs gave him a reasonable answer. This is not an exercise in 9th grade math.

 

[Joe]

exactly my point....

he asked a simple question, but the right answer was not so simple. In fact, I don't recall him asking for the simple answer, but if you insist that he did, then please don't equate simple with wrong. Be cool, sorry to be the cause of such irritation.

 

[Pete]

RTFQ!

All this in order to get a sail bag made? What's the J,E,P,I and LP for a sailbag? Easy. Roll up your sail, slip a tape measure around it and you have it! BTW, who actually has sail bags made????

 

[Joe]

Good one, Pete

good answer.