I sailed our new to us Capri 22 twice and have noticed that the visibility, on the blind side of the Genoa, is a concern. However,the Genoa looks like it can be lifted up the Furler, by about 6-8 inched. The other situation, I have experienced with the Genoa, is that it hard to trim the sail properly because of the interference with the Life Lines. I am sure, that when I rise the Genoa all the way up the Furler, it will be easier to trim the sail, while making it more efficient at the same time. Now back to my question! We are considering adding a Window to the Genoa to improve visibility. Does anyone have a Window in the sail?
Genoa Sail Window
- Thread starter bigpapaporsche
- Start date
If you are just cruising around, then raising the genoa up to the top of the furler will work if it makes it easier for you...
If you ever plan on racing though I'd make sure its down at deck level. The end plate of the deck is helpful to channel the air across the back of the main, it helps build pressure through the slot.
I feel your pain with large genoa with no window. It makes racing solo dangerous, and difficult with crew even. I ordered my last genoa without a window, and regretted it almost from day 1.
With crew, until you are heeling to say 15 degrees, you can station yourself or a crew member low side for lookout... until that point then having them move forward to the rail, near the shrouds, gives them a slightly better angle than the skipper. You still have a blind spot mind you, but its much smaller. With a larger crew, put the bowman at the chainplate, skipper at the traveler but in the cockpit, and genoa trimmer on the rail, at the winch, between skipper and bowman, you'll see nearly everything, sheeted in hard, and moving upwind.
Just reread... the genoa interface with the lifelines? You mean it's getting caught after a tack? I jib-roller like the ones from forespar help some... but honestly the biggest help is getting your timing down while tacking. Also a HUGE tip, that seems to go unsaid by many... to get a curled up genoa stuck on a lifeline... smack the leeward lifeline from the pit... it causes the foreward lifeline to wobble just enough to let the sail flop over it. Here's a stuck genoa...
We had just tacked and I hadn't fixed the genoa... cause we were 1 boat length to the line.
Same sail sheeted in properly unstuck from the lifelines.. yeah I know not a Capri 22... but same principle.
If you ever plan on racing though I'd make sure its down at deck level. The end plate of the deck is helpful to channel the air across the back of the main, it helps build pressure through the slot.
I feel your pain with large genoa with no window. It makes racing solo dangerous, and difficult with crew even. I ordered my last genoa without a window, and regretted it almost from day 1.
With crew, until you are heeling to say 15 degrees, you can station yourself or a crew member low side for lookout... until that point then having them move forward to the rail, near the shrouds, gives them a slightly better angle than the skipper. You still have a blind spot mind you, but its much smaller. With a larger crew, put the bowman at the chainplate, skipper at the traveler but in the cockpit, and genoa trimmer on the rail, at the winch, between skipper and bowman, you'll see nearly everything, sheeted in hard, and moving upwind.
Just reread... the genoa interface with the lifelines? You mean it's getting caught after a tack? I jib-roller like the ones from forespar help some... but honestly the biggest help is getting your timing down while tacking. Also a HUGE tip, that seems to go unsaid by many... to get a curled up genoa stuck on a lifeline... smack the leeward lifeline from the pit... it causes the foreward lifeline to wobble just enough to let the sail flop over it. Here's a stuck genoa...
We had just tacked and I hadn't fixed the genoa... cause we were 1 boat length to the line.
Same sail sheeted in properly unstuck from the lifelines.. yeah I know not a Capri 22... but same principle.
Thanks for the tips! I am sure that after I get more experience with the boat, I'll learn its characteristics. With just one week left in the season, I am trying to get a few more sails in, before I start my "Winter Couch Sailing" season, where I never make any mistakes. It maybe a little over ambition, but I want to try using our standard Spinnaker, on Friday, wish me luck.
Spinnaker work can be frustrating at first, but once you get a smooth set, it'll all be worth it. A good set feels like someone just reaches out, grabs the bow eye and YANKS the boat faster, it's THAT good. No matter how much you practice, you still have mistakes, so might as well start early.
When I put the boat away for Winter, I had the opportunity to investigated why the Genoa was not hoisted higher up the CDI Furler. I found that the PO had actually routed the Furler's Halyard line backward! I was curious about the Halyard because I noticed that the Halyard was routed externally of the Furler's Extrusion, when the sail was unfurled. I found the sail's was attached to wrong end of the Halyard, i.e. the Flatten Side of the Halyard. The CDI Furler intends that the Flatten End of the Halyard go through the Extrusion, while the other end of the Halyard (Round End) is attached to the Sail. This results in the Halyard being concealed when the sail is unfurled. When the sail is unfurled, you should only see the Furler's Extrusion, no Halyard. I'll now be able to rise the sail all the way up the furler to improve visibility or adjust it downward to increase performance. By the way, I am still planning as Window in the Genoa.