I have a 272 and am considering getting new sails. For the head sail I am thinking of getting a 145% that way in light air I will have a large sail and when the breeze increases I can furl it. My question is, is it bad for the sail or the rig to furl it a few feet and still used it when wind picks up heavy? Especially for newer sails?
Reefing a furling Genoa
- Thread starter PatSul22
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Pat,
That's what a good roller furler is meant for. As long as you have Gennie tracks and cars to provide the sheets with the right angle for the new sail shape when it's reefed, it will work out great. My sails are old. I had them built in the 1990s and I converted my Gennie over about three years ago when I bought my CDI Roller Furler, and they're still going strong.
Joe
Very poor performance
Furling a jib or genoa on a rolling furler doesn't work very well. The shape of the furled sail is all wrong so you can't point into the wind, the diameter of the rolled up sail disrupts the air flow over the luff of the sail further roining performance. Then the center of effort of the sail is way up the headstay so your heeling moment is too large. Much better to put up a smaller sail. I use a 130% but also have a 110 and a storm jib. You are better off in heavy air to have a good sail up and sacrifice performance in light air in my opinion. I use my 110 the most.
Furling a jib or genoa on a rolling furler doesn't work very well. The shape of the furled sail is all wrong so you can't point into the wind, the diameter of the rolled up sail disrupts the air flow over the luff of the sail further roining performance. Then the center of effort of the sail is way up the headstay so your heeling moment is too large. Much better to put up a smaller sail. I use a 130% but also have a 110 and a storm jib. You are better off in heavy air to have a good sail up and sacrifice performance in light air in my opinion. I use my 110 the most.
I agree with you Dave, but I wouldn't go back to the conventional fore sail with pistons or snaps. I'm spoiled for good, I guess.
I reef my 140% genny frequently using a new Harken furler. The sail is at least 20 years old but I am not sure as I am the second owner. The critial equipment is the quality of the furler to witrhstand the pressure of being partially furled. It sure beats changing sails when the wind pipes up!
I agree you 100% on that. I have no problem going to the mast to reef or shake out a reef, and I've done it with the boat sailing under autopilot many times, but I'm not up to going out on the bow and work the Gennie sail anymore. It's too much work and too dangerous at times when sea is kicking up.
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