Has anyone reefed a genoa? I dont have roller furl on my 26 footer. I always opted for simplicity. Im not really a fan of roller furl, I dont like bearings that jamb or sails that get stuck up in the track and wont come down. Im 70 years old and my wife objects to me going up on deck to change a sail in a blow. Ive read about genoas that have been reefed successfully. Anyone have any ideas on this. Bobj1xd
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Bob, you will still have to go on deck to reef the
jib. You need a new tack and a new clew. Tell your wife that we aren't allowed to consider calender years as a factor in determining physical ability. If you keep on doing then you mustn't look at the calender to decide that you are too old. Stay fit and active. It works for me and I am still repairing houses and will be 69 Oct. 1st this fall.
jib. You need a new tack and a new clew. Tell your wife that we aren't allowed to consider calender years as a factor in determining physical ability. If you keep on doing then you mustn't look at the calender to decide that you are too old. Stay fit and active. It works for me and I am still repairing houses and will be 69 Oct. 1st this fall.
I had one on my 1981 Seidelmann
A reefing jib that is. It was a 100 percent hank on that had a row of reef tie down reef points with a reef tack and clew. If we were going out in heavy weather I'd reef it down and it worked great. If you have a hank on headssail take it to a sailmaker and see if the can add reef points to it.
A reefing jib that is. It was a 100 percent hank on that had a row of reef tie down reef points with a reef tack and clew. If we were going out in heavy weather I'd reef it down and it worked great. If you have a hank on headssail take it to a sailmaker and see if the can add reef points to it.
reefing a jib continued
Listen Im no whuss, and im pretty fit I play racketball 3 times a week and repair and refinsh furniture. I dont mind going up on deck but Its a lot less time consuming to reef a jib than unhank it bag it up take it below and than hank another one on Thanks for the info Im going to look onto this Bob
Listen Im no whuss, and im pretty fit I play racketball 3 times a week and repair and refinsh furniture. I dont mind going up on deck but Its a lot less time consuming to reef a jib than unhank it bag it up take it below and than hank another one on Thanks for the info Im going to look onto this Bob
Bob, Never meant to imply otherwise.
Most working sailboats (skipjacks) have 3 reefs in the jib and 4 reefs in the main. Only boats with large crews changed sails. Even Lipton's very large boats carried sails with reefs in the sails. After all the mainsail on his yacht weighed 16000 pounds.
Most working sailboats (skipjacks) have 3 reefs in the jib and 4 reefs in the main. Only boats with large crews changed sails. Even Lipton's very large boats carried sails with reefs in the sails. After all the mainsail on his yacht weighed 16000 pounds.
Ross...
...was that 16,000 pounds...or 1,600 pounds? If it was 16,000 pounds, just what was he sailing? Thanks Jack
...was that 16,000 pounds...or 1,600 pounds? If it was 16,000 pounds, just what was he sailing? Thanks Jack
Besides the deck officers there was a crew
of 75 men on deck for sail handling. The boat was named Shamrock and these are the basic spec's. Length overall (LOA): 33.63m Length waterline (LWL) 22.86 m Beam: 6.35m Draft: 4.16m Displacement: 108.3 tonnes Sail area: 971.70m2 Mast: 32m Boom: 26.82m Bowsprit: 4.57m Topmast: 15.03m J.T./nc http://www.americascup.com/en/acclopaedia/circlinggalaxy/bateau.php?idContent=4873 this link takes you to another site for the early americas cup boats. http://www.thirdwavefilms.com/prints.htm
of 75 men on deck for sail handling. The boat was named Shamrock and these are the basic spec's. Length overall (LOA): 33.63m Length waterline (LWL) 22.86 m Beam: 6.35m Draft: 4.16m Displacement: 108.3 tonnes Sail area: 971.70m2 Mast: 32m Boom: 26.82m Bowsprit: 4.57m Topmast: 15.03m J.T./nc http://www.americascup.com/en/acclopaedia/circlinggalaxy/bateau.php?idContent=4873 this link takes you to another site for the early americas cup boats. http://www.thirdwavefilms.com/prints.htm
You can 'flatten' and 'depower' a hanked on sail.
Flattening requires that the sail have a cunninham cringle (and reinforcing patches) installed a foot or so above the tack of the sail. You then run a jacking-line from the cockpit to a block on the bow then up through the cunningham hole/cringle and back down to terminate at the tack. This will give a 2:1 advantage when the line is pulled tight. A jib cunningham will work the same as a mainsail cunningham ... draft will go forward and the balance of the sail will become somewhat flattened, especially from the midsection down to the foot. Additionally you can run with a 'bar-tight' jib halyard which will do the same thing but from mid-section to the head of the sail. Depowering; locate the jibfairlead car a few feet 'back' from the normal position. This will 'open' the leech, flatten the lower sections, and essentially 'depower' the top of the sail. A genoa set/shaped in this configuration may wind up with the upper leech fluttering 'madly' (which can over time 'fatigue' the fabric ... so dont 'over-do' the depowering if it results in the upper sections of the sail become 'very unstable'. OR .................... if the boat has a modern underbody shape ... simply deep reef the main or totally drop it and sail soley on the genoa. Most well designed *mast headed* sloops will sail quite well on genoa (usually greater than 120%) alone ... and still be able to point to weather adequately and without much weather helm at all ... especially if the sail is set/shaped with the point of maximum draft located well forward by hard halyard and/or cunningham tension. .... then you dont have to go up on the foredeck at all. hope this helps.
Flattening requires that the sail have a cunninham cringle (and reinforcing patches) installed a foot or so above the tack of the sail. You then run a jacking-line from the cockpit to a block on the bow then up through the cunningham hole/cringle and back down to terminate at the tack. This will give a 2:1 advantage when the line is pulled tight. A jib cunningham will work the same as a mainsail cunningham ... draft will go forward and the balance of the sail will become somewhat flattened, especially from the midsection down to the foot. Additionally you can run with a 'bar-tight' jib halyard which will do the same thing but from mid-section to the head of the sail. Depowering; locate the jibfairlead car a few feet 'back' from the normal position. This will 'open' the leech, flatten the lower sections, and essentially 'depower' the top of the sail. A genoa set/shaped in this configuration may wind up with the upper leech fluttering 'madly' (which can over time 'fatigue' the fabric ... so dont 'over-do' the depowering if it results in the upper sections of the sail become 'very unstable'. OR .................... if the boat has a modern underbody shape ... simply deep reef the main or totally drop it and sail soley on the genoa. Most well designed *mast headed* sloops will sail quite well on genoa (usually greater than 120%) alone ... and still be able to point to weather adequately and without much weather helm at all ... especially if the sail is set/shaped with the point of maximum draft located well forward by hard halyard and/or cunningham tension. .... then you dont have to go up on the foredeck at all. hope this helps.
Unless you start off
at the dock with a hank-on genoa that is reefed, reefing a headsail will involve going forward (now start thinking about the conditions requiring you to reef....), rolling up some of the foot of the sail to whatever reef points your headsail may have, tying off at that point, and either retying the jibsheets, or tying on new ones, to the new and higher outhaul. This is certainly a doable event -- and I used to do it myself now and then on previous boats. But it usually isn't fun, particularly when alone on the fordeck of a small boat in high/wind wave conditions. I could actually drop a big genoa, stuff it into the forepeak thru the hatch, and hank-on a new and smaller headsail much faster than reefing the current headsail. But in the end, I wound up with a bigger boat and roller furling. I've found that as I age, the stabiilty from the greater displacement, and the ease of roller furling (i.e., reefing from the cockpit), made sailing in challenging conditions a lot more fun and certainly much more safe....
at the dock with a hank-on genoa that is reefed, reefing a headsail will involve going forward (now start thinking about the conditions requiring you to reef....), rolling up some of the foot of the sail to whatever reef points your headsail may have, tying off at that point, and either retying the jibsheets, or tying on new ones, to the new and higher outhaul. This is certainly a doable event -- and I used to do it myself now and then on previous boats. But it usually isn't fun, particularly when alone on the fordeck of a small boat in high/wind wave conditions. I could actually drop a big genoa, stuff it into the forepeak thru the hatch, and hank-on a new and smaller headsail much faster than reefing the current headsail. But in the end, I wound up with a bigger boat and roller furling. I've found that as I age, the stabiilty from the greater displacement, and the ease of roller furling (i.e., reefing from the cockpit), made sailing in challenging conditions a lot more fun and certainly much more safe....
Reconsider...
roller furling. Present day systems have really improved since the early days. They are extremely reliable certainly the safest way to lessen sail in a blow. The fact the vast majority of solo circumnavigators use them testifies to their reliability and simplicity.
roller furling. Present day systems have really improved since the early days. They are extremely reliable certainly the safest way to lessen sail in a blow. The fact the vast majority of solo circumnavigators use them testifies to their reliability and simplicity.
jib reefing
I have jib reef points on a little Mirror dinghy. To reef, I first heave-to. Pull the jib aback, ease the mainsheet and fix the helm down 30 degs. Next drop the jib about half way and crawl half on to the foredeck. Move the tack snap hook up to the reef eye. Next move the sheet snap shackle up to the reef clew eye. Next roll up the loose sail and tie in the points with reef knots. Put lashings for the same purpose at tack and clew to secure the loose canvas. Pull the foot into shape. All the time keep some wind in the sail to stop the boat from tacking. Pull up the halliard and let draw. It takes about 2 minutes and is quite easy. The boat sails beautifully with jib and main reefed. The lashings for holding up the loose sail at the tack and clew need to be several turns made very securely or it will shake loose. As an alternative, you can reef before setting out.
I have jib reef points on a little Mirror dinghy. To reef, I first heave-to. Pull the jib aback, ease the mainsheet and fix the helm down 30 degs. Next drop the jib about half way and crawl half on to the foredeck. Move the tack snap hook up to the reef eye. Next move the sheet snap shackle up to the reef clew eye. Next roll up the loose sail and tie in the points with reef knots. Put lashings for the same purpose at tack and clew to secure the loose canvas. Pull the foot into shape. All the time keep some wind in the sail to stop the boat from tacking. Pull up the halliard and let draw. It takes about 2 minutes and is quite easy. The boat sails beautifully with jib and main reefed. The lashings for holding up the loose sail at the tack and clew need to be several turns made very securely or it will shake loose. As an alternative, you can reef before setting out.
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