Rig modifications for flying a Gennaker

[onlinelee]

Hi Beneteau friends,

I have what I guess is a standard factory fitted bow anchor roller on my 2003 B361.
I have a Gennaker and have flown it only a few times using a pulley fitted to the top of the roller. I took a friend out today in light winds so we could practice gybing it, my friend noticed my anchor roller in his view is not designed for taking strong lifting forces. I had not taken much notice, the forestay fitting is bolted to the bow whereas the anchor roller is bolted to the deck, albeit looking well fixed. I wonder what solutions other owners have found if they agree with my friend?

 

[DougM]

I have used a block on the anchor bracket. although its not ideal, it helps to get the sail out ahead of the bow pulpit. As long a you are using it in light air, I don't think that the vertical loading is too excessive.
I also have a padeye on the foredeck beside the roller bracket that I have used.

Long term, a retractable sprit such as those sold by Selden would be a more practical solution if you intend to use the gennaker frequently.

 

[THECUSCUS]

As Doug noted above, the Selden sprit is a simple, clean way to run your tack line.

 

[Rick D]

My Hunter 40.5 has a long anchor roller and many owners fly the A sail from it. However, one I know had separation from the deck after a 23 day offshore transit, much flying it. The solution is to add a bobstay. Another friend has a Hanse with a roller very similar to yours. He had a bobstay made for his A sail. Good luck!

 

[onlinelee]

I read that back in 2012 Beneteau said their bow sprit was not designed to take lifting loads generated by a gennaker, however, the broken ones shown on the net seem to be cast, mine is stainless steel. My friend agreed with Doug, it should not be a problem in light airs and yes we had a problem gybing because the pulpit obstructs the sail. I think as long as I can find a solution to reinforce the bow sprit then I could live with the pulpit problem. Any solutions ( links or pictures ) would be appreciate - Thanks guys, Lee

 

[Paul Streicher]

Check with Beneteau. In response to the same question for a 2010 B40, I was provided with the attached Beneteau Option Sheet for a gennaker on a B43, showing the tack block attached exactly as you have shown, on apparently the same bow sprit/anchor roller. I never had any problems with it rigged as shown.

 

[Jackdaw]

Check with Beneteau. In response to the same question for a 2010 B40, I was provided with the attached Beneteau Option Sheet for a gennaker on a B43, showing the tack block attached exactly as you have shown, on apparently the same bow sprit/anchor roller. I never had any problems with it rigged as shown.

The picture in that Beneteau doc show the block attached at point just a inch or so in front of the forwardmost deck bolt. This is key because as that block moves forward, the leverage on the roller grows tremendously. Where it in the doc there is very little leverage.

While it might survive light loading, I would never run a genaker off the end of the roller without a bobstay to take the lifting load of the sail.

 

[Gunni]

What Paul posts is the way my Assym rigs to the bow. However the bow roller on the B411 is extremely stout, and webs back both sides of the hull-deck joint. The stainless plate is maybe 10mm. Many of the smaller boats and a lot of the new boats do not have bow roller assemblies that would handle the upward loading of a sail tack. Have a rigger look at yours.

 

[Jackdaw]

What Paul posts is the way my Assym rigs to the bow. However the bow roller on the B411 is extremely stout, and webs back both sides of the hull-deck joint. The stainless plate is maybe 10mm. Many of the smaller boats and a lot of the new boats do not have bow roller assemblies that would handle the upward loading of a sail tack. Have a rigger look at yours.

Maybe Gunni.. Stout will match your sized boat, but for its intended/designed purpose. All I can say is that when Beneteau designs a bow roller INTENDED to be used as a asym tack point, it has a built-in bob-stay.

 

[Gunni]

All I can say is that when Beneteau designs a bow roller INTENDED to be used as a asym tack point, it has a built-in bob-stay.

Well, they certainly had to add a bobstay when they started building dreadnought bows. In the past Beneteau bow rollers didn't need to cantilever off the bow, and they were set up to tack an asym.

 

[onlinelee]

Thanks you guys for all your thoughts. I think a bob stay is a simple and inexpensive solution that will resolve half my problem, I would be tempted to use the bottom bolt on the forestay tang to fix it. I suspect my boat is one of those that wouldn't have a problem due the fact that the bow roller plate is well fixed and made of thick stainless steel, unlike some other boats - See square picture. However, adding a bob stay seems sensible. I also found some solutions that could easily be fabricated ( I think/hope ) to push the Gennaker in front of the pulpit.

 

[Gunni]

The difficulty for many of the Beneteaus (like your and mine) is the foredeck being consumed by our nice big anchor locker and attendant locker hatch. I have seen fixed-rig bobstays do massive damage to a boat's standing rig in contact with a dock. They make a lousy bumper. Check out the folding Trogear CF bowsprit, probably the easiest install of any sprit on your Beneteau.
http://trogear.com

 

[onlinelee]

[QUOTE="I have seen fixed-rig bobstays do massive damage to a boat's standing rig in contact with a dock. They make a lousy bumper.[/QUOTE]

Hey Gunni, great point and something I would have problem with as Im always getting blown off mooring here!!
I think I will look at a removable bob stay, Im meeting a friend who would fabricate it for me, watch this space

 

[jssailem]

I manufactured a sprit on a Montgomery 15. Learned there are two forces of concern. The lifting force is countered by the bob stay or a strong down attachment to the bow. For example the way your roller is attached with through bolts in the trangular plate on the bow. The second significant force is linear pull and push along the center line. Sptits get attached somewhere back from the bow. this needs to be a strong point or the sprit will pull itself off the boat.

I used some 2" diameter thick walled pipe. Worked great for the the asymmetrical.
Sizing would need to be scaled for boat.

 

[Gunni]

The Trogear sprit goes beyond a removable bob stay, it has an adjustable bob stay using the new high-strength cordage. When not in use it lashes up against the pulpit and the bob stay goes loose. You will note the design braces against lateral loading to keep the tack on center. An elegant design for any boat but especially Beneteaus with a foredeck consumed by an anchor locker lid.

 

[DougM]

I like the concept of the Trogear sprit, but at that price, I'm thinking that I only want to buy the sprit without having to pay the rent on the manufacturing space...

 

[Gunni]

I hear you Doug! That is why I have it on my "honey do" while I continue to clip my Spinnaker tack to my bow roller! My rigger keeps nagging me...

 

[jbrendel]

I use a tacker which easily mounts around my furled jib and forestay. $90 from ATN

 

[Gunni]

I use a tacker which easily mounts around my furled jib and forestay. $90 from ATN

You still need to downhaul "tack" your sail to something at deck level, even the ATN device.

 

[Jackdaw]

You still need to downhaul "tack" your sail to something at deck level, even the ATN device.

Correct...

The difference is that the tacker allows the tack and tack line to be INSIDE the bow pulpit, eliminating the need for a means to have the tack clear the pulpit while sailing and gibing. A simple block near the forestay and you're good.

The downside it it holds the tack on the centerline, making deep angle sailing less efficient.