Should I raise my jib?

[McIntoshUSA]

I have about 10-12" extra at the top of my rolling fuller jib that I could pull it up higher. It is a roller fuller 135%. I was wondering if there is any pros/cons for pulling it up higher. I know I could see better under it when sailing and it would clear the lifelines better.

Would it change the way it sails if I pull it up higher? Would it point better, worse, the same, etc?

Thanks

 

[justsomeguy]

This thread may enlighten you.

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...ht-even-with-genny-cars-fully-forward.177782/

Edit: being able to see forward is always a plus in my book.

 

[JohnVTX]

I have roller furling as well and set my clew high which seems to work best with my outside track for my genoa cars. I ran both high and low on a Sirius 21 I had and did not really notice a difference.

 

[rgranger]

You will do better in light air and heel more in heavy.

 

[whatfiero]

Be carefull if you a rolling furler with aluminum track I thought the same thing to pull jib all way up but my furl track an inch from head stay my haylard allowed me to pull sail straight out track pulling capp which is the top bearing made of delron didn't notice at time but later wind got up and it ripped furl track a foot down and sawed headstay down like 2 full wire wraps. So don't pull sail too far up

 

[Daveinet]

I've had to ask the same question with my boat. The sheeting angle probably makes more difference than anything else, but if the sheeting angle is OK, I think it is better to be lower. If the jib sweeps the deck, the wind does not spill off the bottom of the sail. Trapping that air increases the pressure on the bottom of the sail.

 

[weinie]

More wind up high, better visibility at the deck, what's not to like. You sure your sail is sized right?

 

[Jackdaw]

More wind up high, better visibility at the deck, what's not to like.

For most breezes; given a fixed sail area, the lower the sail the better. Lower center of effort for the same amount of drive. Less healing force. The plate effect helps too if your sail is truly a deck sweeper (1-3 inches off the deck).

 

[Joe]

If you have visibility or clearance concerns that annoy you, and performance is less important that these issues, move it up.

 

[McIntoshUSA]

Thank you for all the replies. I believe I will leave it where it is at.

Thanks

 

[dscribner]

My first time out I had my genoa set too low just like that. Couldn't see diddly, hit a huge yellow buoy the size of a VW bug. I figured I had a sweeper. Next time, I figured the sail had jammed in the foil the first time so got it up all the way. Visibility was much improved, but the sail bent over the lifelines, looking amateurish. Well, being my second time out, I couldn't have THAT! I moved the attachment point of the lifelines down to the toe rail, giving the sail a slot to fit thru. Looks better, works fine but it isn't the best idea for lifelines.

 

[Anonymous member 131]

First rule of thumb. Get sails and rigging that fit your boat.

 

[Ken13583]

Ask 10 people a question... get 11 different answers.....

 

[Roadking Larry]

Serious question on jib/genoa tack height.
I've seen multiple posts here and elsewhere that a "deck sweeper" gets you the best performance or "Lower is better". I can understand how this could be the case if you weren't dealing with bow pulpits and lifelines but how is performance affected when a couple feet of the foot of the jib/genoa are bunched up going over the top of the pulpit and lifelines?
I'm planning to add roller furling and a new head sail to my boat in the next month or so and the more I read up on sails the confuseder I gets( sort of). My take is that if you have to clear a pulpit then just high enough to clear should be the best compromise.

 

[Jackdaw]

Serious question on jib/genoa tack height.
I've seen multiple posts here and elsewhere that a "deck sweeper" gets you the best performance or "Lower is better". I can understand how this could be the case if you weren't dealing with bow pulpits and lifelines but how is performance affected when a couple feet of the foot of the jib/genoa are bunched up going over the top of the pulpit and lifelines?
I'm planning to add roller furling and a new head sail to my boat in the next month or so and the more I read up on sails the confuseder I gets( sort of). My take is that if you have to clear a pulpit then just high enough to clear should be the best compromise.

Yes truth to this. For most the difference in performance will not be noticeable, and the change in balance will be slight. So do what makes the most sense.

How often you need to have to go help the headsail clear the lifelines will depend on the size of your sail, where your tracks are, and if you use a spinnaker. Usually you only need to crack it off that much when you are going downwind or at least deep reaching. Genoa boats will be effected more. Boat with non-overlapping jibs than use spins never have their jibs touch their lifelines.

 

[Roadking Larry]

Thanks for the input Jackdaw, I appreciate it. Being that I'm on a middlin size lake where the winds get light in the Summer and early Fall I'm considering a 150% genoa for my masthead boat but I haven't made any final decisions yet.
As for flying a spinnaker, I've never done it, my boat came with a symmetrical spin and all the rigging and gear to run it but finding enough people to do it and having someone that knows what they are doing at least for the first time has been problematic. We don't run them when we race but I'd sure like to pull that thing out of the bag and fly it one of these days.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

I would suggest listiening to Jackdaw on this one.

 

[Dave Pawloski]

I have a 1985 H-31 which I have both raced and cruised over the years. My sail inventory includes both a nylon cruising 155% and a lighter air mylar 155% for racing.
My furling gear is a Streamstay II which enables me to remove the remove the drum and to tack the racing sail right at deck level. Yes, reduced visibility, but dramatically better performance, especially in light air. Visibility best if helmsman sits up/out on coaming on low side. Rail meat can watch the high side for you.
The REAL answer to your question depends upon whether you are using the boat for cruising or racing.

 

[Anonymous member 131]

Catalina trbs. C30 Owner here. Another thing to realize is if your new to sailing or your boat, is that huge genoa's heel you fast in good winds. Im on an inland lake, but the great lakes where winds are just as high as on the ocean at times and large jibs just dont get it. I carry a small 100% jib as a storm jib also so if you dont like to heel and your boat flies faster on its bottom huge gens are not always needed as they can over power a boat in a hurry. If you get past 6% heel on a cat its slowing down so it needs reefed in anyways. Research your boat, find out whats best for IT. Then sail safe not at the bottom of the lake. I've had Fruition one year and towed several boats in seen one sail boat get its bottom tore out, landed on a lee shore trying to get into a port in a storm thru a three nm ditch with no bloody bouy lights that the harbor master failed to tell me any of the above. Thats Sebewaing Mi. Watch out the channel now bellies its not straight as the charts all say it is although the coast gaurd finally got the lights installed in the fall in time for the channel to be blown back full in a storm. I bottomed out coming out one last time in the fall in the middle of there channel so wont be visiting there again. Anyway my point is sail safe and know your boat before going out and ruining everyones day when they have to rescue you. If your sail hits your life lines how long is it going to last? Constant chaffing is going to wear it out in less than a season so unless you have more money than brains raise it above those lines or get rid of the lines and run a rope rat line around to clip to. In other words research research research your boat. Ask Ask Ask everyone that ACTIVELY sails one like yours. Not all boats sail the same.