Re: Furler feedback

hlg@pacbell.net
Tue, 5 Oct 1999 21:05:39 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Dave:

You won't want the genoa and foresail except when the wind is light, which
is not uncommon in your area. If there is any prospect of rising winds,
just leave off the foresail. With your furler you can reduce the genoa sail
area.

But there is a way to rig your foresail so that it can be pulled back into
the cockpit. Don Bergst use to have his jib rigged in such a manner.

You probably need a jib that has a wire in the luff. Instead of hanking the
jib onto the forestay, Don set it flying, that is, attached only at the
peak and tack. In addition, the tack line was run through a block and
routed back to a cleat near the cockpit. When he wanted to lower the jib,
he would uncleat the halyard and tack line, which allowed him then to
simply pull the jib back to the cockpit by a jibsheet. It only took him
seconds to lower the jib, haul it into the cockpit, and stow it. With that
setup you won't need the forestay from the bowsprit, but it can be left in
place.

When cutter rigged you may have excessive lee helm under some conditions
since the combined center of effort will be further forward than normal.

Harry Gordon
P14 #234, Manatee
Mountain View, CA

>I have been following this thread with interest because I am also close to
>buying a roller furling for my p15. It is cutter rigged. I just have not
>used the forward stay and Genoa yet. Lars suggested when I do fly both sails
>to put the Genoa on the inside forward stay and the Jib on the outside
>forward stay. I have Genoa tracks already on the boat. What I am trying to
>come up with is a way to reef the sails in a hurry without having to go
>forward. I usually sail in the Ocean in So. CA. My concern is that if I put
>the cdi on the Genoa on the inside stay am I going to be able to bring in
>the jib with a downhaul and have it not drag in the water due to the
>extended outside forward stay on the bow spirit. It almost seems I would
>need two cdi's but that sounds expensive and also a lot of work at setup
>time. Did that make sense? any suggestions are welcome. The winds can be
>light at times and I would really like to have the use of a Genoa and a jib
>in these conditions. I am a big guy so all that sail up will balance my
>weight out to.
>Happy Sailing!
>Dave Lang p15 hull#554
>