Can anyone tell me how to use the long adjustment track on the rails? On my last boat I just left the car in the middle of a very short track.
Alewifehouse@mainecoast.net
Jib-Genoa adjustments
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: Jib-Genoa adjustments
Tom,
I might be mistaken, but I believe the position of the car is used to adjust the tension on the foot and leach of the genoa. When you trim the genoa, look at the foot: if too loose, it will be baggy. Also look at the leach, does it trim smoothly? If not, adjust the position of the car, forward or back, until you reach a point were both aspects of the sail trim neatly. Once positioned, I don't think you have to move it around again for different points of sail, but I might be mistaken about this. Maybe someone else can enlighten both of us. You probably should also consider how the sheet leads to the winch, no interference with the stantions etc. You probably would need to adjust the car if you change headsails, ie. from the yankee to a 150 genoa. Different sails would require different trim, I would think. But overall, the idea is to get the sheet to pull on the sail at the proper angle to provide optimum trim for both the foot and leach.
Let's wait to see what others can offer as guidance.
Dave Stump
Hanalei
I might be mistaken, but I believe the position of the car is used to adjust the tension on the foot and leach of the genoa. When you trim the genoa, look at the foot: if too loose, it will be baggy. Also look at the leach, does it trim smoothly? If not, adjust the position of the car, forward or back, until you reach a point were both aspects of the sail trim neatly. Once positioned, I don't think you have to move it around again for different points of sail, but I might be mistaken about this. Maybe someone else can enlighten both of us. You probably should also consider how the sheet leads to the winch, no interference with the stantions etc. You probably would need to adjust the car if you change headsails, ie. from the yankee to a 150 genoa. Different sails would require different trim, I would think. But overall, the idea is to get the sheet to pull on the sail at the proper angle to provide optimum trim for both the foot and leach.
Let's wait to see what others can offer as guidance.
Dave Stump
Hanalei
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Mike Thorpe
Re: Jib-Genoa adjustments
Tom,
The jib sheet should bisect the angle between the foot and the leach of the jib. With the boat hard on the wind imagine the jib sheet extending thru the jib all the way to the luff. This imaginary line should meet the luff of the jib at its midpoint. Move the car fore or aft to get it close( you will have to head up & luff the jib to do this). Once you are close you can fine tune this adjustment using the 3 jib tell tales. Put the boat hard on the wind and trim to get all tell tales flying correctly. Now slowly head up and see which tell tale breaks first. If the top tell tale breaks first move the car forward; bottom tell tale breaks first move the car aft. Keep adjusting until all 3 tell tales break at the same time. Record the car location for that size jib. Yes a differn't location for each jib which makes roller furling lots of fun.
Good sailing
Mike Thorpe
CD27 Lady Jane
mthorpe@capecod.net
The jib sheet should bisect the angle between the foot and the leach of the jib. With the boat hard on the wind imagine the jib sheet extending thru the jib all the way to the luff. This imaginary line should meet the luff of the jib at its midpoint. Move the car fore or aft to get it close( you will have to head up & luff the jib to do this). Once you are close you can fine tune this adjustment using the 3 jib tell tales. Put the boat hard on the wind and trim to get all tell tales flying correctly. Now slowly head up and see which tell tale breaks first. If the top tell tale breaks first move the car forward; bottom tell tale breaks first move the car aft. Keep adjusting until all 3 tell tales break at the same time. Record the car location for that size jib. Yes a differn't location for each jib which makes roller furling lots of fun.
Good sailing
Mike Thorpe
CD27 Lady Jane
Tom Foley wrote: Can anyone tell me how to use the long adjustment track on the rails? On my last boat I just left th
mthorpe@capecod.net
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John Martin
Re: Jib-Genoa adjustments
In light wind move the car forward to get best sail shape. Also the further off the wind, move the car forward. See "Sail Power" by Wallace Ross.Tom Foley wrote: Can anyone tell me how to use the long adjustment track on the rails? On my last boat I just left the car in the middle of a very short track.
John Martin
CD28 #346 Intrepid
john.martin.2@worldnet.att.net
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Neil Gordon
Re: Jib-Genoa adjustments
>>Once positioned, I don't think you have to move it around again for different points of sail, but I might be mistaken about this.<<
You might, but for cruising, it's hardly worth it. You can only move the car on the windward wide, so you have to tack to make adjustments.
I leave mine in place, even when I reef in the jib. I'll trade performance for convenience.
Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
neil@nrgordon.com
You might, but for cruising, it's hardly worth it. You can only move the car on the windward wide, so you have to tack to make adjustments.
I leave mine in place, even when I reef in the jib. I'll trade performance for convenience.
Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
neil@nrgordon.com
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Catherine Monaghan
Re: Jib-Genoa adjustments
Tom,
Maybe you can remember this little ditty:
"Power up, power down."
To "power up" the headsail, move the jiblead car up or forward along the track. This increases the draft in the sail, especially at the foot, making it fuller. Do this when conditions are light to moderate.
To "power down" the headsail, move the car down or aft along the track. This decreases the draft in the sail making it more flat. Do this when conditions are moderate to heavy.
For moderate conditions, the car will be somewhere along the middle of the track positioned as described in Mike Thorpe's reply. The telltales will indicate when the car is positioned correctly.
These are adjustments that you definitely want to make. Don't set the jibleads and just leave them in one position for perpetuity. Each time you set out from the dock, judge the conditions and set the jibleads accordingly. Many sailors have complained of excessive weather helm or being overpowered on windy days. Their rigs would have been more easily managed had the headsail not been "powered up".
If it's windy enough to make you reef your mainsail, you should be flattening the headsail as well -- power down.
For a better understanding of all this visit <a href="http://www.uksailmakers.com/genoatrim.html">this website</a>.
Hope this helps.
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization
Raritan Bay
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
Maybe you can remember this little ditty:
"Power up, power down."
To "power up" the headsail, move the jiblead car up or forward along the track. This increases the draft in the sail, especially at the foot, making it fuller. Do this when conditions are light to moderate.
To "power down" the headsail, move the car down or aft along the track. This decreases the draft in the sail making it more flat. Do this when conditions are moderate to heavy.
For moderate conditions, the car will be somewhere along the middle of the track positioned as described in Mike Thorpe's reply. The telltales will indicate when the car is positioned correctly.
These are adjustments that you definitely want to make. Don't set the jibleads and just leave them in one position for perpetuity. Each time you set out from the dock, judge the conditions and set the jibleads accordingly. Many sailors have complained of excessive weather helm or being overpowered on windy days. Their rigs would have been more easily managed had the headsail not been "powered up".
If it's windy enough to make you reef your mainsail, you should be flattening the headsail as well -- power down.
For a better understanding of all this visit <a href="http://www.uksailmakers.com/genoatrim.html">this website</a>.
Hope this helps.
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization
Raritan Bay
Tom Foley wrote: Can anyone tell me how to use the long adjustment track on the rails? On my last boat I just left the car in the middle of a very short track.
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
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Scott
Re: Jib-Genoa adjustments
Mike has the right answer. Use tell tales. When they all lie flat against the sail, you have it right. If the top leeward tell tale flutters first (close hauled), move the car forward to reduce twist of the sail ... and vice versa. In general, the best position depends on the wind; stronger wind will "twist" the upper part of the sail and you need to move the car forward to counteract this effect.
ritcheyvs@aol.com
ritcheyvs@aol.com
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Brent
Re: Jib-Genoa adjustments
Triming the jib is an esential part of sailing. Especially Cruising. I have talked with many, many, many cruisiers that don't adjust their cars on genoa track, they all tell me the same thing, it's to much bother and I'm not all that concerned with performance. However, by not properly triming the jib you can lose a knot or more of boat speed. This does not sound like much and it not if you are day sailing but on a long passage this equates to extra days at sea. With one knot less of boat speed that equals an extra 24 miles you'll have to sail the next day. Over a weeks period this really adds up. There's a great book to read called Sail Performance, its a bit slow but if you keep at it you'll learn a lot.
Brent
sailcovers@usa.net
Brent
sailcovers@usa.net