Roller reefing retro fit any thoughts

[Franziska]

Hi, I am considering adding a roller reefing genoa to my cutter rigged cat.
As you can see there are two forestays.
Sheeting is on the coachroof.

Primary reasons are:

*Better balanced sailplan (the big roach is for lightwind and gets reefed fairly early but produces an unbalanced helm with the current foresails).

*Easier reefing before squalls when short-handed.

I lean towards adding the roller to the forward forestay. Keep the inner one for stronger winds with a hanked jib & reefed main.
Right decision? Any experiences with a similar setup?
Better ideas?

This posting is basically a sanity check :-)

Thanks for your thoughts,

Franziska

[neilpride]

No problem at all to me, just be sure your inner forestay got a set of runners .. Cheers..

[barnakiel]

Yes. I too think start with the outer one.

You may change the outer jib to a bigger one too.

The roller you fit for max stay length, just in case one day you do want a bigger sail there.

If your roller is longer than your sail (this seems to be the case you will face up first), you will use an in-foil tape to extend the sail.

b.

[Franziska]

Thanks for your thoughts.I will get a big genoa for the furler, which will help balance.
Early reefing is must though. The boat will be slightly overcanvased :-)

Interesting idea with the lufftape, had not thought about it.Still would want to avoid restitching the sail.
Maybe get a lufftape with grommets so I can use the old sail until I have a genoa?

Cheerio, Franziska

Sent from my C6603 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[barnakiel]

Franziska,

If and when building a new genoa sail (in a two sail configuration fore triangle) try and avoid the temptation (often expressed by less experienced sailmakers) to build the genoa (too) heavy.

A heavy genoa may at a point kill the point of having a genoa sail at all. If feasible, build the foremost sail light and then fall back on the inner jib (say your staysail) for the heavy going.

Cheers,
b.

[Franziska]

Good thought. Basically I would use it until the main gets reefed.

Another thought regarding cutter rigs.
Use a sail on the inner forestay when using the genoa or not?
Probably it's not necessary?

Currently I pull up the two foresails together.
They are small anyway and give a slot effect I feel.

Sent from my C6603 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[barnakiel]

If the genoa is cut bigger then you may be using them together somewhat less often.

There is a fine chapter in the Dashews that talks in detail on fore sails interaction and best cut (or what they see best).

In rough terms, as long as the sails are not blanketing each other and until you are fully powered up, you can carry as many sails at once as you wish.

b.