Genoa sheet slap and tore strataglass

[Matthieu G]

Hi there,

So we went out yesterday in 22-25 knots of wind.
Intense but fun sail.

At one point I backed the genoa blocks at the middle of it's track so we could sail upwind with the Genoa.
During tacking, by putting the sheet under tension with the winch, it smashed and tore the strataglass of the dodger.
And not just once, on both sides!

With the wind blowing,  each time it was the portion of the sheet in front of the block that slapped in the glass.

It was the first time the Genoa car block was at this position.
Is it a conflicting position for the block with a dodger ?

The "bright side" of this situation is that We had planned to do some adjustments on the dodger this winter.
So does anyone have a good advice for us ? 
Did we did something wrong ? (Could be, the boat is new to us)
Should we consider textile instead of glass at those area ?
Should we had remove those section before sailing, with that kind of wind ?

FYI, The strataglass and the dodger are not old.

Thanks

[Matthieu G]

On both sides

[Jim Fitch]

Hi Matthieu -

I've had the same problem with the sheets slapping the dodger glass and leaving marks and it did crack the glass once several years back.  I let someone use the boat last week and it came back with about a dozen of those scratches/scuffs.  I don't have a solution but I'm interested in what you get for responses and wanted to know if other owners have had any luck buffing out the scuffs.  My dodger is only a year old and I'm hoping I don't have to replace the glass this soon.

Jim

[Jim Hardesty]

Guys,
Maybe I'm missing something.  What is hitting the dodger window so hard?  The sheets, the sail clew or something else.  Are you using some kind of shackle on the sheet?  Shamrock's genoa sheets way forward of that, smaller and cut differently.  Never had that problem.
Jim

[Matthieu G]

Hi Jim H, 

Only the sheets. No shackles.  No sail clew. (I was using a 135% so the clew wasn't that near the dodger and window )

Every time this happened if I remember correctly was the time to start using the winch handle.
So there was tension on the Genoa sheet, but it was not yet completely still and taut by the winch.
(just when you have to use the winch handle because arm strength is no longer enough).

With the wind blowing, I think the sheets acted like a whip ? 

[Ron Hill]

Mat : Here are a couple of thing you might try :  While under load take the car that WILL be the lazy sheet and move it forward - that helps a bit. 
If you have a crew they can keep some tension to cut down the whipping of the lazy sheet.

A few thoughts

[Jim Hardesty]

Matthieu,
I do see that your dodger is different from most I see.  You have more glass.  Shamrock has side curtains and fabric and frame about the area that was damaged.
Jim

[Matthieu G]

Hi Jim,

Do you have picture how this area of your dodger is made?
It would help to foresee what to do this winter.

Thanks

Matthieu,
I do see that your dodger is different from most I see.  You have more glass.  Shamrock has side curtains and fabric and frame about the area that was damaged.
Jim

[Jim Hardesty]

Here is a picture of Shamrock this summer.  Think you can zoom in on the dodger.
Jim

[waughoo]

I have a 135 and the bottom is cut pretty high.  I havent had this issue, but I am curious why you had the car that far back.  Were you going for an EXTRA flat foot and spilling the air out the top?  As for the difference,  it seems to me that you might benefit from coming further through the wind .  Usually I can get the sail taught, but not trimmed well before the new active sheet has any play in it.

[Nicholia]

The same thing happened to me even though I have a 110 and the car was foreward.  The PO put some spiffy looking blue sheets on (I believe these are the same ones on Catalina Direct), but I found the older, uglier, but larger diameter sheets in the lazarette and changed them out - I think the blue ones are whippier.  It happened for me when my less experienced crew was having trouble quickly getting the sail trimmed, even in lighter winds than you had so I've been trying to have them backwind the sail before release then quickly sheet home to get into the right rhythm - haven't slapped since but then again, haven't been in 20 knots either.

[Matthieu G]

... but I am curious why you had the car that far back. 

Honestly, it's my first summer with this boat so I'm experimenting with a lot of things... and making a lot of mistakes!
I understand now that he was a little too far behind, but I don't think that's the only reason for what happened to us... And my 135 is cut quite high too.

I'm going to take your, Nicholia's and Ron's advice on managing the lazy and the active sheets, especially if the wind is strong.

I also believe that I will add fabrics on the lower side of the dodger. Hoping this avoids this problem, it will also be practical for making pockets.

Thanks to everyone