Jib fairlead position

[Craig Illman]

My 1991 C34 has the recessed fairlead track.  I typically move the cars all the way forward with my 90%.  What do people do when they partially furl their headsails to less than 90%?  How do people typically set their sails in 30kt winds?

- Craig

[Jim Price]

Same year boat.  I have a 120% (heavy West Coast Sail) I use in our winter / spring breezy season and 150% for summer / fall.  Because of the sail weight, I can use the 120% furled to the size of a reasonable storm jib.  Actually with those conditions, I frequently set BOTH sheets to same set and let sail work like self tacking when on the wind.  Off wind / reaching, I let in a little slack on both sheets for the point I am sailing but still set both.  I don't really worry about the block positions, just equal pressure on both sets.

Lazy way of dealing with heavy winds but it works for me, especially when single handed.   

[Stu Jackson]

Craig

1986, with an 85% and a 110%.  The answer, in part, depends on how your sails are cut and how low the clew is.  Racing sailors have "deck sweepers" that keep the clew low, with resultant lack of visibility forward.

Our clews are both pretty high (we're cruisers, but inherited our two jibs).  I leave the fairleads forward, because that's how the leech of both of the sails set well in moderate winds.  This also includes how your luff telltales work, since you want all three or four streaming properly.

If the wind pipes up, the idea is to move the fairleads back to drop wind off the top of the sail by opening the leech.  Others simply start to furl to reef the jib, although I must admit that we've only reefed the 110 twice.  It's much better to reef the main first, especially with smaller jibs like our 85 and 110 and your 90.

So, check where the best set for your leech is in moderate and lighter winds for your fairlead position, taking into account the telltales on the luff, move the fairlead back for heavier air.

I also think that a 90 should be able to hang in there, with a reefed main, in 30 apparent without having to spill off the the top of the jib.

If your fairlead, like mine, is as far forward as it goes already, then when you reef the jib, there's no choice.

[Craig Illman]

Thanks for the ideas. This weekend was pretty breezy, we were just out with the headsail. I had a couple rookies aboard and didn't want too interesting of a ride. The top of the leech was flogging quite a bit, guess I should have braved going forward to tighten up the leech line. We typically don't get that strong of stuff up here, but I need to learn how to handle the boat in it. I just ordered the traveler upgrade yesterday.

Stu, as usual, I appreciate your comprehensive replies to all my questions.

- Craig

[Ron Hill]

Craig : A lot depends on how your head sail is cut.
I have a 150%, bi-radial cut, with both foot & leach lines, foam luff and a low clew.  I fly it on a 4 " pennant to see under it. 
When the wind gets to 20kts+ I move the Genoa block forward and roller in the head sail.  Think I've pulled it in to about 60/70% and that Genoa block car is almost at the fwd fixed block.   When beating that car is only slightly forward(ft or two) and on a beam reach it's all of the way back.  I do keep the leach line fairly taught.  You'll just have to experiment. 
If you don't have the Garhauer genoa block system (you can adjust from the cockpit) I'd advise you to get one.  It's all ball bearing and a get addition to your C34.