How high to raise the genoa?

[Breakin Away]

Last summer we struggled with visibility problems under our 150 genoa. We also felt it was too large for spring/fall sailing, so we ordered a new 135. The sailmaker duplicated the luff length of the 150 when making the new sail.

When I raised the new 135 a few days ago, I discovered that it is possible to raise it significantly higher than our old sail was raised. When we bought the boat last summer, the owner's hired riggers attached the tack directly to a shackle on the furling drum. I didn't think anything of it, and it did not occur to me at the time that I could have raised it further. But when raising the new 135, I decided to improve visibility by raising the sail to where the tack is about 16" above the shackle, and to lash the tack to the shackle with some nylon braid (for now). See pic below.

I know that CE will be raised slightly by this, which could make the boat very slightly more tender. Another benefit is that the sail now fully clears the bow pulpit and lifelines. But are there any unanticipated issues that this could cause? Is there any chance of problems with halyard wrap?

[Dave Spencer]

I have done exactly the same thing.  The chances of halyard wrap are reduced by hoisting the upper swivel higher since there is less unhoisted halyard available to wrap around the furling and the halyard is less parallel to the furling.  A check of rigging guides (by Selden for example) will provide a recommended angle between the halyard and the furling to minimize the chances of a wrap.

[Dave Spencer]

Pictures attached showing the Genoa halyard at the masthead before and after I added a tack extension to the Genoa (which looks just like yours!)  In the before picture, you can see the length of halyard running parallel to the furling just begging to be wrapped at the most inopportune moment. 
Also, although it looks great, many people do it and it would be convenient when I'm setting my cruising spinnaker, I don't stow the spinnaker halyard parallel to the forestay with it clipped it to the pulpit.  The long length of spinnaker halyard presents an unnecessary risk of halyard wrap in my view.  I clip my spinnaker halyard to the grab rails and bring it forward when I'm rigging the spinnaker.
YBYC

[Noah]

Here some high water pants for you to consider. My drum is set way high off the deck with long link plates. It was that way when I bought the boat and while I may be sacrificing some sail area, I like the added visabilty it provides. I also keep my spinnaker halyard clipped forward on the bow pupit when sailing and not using the spinnsker, and have never had a wrap. It could depend on the brand of furler and the point/distance where the spinn halyard attaches to the masthead crane fitting. Or I am just lucky so far.

[Ed Shankle]

Although I don't have my Harken furler manual with me, I recall the instruction to avoid halyard wrap is to install a bale between the halyard exit and the furler swivel to pull the halyard closer to the mast, if angle "x" of the halyard between those two points isn't otherwise made.
Regards,
Ed

[Stu Jackson]

What Ed mentioned is called a "halyard restrainer."

Different furlers have different characteristics.  My ProFurl, for example, has a built-in halyard restrainer just above the top swivel.  I call it the "Darth Vader" because it's black and looks just like Darth's helmet!  It allows me to adjust the height of the jib, high or low, without fear of a wrap.  I keep our jibs as high as possible for the obvious reasons.

On our boats, moving the COE up a bit will make no appreciable difference.  Our boats are not racing sleds where every single change may make a difference.

[Jim Hardesty]

Is there any chance of problems with halyard wrap?

Less chance of halyard wrap.  As always keep some tension on the halyard.  I've done the same thing many times.  Once I have the length of pendant I make up a permanent one.  Seizing a eye at the sail end and a thimble at the shackle end.  I also tie the sail tack to the furler foil, it helps sail shape a little;

http://www.ropeworks.biz/reader/seizing.pdf

If you haven't done seizing before, use a marlin spike to keep the seizing line real tight and the seizing will be very strong.

Jim

[Ron Hill]

Guys : if there is a West Marine near you, you can make a metal pennant out of short piece of 1/4" 7/19 wire and two thimbles.  It take a few minutes at minimal cost.
 
A rigger can also do the same.  An alternate is a strap loop made out of nylon if you have access to a heavy duty sewing machine.

A few thoughts

[Stu Jackson]

One advantage of using an adjustable tack pendant is that you don't have to bring the jib halyard aft nor do you have to ever adjust it.

A disadvantage is that you must unfurl the jib to tighten the tack pendant and/or remember to loosen it before you furl the sail.

Your boat, your choice.