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« on: October 25, 2016, 10:50:34 AM »
Breaking Away, I echo Stu’s sentiment. On a fully unfurled headsail, halyard tension is equally distributed along the entire luff. When the sail is partially furled, this tension is only on the top and bottom, causing the senter section to “sag” out. Luff foam pads are used to add “bulk” to give more tension to the center section (keeping the center section from “sagging” out). Partial furling only really works for bringing the genoa down a size or two (in your case down to a 130). But at the same time you are also winding in the built in camber at the top of the sail so it is not as efficient and harder to shape. You can also experience a harmonic vibration as the wind does not flow smoothly over that thicker headstay. In a pinch, furling works (heck, I’ve even been down to “hanky” size on especially windy days) but I don’t think it is a solution for an entire year if the seasons are different. Like Stu, I have a different size jib/genoa depending upon the season. What is the difference in your seasonal wind conditions?
). You might even have a loose/cracked hose connection on the Stb cockpit drain hose.