Geona Leech Flutter - brand new sail

[ereuter]

I just had a new 155 built for my Pearson 30 by a reputable loft.

I have been out twice with it, and cannot get the leech to stop flapping violently. When I'm close hauled and have the lead car set so that the telltales are all happy, the aft 10 inches or so of the sail flaps violently. It's more than a leechline adjustment could ever cure.

When sailing downwind, the sail fills nicely, but the leech is all wavy.

Is there possibly something I'm not considering related to the rig or tuning, did they mess this up?

Thanks-
Eric

[svsirius]

Take the sailmaker out sailing with you and show him/her the problem. The sail might need a minor recut to fix. It has something to do with the amount of leech hollow. That is assuming the leech line is tight.

I had the issue with one new sail. Is a warranty issue.

[ereuter]

Thanks. He's actually just offered to do just that. I just don't want to cry wolf if there is something I'm missing. I'll make an appointment.

[sailingfool]

Assuming you have the lead set so all genoa luff telltales lift at the same time, I don't see what could explain your problem other than the sail is not cut properly. I'd take some digital pictures and email them to the sail loft for their advice...before next step.

PS - sail lofts can screw up, I received my new main a week ago ago and when opening the box immediately noted the sail number was missing a digit (only four numbers), resealed the box and sent it right back.

[DrB]

I talked to the guy who made my sails (16 years ago) and he said to crank down on the leech line some more and see if that helps. It will put a curve (cup) in the leech, but it may help. If you put too much curve in the leech, one could really stretch the sail or possibly tear it if it is under a lot of load.

Since yours is a new sail, I think that the sail may be cut wrong. Agree with others, take it out again with the sailmaker and show them. If they can not go out with you, take a couple of 15 to 30 second videos on each point of sail to show them the fluttering issue and then show them the videos. Include the telltale picture too showing that the front of the sail is well trimmed, but the back isn't.

DrB

[HerbDB]

When I took delivery of my new boat, I had the same problem with the French made Technique Voile jib. I could tighten the leach line enough to make it stop, but the bottom of the sail had a big belly out area where the slack was taken out.

Technique Voile and the boat manufacturer refused to fix the problem. My dealer sent the sail to a local sailmaker and had it recut at his expense.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by ereuter

I just had a new 155 built for my Pearson 30 by a reputable loft.

I have been out twice with it, and cannot get the leech to stop flapping violently.

Even our P30's original 32 year old Dacron sails' leechs don't "flap violently." "Flutter vigorously," is more like it.

In 10 kts of wind, close-hauled, I was able to completely quell the fluttering on our old #3 last Sunday by just tightening the leech line a bit. IIRC, from last season, our old #1 behaves similarly.

IIRC: Racing in 20-25 kts with 25-30 kt gusts last fall, flying the old #3, I wasn't able to quell the leech fluttering completely. But again: It was more like vigorous fluttering than violent flapping.

Originally Posted by ereuter

When I'm close hauled and have the lead car set so that the telltales are all happy, the aft 10 inches or so of the sail flaps violently. It's more than a leechline adjustment could ever cure.

When sailing downwind, the sail fills nicely, but the leech is all wavy.

This sounds quite wrong.

Originally Posted by ereuter

Is there possibly something I'm not considering related to the rig or tuning, did they mess this up?

Assuming the luff is tight and the car is adjusted such that both the top and bottom luff tell-tales start fluttering at the same time when you begin to stall the sail: Doesn't sound like it.

We've only flown one of the new 155s, the light air (Mylar) one, so far, and that was last season, but I don't recall having to touch the leech line.

Jim

[ereuter]

Thanks for all the responses. The sailmaker is going to drive down on Monday and take a ride with me. He sounds committed to fixing the problem.

Eric