Unknown sail control

[tireman]

I recently purchases a jeanneau sailboat which comes with technique voile brand sails. The genoa has two controls with which I was unfamiliar. I now understand the purpose of the leach line but only today realized that there is also what I will call a footline for lack of a better term. It is a cord running from the tack to the clew and is set up to apply tension along the foot of the sail. But why would I want to? Obviously from the question I am quite new to sailing.

[Mormandeus]

Hi

The foot line is just like the leech line. If you develope a flutter in the foot of the genny just snug up the foot line to make it go away. That simple.

[tireman]

I only wondered because I never have had problem with the foot puffing. Why not just tighten up the jib sheet or adjust the jib sheet car

[wescarroll]

It is to belly the sail in light wind conditions.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by tireman

I recently purchases a jeanneau sailboat which comes with technique voile brand sails. The genoa has two controls with which I was unfamiliar. I now understand the purpose of the leach line but only today realized that there is also what I will call a footline for lack of a better term. It is a cord running from the tack to the clew and is set up to apply tension along the foot of the sail. But why would I want to? Obviously from the question I am quite new to sailing.

The "foot line" is known as a flattening reef and should be tightened in heavy air to flatten the sail. In very light air it should be completely free to add depth to the sail as previously noted, above.

[Liquorice]

Originally Posted by tireman

I only wondered because I never have had problem with the foot puffing. Why not just tighten up the jib sheet or adjust the jib sheet car

Assuming the sail is adjusted correctly to start with, if you tighten the sheet or adjust the car, you'll take it out of adjustment. Adjust to the tel-tales then tweak the leech and foot lines if necessary.

[zz4gta]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

The "foot line" is known as a flattening reef and should be tightened in heavy air to flatten the sail. In very light air it should be completely free to add depth to the sail as previously noted, above.

Can you show a picture of this? I don't think I understand what you're saying. That a small (1/8") line running along the foot of a sail is going to flatten it with no mechanical advantage, and then terminate to a light duty v-cleat at the clew seems strange to me.

I'm thinking foot line and flattening reef are 2 separate things.

[overbored]

Originally Posted by zz4gta

Can you show a picture of this? I don't think I understand what you're saying. That a small (1/8") line running along the foot of a sail is going to flatten it with no mechanical advantage, and then terminate to a light duty v-cleat at the clew seems strange to me.

I'm thinking foot line and flattening reef are 2 separate things.

LEECH LINES AND LONGEVITY - UK-Halsey Sails
Hears an explination of the leach line which is the same for a foot line.