tacking challenges

[nodders]

I am a new boat owner (just purchased a Sirius 28), but not new to sailing. However, this is my first time with a 150% genoa and I am totally frustrated by my inability to tack this sail! Everytime, I tack, the sail gets hung up on the baby stay and my wife or I has to run up and manually manipulate the sail to clear to the leeward side. I have tried slow turns, fast turns, medium turns...all to no avail.

I am thinking of rigging a line from the genoa clew to the bow and back to the cockpit so I can pull the genoa clear of the baby stay, but this strikes me as as much a pain as reeffing the sail to tack!

any suggestions?

[treilley]

Remove your baby stay or fly the stays'l and use it to block the Genny.

[nodders]

fly the stays? Not sure what that means.

[Faster]

Fitting a 3 foot or so section of 2 inch plastic pipe over the lower portion of the babystay will allow the sail to slide right on by during a tack. It's inexpensive and effective. My preference is using black as it's a bit less visible.

Using a clean larks head style sheet tie rather than a bulky bowline or any sort of shackle will help too.. but the pipe works best.

[padean]

Originally Posted by Faster

Fitting a 3 foot or so section of 2 inch plastic pipe over the lower portion of the babystay will allow the sail to slide right on by during a tack. It's inexpensive and effective. My preference is using black as it's a bit less visible.

Using a clean larks head style sheet tie rather than a bulky bowline or any sort of shackle will help too.. but the pipe works best.

I tried this on my boat because I have always had the same problem but it didn't work at all. I don't have a problem with a 100% or even 120% headsail, but the 155 genoa just wont tack without effort. I can get it to tack by pulling the lazy sheet just as I start the tack to get the clew of the sail around the baby stay, then when the wind fills the rest of the sail flops over consistently, but it takes timing.

I just took the baby stay off, and only use if on long beats or when running for a long time to keep the mast from pumping too much. Usually this is not a problem on my boat without the babystay.

[Sublime]

Have you tried letting it backwind a little before letting the sheet loose?

[nodders]

Thanks for the suggestions! I have tried back winding but to no avail. when I backwind, 50% of the sail is aft of the baby stay and keeps trying to pull through between the mast and baby stay! The two bowline knots on the clew don't help either..so, I think I will try the tubing around the baby stay and possibly get a continous sheet with a simpler knot at the clew. Removing the baby stay is an option but I want to check with an engineer on that first. Final option is to replace the sail with a smaller one, but I do appreciate the big sail in a light wind (if I am on a reach ALL day!).

Still thinking a block at the bow with a line to the clew and back to the cockpit might be an option, albeit a pain in the butt option!

[blt2ski]

I have the same issues with my 30' Jeanneau that is probably similar in size to your boat. I only use the 155 when I have a race crew, or someone at the boat to help bring the sail around, and put it back over the lifeline supports.

OR< when I J&J race with my daughter, I can man the cockpit, she goes forward and deals with the 155 or my smaller 140. I did not have issue with the original 25 yr old 135, but the new 140 being just that much longer, stiffer does hang up.

I have not tried a pipe as Faster recommends. Could be worth trying. Not sure about the line to the bow either.

For me, the 140 works with spouse and I, 155 can get a bit overpowered, along with not really wanting to bash this sail around the BS with two on board. Like you, the 110 is easy! I did find that the 135 with a clew cut at about the lifeline height vs at the deck tack a bit easier too, which seems to help the 140, but still, that extra foot or so is more of an issue IMHO that anything.

Good Luck
Marty