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The Gennaker

Home > Articles > The Gennaker

The Gennaker

July 26, 2019 | By Shelley Beer
0

1. How to set up the Gennaker

First, tie the top of the sail using a bowline, or use a shackle to clip to the Gennaker halyard. Attach the bottom of the sail furler to the bowsprit, ensuring the direction for the furler is counterclockwise ( Note the arrow). Clip the endless furler lines to two pad eyes on the starboard part of the front crossbeam, then onto a stanchion of the guardrails. Now both ends of the sail are secured, you can tighten the halyard to lift the sail into position. After that, run the sheets around the outside of the shroud and to the stern of each side of the boat. Run the lines through a turning block attached to the guard rail, then cross to a jammer and onto a winch at the back of the cockpit.

  • Raising the halyard
  • Gennaker nearly at the top of the mast
  • Turning block, Jammer and rear winch with sheet
  • Endless furler lines are attached to padeyes on the forward cross beam.
    (The lazy sheet (green) ends up being draped around the genoa after the sail is opened )
  • The end of furler lines attached to the stanchion

Setting up the Gennaker before leaving.

2. Using the Gennaker

First determine the wind characteristics. This is a very light sail. The recommended wind speed range is only up to 15 knots. The apparent wind angle range is close reach through beam to broadreach 80 – 150 degrees

Unfurl the sail to the side wanted, dictated by the wind characteristics. One person stands forward at the side of the trampoline at the endless furler line where it is set up. They pull one side of the line backward, repeatedly in a continuous motion to open up the sail. Meanwhile, pull the sheet through at the winch. In these photos, the sail opens to the port side. Note the lazy sheet ( green) draped around the unfurled genoa on the starboard side, in case we want to change tack. That means we’d have to pull the sail through to the other side to change direction.

  • Using the endless furling line to open the sail

  • Photo of Nod demonstrating its use in La Rochelle.
    (It looks like the lines are crossed and so it is tough going) )
  • Both sheets are attached to the clew (back corner) of the sail. One active, the other lazy.
The Gennaker being used.

3. Furling the gennaker

After use, wind the sail back in by one person keeping the tension on the sheet at the winch, while the other pulls the furling lines in a furious continuous motion back at the front of the boat – left hand going forward and right hand pulling backward at the same time. It’s an effort but possible. If the winds were suddenly too strong causing you to bring it in, then I wouldn’t like to be at the front working by the trampoline.

4. Variations

Over time, others have suggested an alternative location for the furling lines to be back at the helm. That would cost more for longer lines and extra deck hardware would be needed. If we go that way, I’ll update this page. For now, we haven’t brought the sail in due to winds being too strong, rather, winds were too light, the wrong wind angle, or nearing an area of too much activity requiring full vision, so the extra cost seems unwarranted.

Some people like to elevate the sail by using an extra line through the jammer on the bowsprit and attaching a turning block, so the spindle is above the bowsprit by about 200 mm. This would allow better vision under the sail of the side in use. The auto-lock on the furling spindle may jam if elevated this way (as reported to me). Others prefer the sail foot lower as there is less flexing in the leading edge.

Shelley Beer July 2019

Tags: Apparent Wind speed, Apparrent wind angle, Endless furler, Furling line, Gennaker set up, Gennaker usage, Gennaker Variations

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