Should the Genoa touch the pulpit?

[BOAT]

If the Genoa is hoisted properly should it be touching the pulpit at any point? I'm wondering if it's hoisted up high enough (I only have about another inch of space left at the top to go up and the bottom of the genoa still drapes a little on the pulpit. (You know, the foot).

Is that right?
It don't seem right.

[Crikey]

No there is drape-idge. More if you've got a 150 Genny.

[Crikey]

And therein lies the rub...

[Russ]

Mine touches the pulpit. It's as high as it can go. Never really bothered me much.

[seahouse]

I’ve noticed that this is common to sailboats in general with this sailplan, not just Macs. For best performance and optimal use of available space it is desirable to keep the foresail (or main, for that matter) as low (to the deck) as possible. It is also desirable to have a pulpit that is sufficiently high to be “safe” and functional.

While the genoa could be mounted higher to prevent this, the most often chosen design compromise is that the two overlap.

It’s also a great excuse to leave the cockpit and go forward on deck when pounding the waves (in some boats it needs ”help” after tacking), and stay there – the sought after zero-G effect roller-coater ride is more pronounced at the bow! Yeeeeehaaahhh!

-Brian.

[BOAT]

When I was a kid I used to ride the pulpit on my dad's boat. It was fun to do the zero gravity game.

Okay, I guess the big Genoa (I have a big one) just drapes a bit on the pulpit. I guess I won't worry about it. It's only a tiny bit but still, it just looks like dirty laundry to me. (Sailor with unkept boat).

[seahouse]

Yeah, BOAT, I agree, it looks like bad form. But it's easier to have dirty laundry when the 38' Beneteaus have the same dirty laundry.

[C Striker]

Some folks have installed a highfield lever for various reasons. It makes it easier to raise/lower the mast, raises the furler to allow more room at the bow for a beefier anchor (or anchoring in general), and keeps a genny off the pulpit. Yes, it raises the sail some. But hey, life is a trade-off.

The thread is called "highfield lever" if you want to look into it. A word of caution: A second hound 8 inches above the first one is not a generic measurement for all. I learned this the hard way. Do the math... And keep in mind the eye will have to be raised that feeds the line into the furler. It needs to hit dead center to work.

I don't see how the smooth pulpit could damage the sail. But beware, you can damage the UV cover, then the sail, when trailering. Some use PVC pipe as protection, I use a towel until I get around to finding a 3 inch PVC pipe. The pipe has other advantages. Seems the mast foot has teeth when bolted into trailering position.

Erik

[BOAT]

I suppose the pulpit is okay, but if it drags all the way back to the lifelines that's not gonna be good. Maybe in the next sail I get I will have Judy B sew "pulpit protection" on the foot!

[Catigale]

Yeah, BOAT, I agree, it looks like bad form. But it's easier to have dirty laundry when the 38' Beneteaus have the same dirty laundry

...and you have 290,000 more bucks too.....

[Highlander]

Moved my genny out onto a 4ft bowsprit resolved the issue for me


J
PS I am able to raise my genny up on my furler over 3ft for these really light windy days if i wish

[seahouse]

Great shot, Highlander!

Were the fish looking back at you through the windows?
-B.

[BOAT]

You know, I have taken my fair share of ferry's across the Strait of Juan de fu@ on my way to the Queens Dominion and I can tell you that even on those 100 foot ferry's the wind and seas can knock you around. I don't know what it's like over there in Ontario but from what I saw at Nanaimo those Canadians are crazy!!

If I saw The Highlander coming at me in the open ocean out here I would ring the pirate warning!