First time sailing the 26X...a few questions...

[davesisk]

Hey guys...got the recently acquired 26X on the water for the first time with the sails up today...I know it's not a racer, but I was pretty pleased with how well it moved along under sail when there was a decent breeze.

I've got a few questions:

1) The jib pulls out of the roller furler to about halfway across the mainsail when fully extended...this is a 150% genoa jib, right? (I've got a little experience sailing, but not a lot...still learning all the correct terms.) Man, there's a big difference in having that genoa all the way out versus only about halfway out...wow!

2) Where do you route the lines on each side of the bottom of the genoa back to the cockpit? If it's not out far (just short of the mast), it seems the best way back to the cockpit is inside the side stays. However, if I have it out past the mast (ie. overlapping the mainsail), it seems the best route for the lines to the cockpit is outside both side stays. What's the best way? To tack, I had to furl the genoa part way, uncleat the line on one side, pull the line on the other side and unfurl the genoa. I guess I could have left it partially furled...but man, the boat moves pretty good with the main up AND that genoa completely unfurled!

3) Lowering the mainsail is a pain...it ends up draped all over the place until I bundle it up with some bungees. I know there are some sophisticated roller booms and furling masts, but I know there are some simpler options (I'm not sure what they are called, however)...what's a simple way to manage this better? Is there any type of furler or equivalent that works well for the mainsail on a 26X?

4) Also, when I lower the mainsail, the plastic sliders on the sail (I don't know what are called? Anyone?) come out of the slot in the mast. I know there is some sort of threaded knob that I can slide into the slot under the last plastic slider and tighten so they don't fall out when the mainsail is lowered, but I don't know what it's called...someone tell me please so I can order one!

I really like that gib furler, btw...my first sailboat didn't have one. Btw, the genoa is fairly new, but was rolled onto the roller furling wrong...LOL...when you pulled the roller furler line, the sail unfurled instead of furling. I fixed that by pulling the line out of the furler spool, furling it by hand, then running the line back through the spool. It works correctly now.

Dave

[mastreb]

The device to keep the slides in the mast track is called a mast gate.

Yes, it would be ideal to have the jibsheets inside the stays at below 100%, and outside above 150%. But we don't live in an ideal world and you either have to keep them outside the stays (what I do) or not run it out beyond 100%, or come up with some magical method to switch them. With a roller furling 150, they stay outside the stays and you just live with it when you're reefed.

[dlandersson]

See this video:

http://youtu.be/RAnFfRG_dNo

If you think you might be more than 100% then run the Genoa lines outside the stays. You don't need to furl the Genoa. When you tack, just let the wind "drag" the Genoa to the other side and secure your lines.

Lazy Jacks keep your mainsail where it belongs when lowering the sail (see video).

For the sliders, you need a sail slug gate stop. Here's mine:

[Tomfoolery]

1) The jib pulls out of the roller furler to about halfway across the mainsail when fully extended...this is a 150% genoa jib, right? (I've got a little experience sailing, but not a lot...still learning all the correct terms.) Man, there's a big difference in having that genoa all the way out versus only about halfway out...wow!

Sounds like the 150% genoa to me. I prefer the working jib, but that's just me.

2) Where do you route the lines on each side of the bottom of the genoa back to the cockpit? If it's not out far (just short of the mast), it seems the best way back to the cockpit is inside the side stays. However, if I have it out past the mast (ie. overlapping the mainsail), it seems the best route for the lines to the cockpit is outside both side stays. What's the best way? To tack, I had to furl the genoa part way, uncleat the line on one side, pull the line on the other side and unfurl the genoa. I guess I could have left it partially furled...but man, the boat moves pretty good with the main up AND that genoa completely unfurled!

I've never tried it with a partially furled genoa, but you could rig a barber hauler, which is essentially a snatch block on a line to pull the sheets inboard and still allow sheet movement. Bending the sheets around the stays is, well, less than elegant, but it might get you what you want. The sail shape with that genoa furled is going to be pretty lousy. If you find you're using it furled a lot, switch to the working jib, running the sheets through the cabin roof fairleads, so it's full deployed and has the shape it was designed to have.

3) Lowering the mainsail is a pain...it ends up draped all over the place until I bundle it up with some bungees. I know there are some sophisticated roller booms and furling masts, but I know there are some simpler options (I'm not sure what they are called, however)...what's a simple way to manage this better? Is there any type of furler or equivalent that works well for the mainsail on a 26X?

Lazy Jacks, or one of the more sophisticated (and expensive) systems that work on the same principle, like a Stack Pack (or Sail Pack), which you can buy or even make from a kit, like from http://www.Sailrite.com.

4) Also, when I lower the mainsail, the plastic sliders on the sail (I don't know what are called? Anyone?) come out of the slot in the mast. I know there is some sort of threaded knob that I can slide into the slot under the last plastic slider and tighten so they don't fall out when the mainsail is lowered, but I don't know what it's called...someone tell me please so I can order one!

Many folks, including me, use one of these, with the rounded slug shape. I also have a long skinny pin through the opening, but the slides can sneak past it, so I also use the stop. It's best to tether it to something so you don't drop it into the drink, which I can pretty much guarantee will happen sooner or later.



http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... Num=50111#

Under $10 each at West Marine. Get two, since you'll lose the first one, then tether the second one.

And while we're on that subject, it's worthwhile to invest in an oval sleeve swaging tool, for making eyes on the ends of wire rope. Good for making tethers for things like slug stops ( ), and for tethering the ring dings and pins on cockpit canvas, larger ones for rigging repair (like the 1/8" backstay which you can make yourself), things like that. WM sells the small crimp tool which can be stored on the boat, or you can spend a lot of money on a big compound-action (like a bolt cutter) crimper. Oval sleeves, thimbles, and wire is cheap to buy, but the real utility is being able to custom make things as needed.

[Catigale]

I made three nice swages on my , the put pelicans on my lifelines, and then over winter...

Did a 200 USd quoted repair on the garage door

Fixed a 80 USd parking brake cable on my tow beast for 8 USd of SS wire and swages

[Johnacuda]

The device to keep the slides in the mast track is called a mast gate.

Yes, it would be ideal to have the jibsheets inside the stays at below 100%, and outside above 150%. But we don't live in an ideal world and you either have to keep them outside the stays (what I do) or not run it out beyond 100%, or come up with some magical method to switch them. With a roller furling 150, they stay outside the stays and you just live with it when you're reefed.

when the wind picks up and I need to partially furl my genoa, one of my tricks is to:
make sere the windward jib sheet is free
hop up on deckfor a second.
retrieve the sheet forward of the shrouds.
feed it through the cabin-top car.
repeat on the next tack to take care of the other side.

not too tough or dangerous, but it does depends on your comfort levels.

[bartmac]

I'm seriously thinking a twin headsail setup...best of both world.Macs don't point well and with reefed genoa do even worse so having both is the answer.....but all that will have to wait until I make an anchor(s) storage bowsprit thingy to put the genoa outside the pulpit and then the jib from the forestay mounting

[Mac26Mpaul]

Being cheap and prone to losing everything over the side tethered or not, I have the el-cheapo mast gate solution. A mini sail tie type bit of shock cord with the balls on the end, purchased at 3 for $2 at the cheap crap store.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96256274@N ... /lightbox/

[bartmac]

Funny that.....made tether for my mast gate....and of course it rattled apart and all I was left with was the tethered bit...about 25%....not much use!!!
Most things that can be lost overboard are tethered...ie pin for forestay, aux outboard, and a good one the end of your anchor rode!!!!!

[Tomfoolery]

Most things that can be lost overboard are tethered...ie pin for forestay, aux outboard, and a good one the end of your anchor rode!!!!!

Hmmmm.

[133bhp]

The device to keep the slides in the mast track is called a mast gate.

Yes, it would be ideal to have the jibsheets inside the stays at below 100%, and outside above 150%. But we don't live in an ideal world and you either have to keep them outside the stays (what I do) or not run it out beyond 100%, or come up with some magical method to switch them. With a roller furling 150, they stay outside the stays and you just live with it when you're reefed.

relative newb and I've only a 100% but why not simply add another line to run outside the stays?, you will have some extra line that would need tidying, but at least you will have the option for a little expense.

On dropping the main? still is a pain, but dont fancy the extra lines with a lazy jack, so I fitted 4 plastic pad eyes under the boom, used some large dia bungee with a ball and bowline loop, so at least get to tie it up without having saile ties between my teeth. I can get it down and secured from within the cabin now in rough weather.

[Phil M]

relative newb and I've only a 100% but why not simply add another line to run outside the stays?, you will have some extra line that would need tidying, but at least you will have the option for a little expense.

On dropping the main? still is a pain, but dont fancy the extra lines with a lazy jack, so I fitted 4 plastic pad eyes under the boom, used some large dia bungee with a ball and bowline loop, so at least get to tie it up without having saile ties between my teeth. I can get it down and secured from within the cabin now in rough weather.

What are the pad eyes used for? Bungees wrap around the main by themselves.

[133bhp]

to remain captive on the boom.

[DaveC426913]

2) Where do you route the lines on each side of the bottom of the genoa back to the cockpit? If it's not out far (just short of the mast), it seems the best way back to the cockpit is inside the side stays. However, if I have it out past the mast (ie. overlapping the mainsail), it seems the best route for the lines to the cockpit is outside both side stays. What's the best way?

I run my sheets on my furling genny outside the stays. They go back to the fairlead cars on the cockpit coaming (abeam of the pedestal), then forward to the winches.

To tack, I had to furl the genoa part way, uncleat the line on one side, pull the line on the other side and unfurl the genoa.

You shouldn;t need to furl the jenny to tack (though in a very light wind, it might need to be coaxed a little). Let the wind do all the work to pull the genny over. When getting ready to tack:
1] Uncleat the leeward sheet (the one under load), but keep it on the winch. Set up the windward (slack) sheet on it winch, ready to go.
2] When you tack, WAIT for the sail to completely luff, and come across the deck to the mast (if you do it sooner, you'll lose forward speed and may not tack at all.)
3] Let fly the formerly loaded sheet (take it right off the winch), while hauling in the newly loading sheet. The sail will sweep past the mast and fill on the leeward side.

3) Lowering the mainsail is a pain...it ends up draped all over the place until I bundle it up with some bungees. I know there are some sophisticated roller booms and furling masts, but I know there are some simpler options (I'm not sure what they are called, however)...what's a simple way to manage this better? Is there any type of furler or equivalent that works well for the mainsail on a 26X?

I have several ways to control the main.
1] A bungie is riveted in two lines (out, then back in) to the underside of the boom. It has 3 little nylon hooks on one bungie that go over the sail and hook on the other side. Simply strap down the sail when it's in the way. $10.



2] Lazy jacks. They came in a kit. Very useful when I need to drop the sail and am too bust to go forward to use the bungies. $80.
3] A downhaul. I have a line attached to the topmost slug on my mainsail that runs down to the deck, then back to the cockpit. My sail will only drop halfway on its own. The downhaul allows me to get it all the way down in a jiffy. $20.
4] Dry lubricant. Spray dry lubricant in the mast track and on all the slugs. It REALLY helps with dropping (and raising) the sail.

4) Also, when I lower the mainsail, the plastic sliders on the sail (I don't know what are called? Anyone?)

Slugs.

I really like that gib furler, btw...my first sailboat didn't have one. Btw, the genoa is fairly new, but was rolled onto the roller furling wrong...LOL...when you pulled the roller furler line, the sail unfurled instead of furling. I fixed that by pulling the line out of the furler spool, furling it by hand, then running the line back through the spool. It works correctly now.

Yep. Everyone does that - at first, then again on a future launch day when you forget.