MacGregorSailors.com

I poked around a couple searches but hopefully I can get a quick answer. I just received a new sock for my Genoa. I was wondering if anyone towing 1 to 3 hours to a lake ever leaves their jib/genoa furled on, protected with a sock and well strapped to the mast? I want to protect my sails as much as possible but also want to reduce rigging time.

Thanks!
...Doug

This has been discussed a number of times, most recently in this topic:

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 92#p182164

I use Duanne's method and have a zip on sunbrella sock. Works a treat.

~Rich

Doug,

I have a sunbrella sock over my 150 Genoa. Works great and I really like it. No issues towing with it on. I have made a few long-distance trips with no problems (250 miles, 650(x2), and 510(x2)). I have never taken my Genoa off the furler and have never taken the furler off the mast. But I will be doing this when I get back to the U.S. ... mostly just for pratice.



I use a 2x2 strapped to my mast to extend out the front to support the furler and wrap an old towel around the furling drum for a little more protection. You obviously have the skills to create something more elegant.

Good Luck,
Jim

My genoa is always on during the sailing season & with a zip-on sock when trailering. I only take the genoa off when stripping the boat for winter storage.

One thing I would like to add is the shackle and the eye end of the furled genoa tends to rub on the mast and can leave some ugly scars as I found out the hard way. be sure to rap a soft protector of some sort between
shackles and mast.. fair winds

Excellent! I Thought that I've read threads about it but was not having luck finding them! This will save me rigging time and give us more time on the water! Thanks for the tips!!!

I built a tray out of 4" PVC pipe to hold the roller-furler and furled genoa in place for towing.

Posted my photos in Re: Already lost half my summer

I won't pretend otherwise than to say it was a lot of work, but the genoa and furler ride perfectly.

We have a roller furler with a 150 genoa that never comes off the boat. I went with a sock to keep the weight light and allow me to change to a standard jib (someday).
We have towed a lot for the past 3 years (up to 600+miles one way) and always leave the genoa strapped to the mast. i use the boat hook to stiffen the front of the furler. 3 bungees, one at the boat hook handle and base of the furler and 2 more space evenly on the mast. I extend the boat hook about half way out to get the leverage.

No extra parts and everything travels well. I do release the tension on the hoist of the genoa when I winter the unit but otherwise I leave it ready to go.

I guess I am just old fashioned.

I messed with the mast raising pole, pipe extensions, wood brackets and the like to extend the support for the socked genny,

With all the time I was wasting with this for less than optimal solutions..... I now just slide the mast a few feet forward before tieing it down and move the upper end of the furler forestay to clip I have at the top of the mast. The socked sail fits the mast perfectly, and I can put the clip back down to the regular hounds in a minute when it comes time to raise the mast again.

try it sometime.

One of the reasons I have never taken my furler off the mast is because where it is connected to the mast hound there is some pretty strong safety wire holding the cotter pin in place. Obviously the wire could be cut pretty easily if I so chose (choosed??) but I never have. Is the safety wire common amongst yous guys? Just wondering.

Thanks,
Jim

c130king wrote:One of the reasons I have never taken my furler off the mast is because where it is connected to the mast hound there is some pretty strong safety wire holding the cotter pin in place. Obviously the wire could be cut pretty easily if I so chose (choosed??) but I never have. Is the safety wire common amongst yous guys? Just wondering.

Not as common as it is on a Tri-Pacer, a Cessna, or a C-130.

Just go to Wag-Aero, get a pound spool of FAA-legal safety wire and a pair of the twist-lock pliers.
That's enough safety wire to keep your Mac AND your "Cerdo Volante" street-legal for years to come.

(On edit: You have a clevis pin at the masthead? Odd, I have an AN 4-16 bolt. )

Rick,

What is an AN 4-16 Bolt? I don't remember exactly what I got up there at this moment having not looked at it in quite a while. But I know there is safety wire up there that would have to be cut off if I was to remove the furler.

I imagine whoever installed the furler to begin with just felt it was an extra safety precaution.

But I plan to 1) remove the furler from the mast and 2) remove the Genoa from the furler. I have never done either before. Last September when I fiddled with the furler to raise the furler drum so that I could check the condition of the turnbuckle (having never checked that before either...good tip from the folks on this board) I loosened the internal halyard and the Genoa slid down a few inches (maybe 4-6") and I was not able to pull it back up. So I will take it all the way off, give it a cleaning and put it back on.

I may replace the safety wire...I will wait and see and determine after I look it all over.

Cheers,
Jim

my boat is mostly trailered.......well except for that year I had it in fishermans terminal in seattle........

So the top of the mast is inspected at every use. Top of the forestay thimble to a small stainless locking ring high strength biner.
As a former climber, I have a lot of faith in that geometry.

c130king wrote:What is an AN 4-16 Bolt?

Oh, that's right, you fly 'em, you don't fix 'em. (Pilots don't pull any maintenance on their birds unless they own 'em, do they?)

AN 4-16 is a 1/4" bolt with a grip of 1 5/16 inches. Castle nut and safety wire are not unusual, especially on critical fasteners.

If your P.O. bolted the furler with a castle nut and safety wire, that truly is "FAA-spec belt & suspenders" work.

Cheers,
Rick

Rick Westlake wrote: Oh, that's right, you fly 'em, you don't fix 'em. (Pilots don't pull any maintenance on their birds unless they own 'em, do they?)

You're darn right I don't...I might break one of my manicured nails or worse yet get that yucky grease on my while silk scarf...

Do you think the women will flock to pilots with bad nails or grease on their scarf? I think not...