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I’m getting closer to finally fitting a genoa reefing system and have a question for anyone who has used the Helyar Mk2 system.
Does the foresail still get wrapped around the forestay or does the rigidity of the luff prevent it?
I like the look of the Bartels system but find it hard to justify the extra £4oo and wouold like to have the ability to easily remove the sail from the boat.
Many thanks
Chris
Marmaduke 6516
I don’t know which version of the Helyar I have (got it about 3 years ago) but I keep the forestay away from the sail/spar by having half a dozen redundant CDs over the top swivel. Doesn’t look too bad and is surprisingly robust.
Aidan
Chris
I understand the cost problem, but just for info, I have the Bartels system and can take the sail off the boat with no problem. If I’m cruising for several days I keep the sail on, otherwise it is on a halyard to the top of the spar and comes down easily enough.
Howard
Maybe heresy to sailing purists, but if you park up your boat at home with the mast lowered between trips as we do, then you can dispense with the forestay entirely to avoid the issue. We fit the sail/spar prior to raising the mast, and then use the jib halyard to raise/lower it – and keep it up. As Howard says, there’s no harm in keeping the sail on for the duration of the trip.
Think ours is the 1st version of the Heylar and we did sometimes wind the forestay into the sail despite using an old swarfega top as a spacer (CDs certainly have more style Aidan and may work better). As the problem tended only to happen under the most challenging circumstances (!) a solution was definitely needed.
– Rory
🙂 Hello to the group firstly!
Our wayfarer, Mk1 grp, doesn’t have any furling/reefing gear as yet and I’m looking into remedying this at present.
Been looking at other boats where I sail to see how they deal with getting caught up in the forestay – leaving aside the merits of different drums and top swivels, I’ve noticed the Comet Duo ( a small crewed boat) which has roller furling fitted as standard, has the forestay attached about 6″ higher up the mast than the point where the jib halyard enters the mast. Think the theory behind this seems sound, leaves the stay hanging slightly away from the jib.
Any thoughts on this, or reasons why fixing a sturdy mounting point slightly higher up the mast for the forestay would be a real no no?
Cheers
Angus (in Bristol UK)
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