J/24 Tuning

SETTING UP THE GENOA

THE GENOA IS A HIGHLY EFFICIENT SAIL, DUE TO ITS POSITION IN FRONT OF THE MAINSAIL. THE MOST COMMON WAY OF SETTING THE GENOA IS TO ADJUST THE FAIRLEAD SO THAT THE TELLTALES ALL LIFT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THE BOAT IS LUFFED INTO WIND. I PREFER A DIFFERENT METHOD WHICH I HAVE SET OUT BELOW :

• SET THE FAIRLEAD TO A POSITION SO THAT WHEN THE SAIL IS PULLED IN AN IMAGMARY EXTENSION OF THE SHEET WOULD CUT THE GENOA HALF WAY UP THE LUFF.
• TAKE THE BOAT SAILING IN A LIGHT BREEZE, AND SIT TO LEAWARD TO EXAMINE THE GENOA.
• ADJUST THE GENOA FAIRLEAD AND SHEET TENSION SO THAT THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE MET :
  • THE GENOA LEECH EXHAUSTS PARALLEL TO THE CENTRELINE OF THE BOAT.
  • THERE IS A SMOOTH CURVE ALONG THE FOOT.
  • THE GENOA ALMOST BACKWMDS THE MAMSAIL.
  • THERE IS A PARALLEL SLOT.

NOTE THAT FULLNESS CAN BE PUT INTO THE SAIL BY MOVING THE FAIRLEAD FORWARD AND EASING THE SHEET TO COMPENSATE FOR A TIGHTER LEECH.

TO FLATTEN THE SAIL DO THE REVERSE.

IF BACKWINDING IS A PROBLEM FLATTEN THE MAINSAIL, IF THE SLOT IS WIDE TRY PUTTING MORE FULLNESS IN THE MAINSAIL.

I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS METHOD TAKES A WHILE TO GET USED TO, BUT I THINK IT GIVES THE BEST RESULTS.

WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED MARK THE SHEETS SO THEY CAN BE TRIMMED CORRECTLY AFTER EACH TACK.

MARTIN LEWIS

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