[Public-List] Genoa downhaul

[Rod Symmes]

<   Does the line hang free from the top hank or is it led through other hanks on the way down? 
Hi Hugh;
     I too thought feeding the downhaul down through each hank would keep it from flapping in the breeze but found that the genoa folds at the bottom first as it lowers and once I had two or three hanks bunched at the base of the forestay, the friction increased dramatically and often I could not lower the sail all the way to the deck no matter how hard I tugged on the downhaul.  So now I always leave it flying loose but once I have the boat rigged in the spring I put a figure 8 knot at the bitter end so it can't get away and then another one strategically placed so that when the genoa is hauled all the way up, the down haul has just enough tension on it so that it will not flap.  Then I can forget about it unless I hoist a smaller jib and then the slapping on the back of the sail reminds me to take up the slack with the jam cleat that is used to hold the jib down on the deck while mooring.  I sail solo almost all the time so having the halliard and the down haul both to the cockpit is great.

Cheers,   Rod

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