[Public-List] New furler needed, recommendations? Get a Schaeffer - period, full stop ; )

[Glenn via Public-List]

Hi David, 

Yes, the solent is removable.  I keep it tied off at the stbd lower when not in use.  The upper end is permanently mounted (shackled) on a tang welded into the the mast about 18" below the masthead.  When in use, I clip the  lower end into the stem head fitting behind the  backstay. On Dolce, and I assume other boats, the stem head fitting has four bolt holes drilled through the upright piece on the stem head. So I moved the forestay to the outermost position and clip the solent onto the innermost one.  Works great.  

Dont have a highfield lever- couldnt find one when I installed all this two years ago, so bought a racheting  Schaffer baby stay adjuster to take up tension on the solent.  It works OK, but takes a few turns on the rachet handle to set up properly each time.  Very much like cranking a big socket wrench, except the handle is permanently affixed to the  baby stay adjuster. 

I think I only have a small grainy picture or two of the fitting at the mast head.  I can send, but doubt it will be much use.  I will look on my computer and see what is there, when i get home this evening.  George might have a couple of photos on the A-30 web site, showing my masthead.  These may have the solent fitting in them also.  

One of the interesting things i have tried out, is to leave the solent sail hanked onto to the wire and either lashed to the lifelines or bagged, when I detach it from the stemhead.  Then when setting back up all I have to do is reattach to the stem and hoist away.  Saves repeatedly stowing and fetching the sail.

The solent is a lot of fun and offers great flexibility.  My only concern is the spiderweb of rigging that goes along with having two spinnaker poles set up on the foredeck for twin down wind sails.  Definitely not for quick down wind turns around the bouy. 

Cheers
Glenn 

Sent from my iPad

On Dec 11, 2014, at 6:12 AM, David Terrell <dterrell1 at charter.net> wrote:

> Glenn
> 
> Is your  solent sail set up with a removable forestay? I would like to hear about how it is set up? Any pictures? The context is that I also have a solent rig as well and am interested in learning from what you did. I am particularly interested in how the stay attaches to the deck? Did you use a  highfield lever? Here I am assuming you have a removable fore stay.
> 
> My sails were made by quantum. I am not sure what they did but the sail shape  looks good and as I suggested, is functional. I asked about putting in a foam luff and they said it was not necessary.
> 
> Thanks for any help you can give.
> 
> Standing by
> 
> David, 432
> 
> On Wed, Dec 10, 2014 at 11:04 PM, Glenn Brooks via Public-List wrote:
> 
>> Hey Michael and all,
>> Yep,  on Dolce, once I set up the forestay, it's good for the season. the only real difficulty with a Harken, is one can't inspect the turnbuckle or rigging.  I like to look at the turnbuckles and rigging periodically to see if they are still there.
>> I have a Harken and a North 140 Genoa combination, and hav't noticed any difficulty reefing to any desired sail area.  Also haven't noticed any unmanageable problems with sail shape, as when I roll it up to handkerchief size its blowing more than 25' knots and I am already at least double reefed in the main anyway,  just slogging along with no real expectation of making stiff upwind progress.
>> As someone mentioned previously, one thing North sails does to retain airfoil shape - and this is more a function of the sail cut, not the roller furling design, is sew a baggy bunch of rope into the luff. This rope mass is tapered at the pointy ends (head and tack for the more nautical inclined) and doubled up in the middle of the Genoa. This  seems to work well on Dolce when I am racing against seagulls, but I have no idea about how one might gain or loose against another boat.  I am not a racer by nature and don't typically race anyone 

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