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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Another Cool Doodad? (ATN Genoa Sun Shield )

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MartinJW
Navigator

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USA
241 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/17/2009 : 22:10:57

Hello Everyone,

We like to leave our jib/genoa furled around the forestay all summer, and, although Catalina claims that it has a U.V. protective strip along the leach, I'm not sure that the sail will stand up to this very well.

Also, I'm worried that the sail might unfurl and a variety of bad things might happen when she's unattended on the mooring.

To address both of these issues, I'm seriously considering a the ATN Genoa Sun Shield: http://www.atninc.com/sunshield.html.

Has anyone else tried this? Any opinions, reviews, suggestions?

Thanks!

Martin

C25/250 Int'l Ass'n Member
2008 C-250 WK #973
"Bluebell"
Lake Tahoe, CA/NV

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 06:54:01

As you might have guessed from other posts I've made on this site, my decisions are usually wallet-based. I'm not sure I could spend nearly $400 to protect a $700-$800 sail. I'd trust the UV strip that's sewn in. If they didn't work, this forum would be repleat with complaints of deteriorating sails. As far as the unraveling is concerned, just take the jib halyard (that is unused due to the internal furler halyard) and wrap it counter to the direction of the furled sail. I wrap it so that the halyard intersects the sail from the masthead to the furler at about 1-2 foot intervals. Works great.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5906 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 08:43:50

By far, most of the damage that I've seen to boats during major storms has been the result of roller furling jibs that unfurled and flogged themselves to death. I can't be sure, but believe it is likely to be caused by either a rotten furling line that breaks, or by a careless sailor who doesn't cleat the furling line securely. It's hard to believe, but a lot of sailors don't know how to tie a line to a cleat. Damage can also be done if you don't roll the jib into a fairly tight, compact roll when you furl the sail. You can also help prevent the sail from having a corner of it start flogging if you continue rolling it up until the sheets are wrapped around the sail 2-3 times. If you can't take the sail off in a serious storm (hurricane or near hurricane), then it will help to tie a piece of line around it, so that, if the furling line should fail, the sail will still not unroll.

I agree that is a lot of money to protect a sail. I'd be more inclined to fabricate a long, sausage-bag cover out of Sunbrella. It shouldn't be a difficult job and I think it could be done for a C25 for somewhat less than $100.

Edited by - on

Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 09:10:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 By far, most of the damage that I've seen to boats during major storms has been the result of roller furling jibs that unfurled and flogged themselves to death. I can't be sure, but believe it is likely to be caused by either a rotten furling line that breaks, or by a careless sailor who doesn't cleat the furling line securely. It's hard to believe, but a lot of sailors don't know how to tie a line to a cleat. Damage can also be done if you don't roll the jib into a fairly tight, compact roll when you furl the sail. You can also help prevent the sail from having a corner of it start flogging if you continue rolling it up until the sheets are wrapped around the sail 2-3 times. If you can't take the sail off in a serious storm (hurricane or near hurricane), then it will help to tie a piece of line around it, so that, if the furling line should fail, the sail will still not unroll.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Like John Russel a lot of my decisions are based on frugality.
At 5'-7" even I can reach the clew on my roller furling 150%. Every time I leave the boat I remove the sheet (continuous line with stainless clip) and tie the sail tightly so the sail is secure and the sheets stay out of the sun which gives them a longer life.
The blue sunbrella cover protects the sail from the sun very well.

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 11:16:43

I once watched my neighbors 150 genoa tear from head to foot in a storm because the sail unfurled.

With that in mind, I always wrap mine with a velcro strap before leaving the boat.

The Sunbrella strip probably has an end-life, but I suspect the sail will be worn out and replaced by then.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 12:16:51

You want cool Doo-Dads? Here ya go. First person to convince SWMBO that I NEED one gets a big wet kiss:

http://www.polarismotor.it/fib.htm

We don't have a dinghy...

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 12:33:19

I was returning from a sunday afternoon boat race last year and noticed someone trying to fly one of those para-kites, the kind you are strapped to. The wind was blowing at 25 to 30 knots at the time and I said to my sailing partner - that guy's going to kill himself. The next day his obit was in the paper. Five minutes afeter we passed by a particulalrly strong gust caught him, picked him up, and slammed him into a derrick-barge. He left young two kids and a wife behind.

I'll stick to sailing on the water for my kicks thank you.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3472 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 13:12:02

Martin,

Before you invest in a UV cover, I would still do a bit more research on the issue regarding if you even have a real concern regarding UV rays. When you indicate that "Catalina claims that it has a U.V. protective strip along the leach", I guess you need to determine if there is a strip or not, what exactly is it and then what the history is for that matl for the long term life.

When I bought my Cat '89 3 1/2 years ago, it came with all original sails (Main, 110 furling rig Jib & 135% furling rig genoa) . I still have the sails but last year I bought a new Quantum main and 150 furling genoa because the original sails while structurally were hangin on in one piece, they were blown out. The original 135 genoa had a blue sunbrella strip sewn into it for UV protection. The jib had a strip of sail matl (white) sewn into it for UV protection. The jib UV strip, except for a pocket that opened up from the sewn threads unravelling in a 1-2 foot section (but stayed in place), was fine. Both sails did not seem any worse due to sunlight as they seemed to be similar condition as the Main which was always protected by the blue sunbrella main sail cover. So, if what you are describing is a strip of extra sail matl (sewn to the sail) as the UV protection, it may be fine for UV protection. If you have something else being used as UV protection, well then I have no experience with it. While I have no doubt that the Sun Shield (the link you provided to it) will offer superior UV protection, it is then another thing that needs to be attended to each time you go out and come back from sailing.

Always beneficial to minimize the time to go and come back from sailing - For example, I used to keep my fenders attached to my boat and would wedge them between the stays when I went sailing. But then I attached a cable with a turnbuckle tightened between the two cleats on my finger slip and I have 3 fenders permanently attached to the cable hung off the cable by small sections of line. This way, I do not even mess with fenders at all. (I have addl fenders stored under my cockpit if I put into another marina.)

Larry

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 15:08:14

The primary advantage of these socks is for racers. Build the sail without a UV strip for better shape, less stiffness and less weight. The rest of us can be happy with sewn on protection. Mine is white Sunbrella.

Edited by - on

MartinJW
Navigator

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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 20:51:17

Thanks, Everyone. I really appreciate all your well thought out points and suggestions.

Thanks again,
Martin

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/19/2009 : 06:04:43

Hi Martin... A few late comments:

1. A slightly loose, flogging sock is not that great for the edges of the sail inside it.

2. For a compact wrap, furl on a beat while the sail is filled, not luffing, with one wrap of the sheet on the winch, so you have uniform tension.

3. A few extra wraps of the sheets and then cleating them off with a little tension is important. John's reverse wrap with the spare halyard is a very good idea. Don't forget it's there when you head out!

4. You don't have hurricanes on Tahoe, but if you're going to be gone for a long period or expect a really big storm, take off both sails. It will reduce your overall windage, and thus strain on dock lines or mooring pennant. (I did that for hurricanes, and it did a great job of preventing them from hitting CT!

)

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.