Hi David First I find it unusual to hear of a J27 with a furling genoa. We had a J27 that came that way and it was the only one I knew of. Our furling genoa was awful to use when racing anyway so we would ignore the furler and tack our racing sails to the deck below the drum. Eventually sold the luff foil, furling system and the furling genoa and replaced with a tuff luff
J27 upwind if too windy for 150 should use a blade as it is much faster. Downwind most 27s fly a spinnaker anyway. On our 33 we will sometimes be overpowered upwind flying our non furling 140 or 155 genoas for the added boost downwind if racing non spin. If it is too windy for our 140 we drop to our 103%% head sail. Your genoa would have to be designed and built to sail partially furled for it to have any sort of performance up wind. I know some have foam in the luff area for this. Regardless I would think the loss of upwind performance would be a pretty nasty price to pay for more horsepower down wind … Those are my thoughts Regards Mike Hoyt Persistence Halifax, NS From: David Knecht via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Sent: September 12, 2022 11:12 AM To: CnC CnC discussion list <CnC-List@cnc-list.com> Cc: David Knecht <davidakne...@gmail.com> Subject: Stus-List Partially furling the genoa when racing I was talking to the skipper of a J27 who nearly always wins our PHRF class and he was telling me that while he wins a lot, he struggles in heavier air. He said he had recently started partially roller furling his large genoa for upwind legs and then unfurling downwind when the wind was strong enough to overpower him. I have never considered doing that and my larger genoa does not have “reef points” . What are the groups thoughts on the value/feasibility of this? Any reason it would be bad for the sail? It certainly would be easier than putting on my smaller sail when winds are questionable. I worry about not only sail shape, but when partially furled, the furler and genoa sheet are fighting each other, which might not be a good thing for the furler. Dave S/V Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, CT [cid:image001.png@01D8C69A.4F2D4620]
