9
Rigging the Gennaker sail
Tape over all protruding fittings and fixings around the bow (including the clevis pin
and split ring under the roller Furler fitting). The Gennaker is a big sail and if it can
catch on anything it will!
25
Pass the overhand knot at the end of the tack line (at the outer end of the pole)
through the eye at the tack of the sail (marked "T") and tie a half-hitch, using
the overhand knot as a stopper. Ensure that the sail is not twisted
26
Follow the Luff to the head of the Gennaker (marked "H") and attach it to the
top end of the Gennaker Halyard using a bowline. Pull the Gennaker up the
mast slightly to give yourself some slack in the downhaul.
27
Attach the sheets to the clew (marked "C") with stop knot. (
TIP:
The neatest
way to do this is to find the centre of the Gennaker sheet and push a small loop
of it through the clew cringle. Pass both the tails through this loop and pull
tight. If you tie the ends together with a fisherman's knot the crew will always
be able to release the Gennaker sheet. This hitch is small and will therefore slip
around the jib luff easily when gybing. Remember to thread the sheets through
auto ratchet in the correct direction).
Or you can tie the sheets to the Clew.
Now you have all three corners of the Gennaker tied on and you can attach the
downhaul. This can be tricky - and embarrassing if you get it wrong - especially
if you do not notice until the first hoist or even the first gybe! A good way to
remember how to connect it is to make sure that the downhaul is always behind
the tack line and in front of BOTH sheets. To collapse the Gennaker neatly into
a short sock when dropping, the Xenon utilises a two-patch system: an eye near
the foot and a webbing loop near the head.
28
Untie the downhaul from where it is tied off at the chute mouth.
