I've just taken possession of my WS28 and it has both a Yankee and a 100% Genoa (Hank on) as I'm a single handler I find handling on sails painful, and wish to have just one option on a furler. The previous owner was stoked with the Genoa and I have found it very powerful compared to the Yankee/staysail combo. My concern is am I putting too much load on the bowsprit? Does anyone else use a furling Genoa? 

Rob.............

When I bought TAMZIN (W32) she came with a big genny on a Profurler.  Although very powerful it seemed to me ,even without prior experience in a W32, that the boat was over powered and seemed to sort of 'squish' down by the bow.  Of course you're supposed to be able to roll the sail in as the wind picks up but it would lose shape and performance with even the lightest reduction in area.  I finally had the genny recut to the specs for a Super Yankee on the furler and rigged a hanked on staysail.  What a difference.  The bow came up, the boat just 'feels' better and there's substantially more control in varying wind conditions.  I don't have any imperica data to support the above, it just seems that things are they way they're supposed to be with the cutter rig.

1978 hull number WSSF00630578

  what number does that make her?

current location 2nm north of cape howe NSW Australia enroute westernport Victoria 

thanks for your help , I think I'll try the furler on the Yankee with a widow maker on the staysail 

regards

Rob

Hello Rob and Welcome!,

We have owned 2 different W28's and have sailed them both with and without roller furling.  Being old and set in my ways I sailed with hank on sails until a couple years ago when I decided to join the twentieth century.  Yes, I realize its now the 21st century, but I seem to make changes slooowly...  I finally switched to roller furling for the same reasons you are considering it. 

Our current headsail inventory now consists of a roller reefable 130% Genoa, Staysail, 110% Staysail Genoa and Crusing Spinnaker.  We installed a Schaeffer Roller Furler and had the 130% Genoa modified (luff tape and cover) to fit the furler.  We are now able to roll/furl the 130% down to about a 100% and still maintain good sail shape.   For light air Summer sailing (common) here in the Pacific Northwest we use the Staysail Genoa and full 130% Genoa.  In the Fall and Winter months we generally have no wind or LOTS of wind so we use the standard Staysail and the 130% Genoa rolled down to 100% when there is a good breeze.

As others have said our first reef is always the mainsail, then we start rolling up some of the headsail, and if needed put a second reef in the main.  In strong breezes of 25 plus knots, a completely rolled Genoa with the double reefed main and staysail balance our boat quite nicely. 

How you load your boat will affect how she sails, the 28"s tend to be stern heavy, you may find that moving gear and shifting the center of balance will have a great effect on how well your boat balances under sail.

Good luck and Fair Winds!

Kevin