Submitted on September 18, 2005 by Dave Kingstone

Question: I have a 1988 CS 30 with the original #2 furling genoa from North. The sail appears in good condition however the blue UV strip has a hook, or curls at the leach. is there a practical solution.

Dave

Answer: Hi Dave,

It is safe to say that every genoa ever built in the history of sails has a curled leech. Even carbon fiber Americas Cup headsails have some degree of leech hook. The older the sail is, the more the leech will curl. The short explanation is that the fabric at the leech edge of the sail is unsupported and when the airflow separates from the back of the sail, the fabric rhythmically jumps back and forth, or flutters in the disturbed flow. To stop it from fluttering, you pull on the leech cord. Tension on the cord makes the cord seek a straighter path from one end to the other, which picks the sail edge up to windward, giving the sail a curved leech appearance.

If your sail was newer, it might be worth having a sailmaker cut the leech with more of a hollow curve. That might reduce the amount of curl by about 50%. However, since your sail is now almost 17 years old, you should probably leave it as is and make a habit of adjusting the cord so you have the smallest amount of curl for the wind conditions.

Regards,
Dan Neri

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