Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
- Stickinthemud57
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Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
I have ordered a .75 ounce nylon drifter for use in light winds, and want to have everything prepared when it gets here. I have ordered two ratcheting pulleys, but I am not sure where I will want to mount them. The foot of this sail will be 15' (6" shorter than the standard genoa for this boat). I set the block cars for the sheets for the old genoa at the full aft position on the rails, back near the winches. This worked fine for that sail, but I see a lot of drifter sheets led further aft of the cabin, so I'm not quite sure using the old arrangement will work.
Anyone out there with any knowledge or experience flying a drifter on a 26S? Your input would be greatly appreciated!
Anyone out there with any knowledge or experience flying a drifter on a 26S? Your input would be greatly appreciated!
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
- Highlander
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
U should b able to just use ur same genoa tracks if u have them as u say ! , if not u could mount them next to the genny pulleys or 6" ahead "forward" of them , do u have a pic of the ratchet pulleys so as we can see what kind of mounting attachment they have
like do they have genny carrs on them already ! another option is to buy a set of used longer genny tracks , u do,nt say how long the ones u have are 24" ?
assuming u r mounting the tack & head to the same position as the genny original genny !, u do,nt mention if the Luff & Leach r the same as ur old genny ?
J
https://trickyfish.net/how-do-you-size-a-drifter-sail/
assuming u r mounting the tack & head to the same position as the genny original genny !, u do,nt mention if the Luff & Leach r the same as ur old genny ?
J
https://trickyfish.net/how-do-you-size-a-drifter-sail/
- Stickinthemud57
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
Thanks for the response!
The luff and leech are significantly longer than my old genny, as I will be mounting the halyard pulley at the top of the mast.
Dimensions for drifter:
Luff - 28
Leach - 27.5
Foot - 15
Dimensions for old genoa:
Luff - 23.5
Leach - 21.5
Foot - 15.6
I wonder if the longer luff will require the sheets be led further aft for the sail to fly right. On the other hand, this is primarily a downwind sail, although it should be able to reach at least a little. Would telltales be appropriate on a sail like this?
Don't worry about pulley attachment. I have that worked out. FYI, my tracks run all the way back to the winches mounted on the cabin top.
The luff and leech are significantly longer than my old genny, as I will be mounting the halyard pulley at the top of the mast.
Dimensions for drifter:
Luff - 28
Leach - 27.5
Foot - 15
Dimensions for old genoa:
Luff - 23.5
Leach - 21.5
Foot - 15.6
I wonder if the longer luff will require the sheets be led further aft for the sail to fly right. On the other hand, this is primarily a downwind sail, although it should be able to reach at least a little. Would telltales be appropriate on a sail like this?
Don't worry about pulley attachment. I have that worked out. FYI, my tracks run all the way back to the winches mounted on the cabin top.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
- dlandersson
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
Use your genoa forestay (mine pulls up (and down) my Genoa sock.
Stickinthemud57 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 8:42 am I have ordered a .75 ounce nylon drifter for use in light winds, and want to have everything prepared when it gets here. I have ordered two ratcheting pulleys, but I am not sure where I will want to mount them. The foot of this sail will be 15' (6" shorter than the standard genoa for this boat). I set the block cars for the sheets for the old genoa at the full aft position on the rails, back near the winches. This worked fine for that sail, but I see a lot of drifter sheets led further aft of the cabin, so I'm not quite sure using the old arrangement will work.
Anyone out there with any knowledge or experience flying a drifter on a 26S? Your input would be greatly appreciated!
- Highlander
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
He won,t b able to use his original genny forestay it,s too short ! , I,d just tie a line onto the tack or attach the the tack directly to ur genny attachment point with a shackle then attach the head to ur masthead "spinnaker" halyard & hoist it to see if u can get the luff nice & tight if not u may have to extend it out on a 12-18" pole bowsprit with 2 eye straps on the end , one on top for the tack the other on the bottom for a small bobstay to the bow eye , a 36" x 1 1/2" thick walled Alum tube pick up at a scrap yard cheap or buy an end piece cut-off at a metal mart they usually sell off half price , lash it on temporally to the bow protruding 12-18" & see how it fits this is only if u r required to for a tight luff , not tight enough so as to overly stress the luff of the sail ! . another option is to sew on a pocket to the luff of the sail then u can run a torsion line through it as a removeable forestay. I done the same thing I bought this drifter used for around $300. from Floridadlandersson wrote: ↑Wed Aug 30, 2023 9:04 am Use your genoa forestay (mine pulls up (and down) my Genoa sock.![]()
Stickinthemud57 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 8:42 am I have ordered a .75 ounce nylon drifter for use in light winds, and want to have everything prepared when it gets here. I have ordered two ratcheting pulleys, but I am not sure where I will want to mount them. The foot of this sail will be 15' (6" shorter than the standard genoa for this boat). I set the block cars for the sheets for the old genoa at the full aft position on the rails, back near the winches. This worked fine for that sail, but I see a lot of drifter sheets led further aft of the cabin, so I'm not quite sure using the old arrangement will work.
Anyone out there with any knowledge or experience flying a drifter on a 26S? Your input would be greatly appreciated!

Luff 28' 6" x Foot 18' x Leach 25' 6" is in like new condition lightly used for sure , I,ve mounted it on my CDI Spinnaker furler which has a torsion line , notice that it has a nice high cut Clew so as to clear my cabin top so hopefully I can see under neath it so its not a deck sweeper lol


this is a top down soft furler , I may get a pocket sewn into the luff later this fall
Hope this helps u out let me know how u make out btw some pic,s would b nice
J



- Stickinthemud57
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
Great ideas, thanks!
My plan for now is to keep the luff tight (but not too tight) using a halyard strung to the top of the mast. Later, I might look into a furling rig, when I am more interested in convenience than outright performance, and need to do all this while the Admiral looks on.
My plan for now is to keep the luff tight (but not too tight) using a halyard strung to the top of the mast. Later, I might look into a furling rig, when I am more interested in convenience than outright performance, and need to do all this while the Admiral looks on.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
- Highlander
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
Just tell her it was a gift from a good friend !Stickinthemud57 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 30, 2023 5:44 pm Great ideas, thanks!
My plan for now is to keep the luff tight (but not too tight) using a halyard strung to the top of the mast. Later, I might look into a furling rig, when I am more interested in convenience than outright performance, and need to do all this while the Admiral looks on.
J
- Stickinthemud57
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
That would get me in even worse trouble!!!Highlander wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 1:07 pmJust tell her it was a gift from a good friend !Stickinthemud57 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 30, 2023 5:44 pm Great ideas, thanks!
My plan for now is to keep the luff tight (but not too tight) using a halyard strung to the top of the mast. Later, I might look into a furling rig, when I am more interested in convenience than outright performance, and need to do all this while the Admiral looks on.![]()
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J![]()
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
- Highlander
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- Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
when she say's who's the friend , u say family & when she say's what family U just say honey the nice young Blonde Sister U never knew U had !Stickinthemud57 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 1:39 pmThat would get me in even worse trouble!!!Highlander wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 1:07 pmJust tell her it was a gift from a good friend !Stickinthemud57 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 30, 2023 5:44 pm Great ideas, thanks!
My plan for now is to keep the luff tight (but not too tight) using a halyard strung to the top of the mast. Later, I might look into a furling rig, when I am more interested in convenience than outright performance, and need to do all this while the Admiral looks on.![]()
![]()
![]()
J![]()
- NiceAft
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
Stick,come on I dare u too ! & have someone video tape it as u do !
If you take John up on this, myself, and many others in the entire Mac world are waiting to see how this turns out.
Ray ~~_/)~~
- Stickinthemud57
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
If so, it will be livestreamed on Facebook and posted on YouTube. I will end up single, but I might end up a millionaire!
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
- Highlander
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Re: Fairlead mounting point for drifter?
See I guess I was just one of the lucky one,s , because I could pull a stunt like that on my wife & she,d just reply on ur wildest dreams with a big smile on her face , next opportunity she,d have she would openly flirt with some nice young fellow in front of me then introduce me as her brother & as the guy introduced himself to me I,d say Hi don,t git ur hope,s up I,m not her brother I,m her hubby , she,s just playing U to Peeve me off ! & then she,d give me a big smile as the guy scurried off
next morning she,d bring me a coffee with a daisy flower on a plate with a sticky note sayin payback can b a Bitch
we,d smile at each other & burst out laughing
Another time I pulled a similar stunt Fri night came along she's all dollied up say's don't wait up for me I'm heading out girls night out !
next day Sat. aft a big bouquet of flowers arrive at the door with a note saying enjoyed our evening together & a set if initials !, so of course duped dumb me ask,s who r they from she just casually says Oh some guy I met on "Craigslist"
coarse I know she is pulling my leg
, so I,m left on the hook for two wks then our Visa bill comes in the mail & she say,s lookin at the bill so who did u buy flowers for
I say no one why & she say,s r u sure I,m no one ? so I check it again & realize the date & she say,s "Got Yeah " that,s when I realized the initials on the card were my own !
, she,d bought the flowers herself & had them delivered ! . needless to say she had a fantastic sense of humor
Moral of the story is that,s how much Trust & Love we had in & for each other
J
next morning she,d bring me a coffee with a daisy flower on a plate with a sticky note sayin payback can b a Bitch
Another time I pulled a similar stunt Fri night came along she's all dollied up say's don't wait up for me I'm heading out girls night out !
next day Sat. aft a big bouquet of flowers arrive at the door with a note saying enjoyed our evening together & a set if initials !, so of course duped dumb me ask,s who r they from she just casually says Oh some guy I met on "Craigslist"
Moral of the story is that,s how much Trust & Love we had in & for each other
J
