Swan 57: How to fly a Gennaker and fixing the problem with a proper Bow Roller?

Dear Swan Mates,

Let me turn to you to find ideas and oppinions before we put the angle cutter in the stemhead and tear things off.

There are two issues. One that sounds simple to fix is that the bow roller is about Ø40mm and not rolling. Pulling the anchor up (all chain) is hard work for the Windlass and the temperure sensor sometimes shuts down.

The second issue is that without a bowsprit it is not possible to fly a Gennaker if you have a furling mechanism with a non tortional luff line and endless furling line. The pullpit obstructs the set up.

Also i'm very reluctant to complicating and cluttering the deck layout, i.e. not sympathetic to adding a bowsprit.

Since the genoa is roller furling, the pulpit is not used as in the old days, fidling with the genoa hooks, back to the waves. My thinking is to change pulpit (see "New Pulpit" below), cut the old support (facing forwards, see Pulpit cut 1a) and the sides of the Bow Roller support and weld on a new arrangement.

The new arrangement would have a 100mm roller, not as wide as the old one, protrude a bit further forwards so the roller can extend below the deck level. The arrangement would also have a fixing point fot the gennaker, probably about 100mm above the bow roller.

One priority is not to have to dismantle the stem head. It must be a gruesome task. Do you think it would be possible to weld on to the old stemhead, the new pieces without burning the GRP severely?

Another possibility may be that after cutting away the old anchor roller arrangement, so drill, tap an bolt on an new anchor roller arrangement. The forestay attachment would still be uncompromised and the only thing that could possibly malfunction would be the bow roller.

Any thoughts and ideas are most appreciated.

BRGDS
Mats @ Hermia II

New pulpit

Pulpit Cut 1a

Bow roller cut

Dear Mats,

could you please send me the images to my private mail and I will try to upload them from admin panel (maybe they were too big for our server)?

I am flying a gennaker and have no problem at all (I flyed it on 38/067 Only you and flying it now on 47/069 Vanessa), so, I think it's worth a trying before adding something on the steam head. I have a line which goes through the bow roller and up to the sail.

By the way if you need to modify it you should dismanthe it from the boat (which is a very good chance to check it properly) as welding would be to hot for the GRP hull.

Attached a couple of pics, sorry not detailed enough but hope they will give you an idea of my gennaker setup.

Fair winds!

matteo (47/069 Vanessa)

Hi Mads,

Take a look at this... I installed one on my 40.  I use it for my asym and my code zero-. 

Easy to install! and it does not take away from the beautiful lines of our boats. 

https://info.upffront.com/blog/looking-at-a-code-zero-you-need-a-trogear-bowsprit

So far so good. Happy with it but I remove it before anchoring and raise it before docking. 

Fair winds

Mike

Hi Mads,

Thank you so much for the information. You do not feel that the rake of the stem is too close to the angle of the bobstay?

Hi Mads,

I discussed the installation with TROGEAR and they did not have any concerns. so far it has worked fine.. I suggest you contact them as your installation is a bit BIGGER.  Also Lars may have some thoughts on this.

If needed I can install it and take a few pictures.. The boat is in the hall at the moment.

Fair winds

Mike

Mats and Mike

That's how we also fly the asymetric spinnaker on Snow Wolf (Swan48) and have never had any problems. Don't use it that often as we mainly use symetric spinnakers.

Snow Wolf on route to Las Palmas for the start of ARC 2010

Dear All,

Thank you for all good suggestions and advice. The issue, that I'd ponderd for a couple of years, really broke open as I realized that the bow fitting could be taken off. That opened the whole kettle of fish.

First priority was for a proper bow roller, the old one was battered and did not rotate. The design for a new one Ø120, set a little lower, allowed for a fixing point for a bow sprit and look what's transpired! 

The old beautiful Bull Horn, had to go, and new 8mm sideplates welded on. By the way, Nautors welding and blacksmithship of 35 years ago, are works of art!

This is status right now, hope to update when items are used in anger!

A Ø13 pin from Antal will be used for docking

Here are some more photos.

I don't like to make holes in the boat, the less violence the better. In this case theres only a recessed plate in the deck, a fixing point on the bow fitting and a lashing point lower down.

It may be that I need to install a bobstay, we will see what the 2mm walled Ø76 tube will stand up for. In any case it is surprisingly light and a Dyneema bobstay will not hurt, but simplicity is the key word.

By the way, please see the forestay chainplate. In my oppinion it looks very sturdy and I would feel secure using it with a motorized furler.

Hi Mats,

your idea is a good benchmark !

thanks for sharing…

Yves / Algol ( 57 007 )