• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

adjustable genoa car system

mjsouleman

Sustaining Member
Moderator
has anyone used an adjustable genoa car system?

E-Z GLIDE ADJUSTABLE GENOA CAR

[FONT=&quot]$265.00
[/FONT]

1" T-track

The EZ Glide Systems enables you to make adjustment of your genoa cars under load
Each system consists of four pieces - 2 Genoa lead cars (Using 50-13 UB blocks) and 2 end controls (double cheek block placed at the forward end of the Genoa Car track.
 

mjsouleman

Sustaining Member
Moderator
E-z glide adjustable genoa

Always begin with purpose:
My purpose for the E-Z GLIDE ADJUSTABLE GENOA CAR I am sole sailing and I would like to do as much from the cockpit as possible.
discovery is an 1983 Ericon 30+ with a large Genoa.

The only negative as I understand it is life of gahuser products compared to Harken.

MJS
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Always begin with purpose:
My purpose for the E-Z GLIDE ADJUSTABLE GENOA CAR I am sole sailing and I would like to do as much from the cockpit as possible.
discovery is an 1983 Ericon 30+ with a large Genoa.

The only negative as I understand it is life of gahuser products compared to Harken.

MJS

We have blocks and parts from both companies on board. I would say that Harken builds lighter but strong products due to their R&D. Garhauer builds stronger but a bit heavier products. In 20 years boating I have not found Garhauer to have any less "life". Whichever you choose, do pay attention to their load ratings.

Now if you want my opinion on Lewmar deck gear, ahem... not as good as either one.
:rolleyes:
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Loren,

I would not know about r load ratings and could use some advice.

MJS

I look for the load for a given size of block in the main catalog, usually on line. Sometimes there is a spec for a family of same size sheaves used in several block configurations.
 

Ryan L

s/v Naoma
yes

We have them on our boat. Well built and so far have performed perfectly under a wide variety of conditions. Definitely nice to be able to change the headsail leads from the cockpit, especially when on watch alone at night or in a squall.

has anyone used an adjustable genoa car system?

E-Z GLIDE ADJUSTABLE GENOA CAR

[FONT=&amp]$265.00
[/FONT]

1" T-track

The EZ Glide Systems enables you to make adjustment of your genoa cars under load
Each system consists of four pieces - 2 Genoa lead cars (Using 50-13 UB blocks) and 2 end controls (double cheek block placed at the forward end of the Genoa Car track.
 

Mr. Scarlett

Member III
If the cabin top winch project goes off without too many hitches, I may reward myself with an easy upgrade. I see that these are a popular amongst Ericson owners. Not having to replace the track is definitely a huge plus, not to mention the build quality/price. However, if someone only had track on the toe rail, with this system, moving the car forward would have the sheet bearing on at least two lifeline stanchions. One of the main reasons to go with a setup like this would be to not have to move the lazy sheet around when planning to go from on the wind to off. There would need to be a final pivoting block aft of the whole setup leading to the winch - the space between this final fairlead and the actual sheet lead would be a great place for the sheet to make a mess of itself when tacking or gybing. Or would it?

Thoughts? Experiences with adjustable genoa cars on a curved outside track? Boat is a 35-2 with a 135% genoa.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Thoughts? Well, here're mine, unvarnished.

Adjustable genoa block cars are of zero value on cruising boats. They clutter up the side deck and require lines underfoot. Trip hazard. Dirt catchers. Decorations, mostly.

You simply move the cars when they're on the passive side, as needed for radical changes in genoa size. Or at the dock, if it's blowing hard out there. In light air I can move mine under sail just by standing on the sheet to reduce the angle, then scoot the car fore or aft.

Is moving the car important? Not much, downwind. And downwind you'll be switching to the outside-lifelines genoa track anyhow. What about sail shape? Most cruising boats have relatively high-clew genoas, which means the angle of the sheet is less critical than with deck-sweeper foresails. Often, for small changes in genoa size, it hardly matters.

Serious racers with serious sail inventories have needs cruisers do not. Adjustable genoa cars are among them.

Yeah, this is opinion.
 

Bolo

Contributing Partner
Thoughts? Well, here're mine, unvarnished.

Adjustable genoa block cars are of zero value on cruising boats. They clutter up the side deck and require lines underfoot. Trip hazard. Dirt catchers. Decorations, mostly.

You simply move the cars when they're on the passive side, as needed for radical changes in genoa size. Or at the dock, if it's blowing hard out there. In light air I can move mine under sail just by standing on the sheet to reduce the angle, then scoot the car fore or aft.

Is moving the car important? Not much, downwind. And downwind you'll be switching to the outside-lifelines genoa track anyhow. What about sail shape? Most cruising boats have relatively high-clew genoas, which means the angle of the sheet is less critical than with deck-sweeper foresails. Often, for small changes in genoa size, it hardly matters.

Serious racers with serious sail inventories have needs cruisers do not. Adjustable genoa cars are among them.

Yeah, this is opinion.
I’ve given this upgrade a thought or two over the years, especially when the wind is up and that Genoa car isn’t quite in the right place. Then I just go to the lazy side of the boat to adjust the car, tack and then adjust the former active Genoa car. On the Chesapeake where I sail tacking or jibing happens often so there’s plenty of opportunities to make adjustments even when solo sailing. IMO, the “cost/benefit“ of adjusting cars isn‘t worth the investment in time, money and the extra lines that run to the cockpit and I have most everything running back to the cockpit on my boat.
 

Slick470

Member III
Admittingly, I'm more racer than cruiser, but I love having adjustable genoa leads. I like to know that the tell tales are breaking evenly up and down the luff and that the sail has the proper twist for the point of sail and conditions. Yes it's more line and more complexity, but if my boat didn't have them, I'd add them.
 

Mark David

Member II
not exactly an adjustable car, but about a 'tweaker/downhaul' that pulls the sheet lead down = moving car forward?
 

Slick470

Member III
My slip neighbor uses a low friction ring setup to do that on his boat and it works similar to an adjustable lead. He has a purchase system in place to get proper tension. I greatly prefer the adjustable lead, but his setup is less expensive and gets him most the way there. I feel like its harder to use and can be kind of fiddly to get right. It helps to ease it prior to tacking to reduce the friction from the ring, then re-tension after the tack. We played with a similar setup on another friends boat and ended up ditching it after awhile.

I do like the floating lead setups on newer boats that only sail with 100% jibs that allow you to move the lead up/down and inboard/outboard. Also more complex, but great for fine tuning.
 

patrscoe

Member III
I have replaced my cars with a adjustable genoa car system by Garhauer. The cars were too long for the configeration of the Ericson manufacturer track and they would jam towards the aft end of the track, where I have a slight curve to them. Garhauer replaced the cars from the sleeve grooves with their older ball bearing cars but I still had the same issue.
I ended up cutting them down and modifying the cars to make them work. I don't like that the end track and car blocks for the adjustable line as they are very bulky - tripping harzard. Garhauer = strong and well built but bulky.
I think doing this again, I would no doubt replace with a Harken adjustable car system. It's expensive and you need to replace the tracks but for the function of the system, it's superior.

I played around the low friction rings as I had several for multiple functions but at 12 to 15 kts, it was too much for the rings to adjust underload. And when you tacked, the upper and lower rings would flop around on the gelcoat. Concept works but limited. I do have a set up with low friction rings for a barber hauler.

Christian is awesome and I understand his view point but my type of sailing (that I like), I prefer a fully adjustable car system per above where I can adjust under load. I enjoy sail trimming and getting the most of my sailboat, and it's one of the those things, if it is difficult to adjust and trim, you will not do it as much as you should.

Anyways, that's my take on it.
 
Top