You have decided to go for a new code zero or downwind asymmetric. To ensure the furling system fits your boat, it is important to take a physical measurement of the maximum space available from the attachment point of the drum to the full hoist halyard position.
For a code zero, the sailmaker requires this “available space” dimension to maximise luff length and then the furling cable manufacturer will build the cable to suit the sail luff length
Whereas for a top-down system, your furling system supplier needs this dimension to maximise cable length, which is relatively independent of the asymmetric / gennaker luff length.
To measure the “maximum available space”:
When you give your sailmaker or furling system provider this measurement, be sure to indicate your level of confidence in the measurement. If it was windy, or you were using a stretchy tape measure this can impact the quality of the measurement. Calculation of the final cable length involves a safety factor, and this is designed to include measurement accuracy.
So, if you were using a steel tape on a calm day you may be comfortable that your measurement is +/- 5mm whereas with a nylon tape on a windy day it may be +/-25mm. This is important information which you should convey when providing your measurement.
In a future post we will explore how the final length is calculated from this “maximum available space” measurement.
If you have any questions or need any help with a measurement onboard please use the link below, or contact us at support@upffront.com