Mini Storm Mainsail??

[sumrvl]

This sail came with the Macgregor 25 I bought last Septmeber. Previous owner thought it was a storm jib made out of a soft canvas.
Took it out of its sailbag today, snowed in, and it looks like a small mainsail. It measures luff 12'9' Leach 15' and foot 7'5". It has 3 batten pockets but no battens, is a flat sail and made of a soft cotton or canvas. Rope is attached for the luff and foot. Sail has been used since it has patches.
There is no sailmakers name on it but it came in a small sailbag that has a name AIREX stamped on it.
What is this and how is it used? Where can i get battens for it?

 

[MrBill_FLL]

pretty sure west sells battens by the foot.

or right here at SBO. just sand the edges. -I'd tape them in too.

 

[TLW]

A storm jib can have battens - consider the conditions for which it is designed. The best indicator is to check the angle formed by the luff and the foot. Is it nearly 90 degrees as that formed by your mast and boom? Or, is it somewhat less - more nearly that formed by the forestay and deck?

 

[Joe]

try googling "storm trysail" That's a storm sail that attaches to the mast.. but NOT the boom...

 

[shemandr]

Lugs or hanks?

 

[sumrvl]

TLW, it has a 90' angle. There is no draft built into the sail, it is flat.

 

[sumrvl]

Shemander, it has neither but there are openings along the luff rope to snap on lugs.
It has a sewn in rope on the foot for the boom track. I suppose a person could leave it out of the boom track.
Joe, thanks for storm trysail, looks like what I have.
Being kind of a Newbe I hope I do not have a need for this mainsail but good to have handy if the situation arises.
I may go ahead and get the battens to complete the sails design.

 

[kenn]

A storm trysail wouldn't have battens, I believe. Is the sail built like a tank? I'm thinking it's just an older sail that a PO grabbed to use as a high-wind sail.

 

[Merlin Clark]

Or cockpit shade.

 

[RichH]

Best guess is that sail is whats known a "Swedish Mainsail" ... half sized (luff leech and foot dimensions) used for 'moderate' to high wind conditions ... and so you dont have much 'bunt' or rolled up sail to contend with when reefing 'deeper'. The dimensions you listed are approx. half of what's spec'ed for a Mac25 ..... Luff - 24.5'; Foot - 10.5'; Leech - 26.17'

As another poster listed, if the tack angle (angle that the top of the boom makes with the mast, when the sail is 'full' raised) is ~90°, then this is probably a 'Swedish Mainsail'.

 

[sumrvl]

Kenn, it does have 3 batten pockets. The sail is not heavy weight but it does have a lot sewen layers and strips. Fabric is very soft like cotton. The PO died before I bought the boat.
RichH, so maybe this is a Swedish Mainsail since it has a ropped foot and 90' tack. So maybe a Trysail does not slide into the boom but is foot loose. Where on the keyboard would I find the little degree circle?

 

[RichH]

Try'sls are usually loose footed.
Even with a foot bolt rope its probably better to this type of sail with a loose-foot.

degree mark °, on a Mac is: option + Shift --> 8

 

[Joe Blizzard]

I'm thinking it's just an older sail that a PO grabbed to use as a high-wind sail.

I've often thought that a half-size main would be a handy thing to have from time to time.

 

[shemandr]

Isn't it true that the advantage of the Storm Trysail is that it isn't attached to the boom? Therefore while sailing in high winds there is less risk to the rig from a inadvertent gybe or even a planned gybe. There isn't the boom flying across the cockpit, with its IQ reducing potential.
The so called Swedish Main, which I hadn't heard of (Thanks RichH), is an interesting alternative to the trysail for areas where higher winds are the norm. But as I understand it, it is attached to the boom. That is good for sailing under control in higher winds but different than a trysail which is for offshore storm tactics.
I don't understand why it would be made of soft fabric. Maybe stretch absorbs shock loads from gusts but I would prefer a flat stiff sail. 'Course those Swedes have been sailing for a long time so ....

 

[Barnacle Bill]

If it is truly made of cotton or canvas, it ain't worth a damned anyway. Cotton will not hold up to sunlight and either material will hold a shape. My guess it was a home made sail by someone wanting to build a storm sail who didn't know anything about materials used for sail cloth. And, who uses a storm mainsail anyway when most mainsails are reefable?