Adding sail trim controls

Jackdaw · Mar 18, 2015

A good cunningham system provide enough purchase to apply the pressure with a hand load. This means a 4:1 to 12:1 system that can either be worked at the mast, or be run back to the cockpit. For your size main a 4:1 should work. A simple system looks like this.

A set of fine-tune controls will work best with sail in good shape. The sails on your boat look original and rather tired. It might be wise to save up your pesos for some new ones.

Stu Jackson · Mar 18, 2015

Jack's right, although many cunningham setups do not always need that much purchase. I had just that block setup on our boat until the top block (an expensive Lewmar) died in the sun. I removed it and the lower blocks and the system still works to tighten the luff just fine, and ours is a bigger boat than yours. All it takes is some line run aft.

Garhauer also makes a nifty backstay bridle.

Ron20324 · Mar 18, 2015

Are you sure your mast can tolerate the bend?

Jackdaw · Mar 18, 2015

Ron20324 said:
Are you sure your mast can tolerate the bend?

On a masthead boat like the Cal, a backstay adjuster does not bend the mast. It attempts to pull it backwards, which it cannot do because unlike a frac boat the forestay is attached at the same point at the masthead. It does however tighten the forestay and thus reduces forestay sag. Thats the reason for the adjuster.

It also has the side effect of trying to push the mast out through the bottom of the boat. Failing that, it wants to fold the boat in two!

Jackdaw · Mar 18, 2015

Roadking Larry said:
I suspect the sails are original to the boat and new sails are on the list but not in the budget, yet.

I'd guess so too. The narrow panels sewn on the diagonal give them away. Hood developed that technique in the late 70s but it fell out of favor over time. Sails have not been made that way for 25 years.

All U Get · Mar 19, 2015

I looked back at your previous post and would ask if you thought a different headsail would be worth while. Your jib looks a to be a working size for windy days. It also seems like you had enough halyard tension on the main so I would omit the Cunningham or just use a line with a hook through the cringle and tied to the boom. Just my thoughts.

All U Get

Here's the hardware hook. http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?14062/

woodster · Mar 19, 2015

my cunningham is like the pic Jack posted ..it used to be 2 part but i felt that 4 parts would be easier to use so i up graded

Scott T-Bird · Mar 19, 2015

I favor the backstay adjuster. When the head sail sags in higher wind, the helm gets real heavy. Adjusting the backstay tension improves the handling substantially. Masthead rigs are driven by the head sail. I think you will find more benefit in improving the shape of the head sail than the mainsail. I like that bridle that Stu displays ... much better than mine. Do you have a split backstay?

BTW, Sailcare does a great job at cleaning the sails, and the finish makes them crisper (seemingly like new). But they can't do anything about improving the shape of an old sail, unless you specify that they do some trimming, which isn't exactly their forte, so to speak. A sailmaker can help, but at the end of the day, the need for new sails is inevitable.

Joe · Mar 19, 2015

Just me and my opinion.... but if your mainsail already has a Cunningham cringle, that would be a very inexpensive upgrade. You can get it done with two bullet blocks, the lower one with a becket... some attachment hardware, strap eyes and self threading screws.. for the lower block and the mast connection.... perhaps a fairlead to guide the line aft and a simple jam or vee cleat. Less than $60 if you if you stick to the correct size hardware. If you want to go with 5/16 line, which is more than adequate. You can save some money on blocks if you go with 1/4" line and use the stainless/acetal sheave type utility blocks... but the Harken 29mm bullet blocks will serve you well and are affordable.... the blocks are $14 and $17, the clamcleat is $9, at an online competitor...

Scott T-Bird · Mar 19, 2015

Roadking Larry said:
I'm gonna bite the bullet and move new sails further up the list and reevaluate the toy budget to see what I can come up with. Ought to be maybe less for a new main than the pair of Lewmar 30 St winches I put on last week .

Those winches are a very nice addition!

Don Guillette · Mar 20, 2015

A jib cunningham is a nice and simple unit to install. I used a small soft vang that Garhauer put together for me.

Todd Smith · Mar 20, 2015

Jackdaw said:
On a masthead boat like the Cal, a backstay adjuster does not bend the mast. ...snip ...

Just a point of clarification. For lots of masthead boats, the backstay will bend the mast. Most of the boats that I crew on for races are masthead and they all can create mast bend by cranking on the backstay.

I haven't had a boat fold on me yet

Jackdaw · Mar 20, 2015

Todd Smith said:
Just a point of clarification. For lots of masthead boats, the backstay will bend the mast. Most of the boats that I crew on for races are masthead and they all can create mast bend by cranking on the backstay.

I haven't had a boat fold on me yet

Can you explain to me how that happens?? To bend the mast the masthead has to move backwards. That is impossible on a boat where the forestay is attached to the same part of the mast as the backstay. Like the masthead.

Fractional boats bend the mast by having the mast bend around the forestay attach point. Anything above that points bends aft, anything below bends forward.

I've owned racy masthead boats; we bent that mast with an adjustable babystay.

Regarding folding the boat.. ask someone that owns a big masthead rigged racing boat. Often when they crank on the backstay hard, you cannot open or close doors downstairs. One guess why.

lloydyboy53 · Mar 21, 2015

cheap solutions to sail control

Hi Larry
A cheap way to get back-stay control would be to shorten your existing stay and install a cascading pulley system.
I recently got a new set of sails for my Boomaroo22(catalina22) from fareast sails in Hong Kong. Fantastic sails and service and the more you spend the cheaper it is. They have a discount system that increases with price .I ended up gettting my sails for half the listed price and that included freight.I have no affiliation with this mob but can't praise them enough. So much so that I am about to get a new suit of sails for my RL28.

Cheers John Rob Legg 28 Pinnaroo

Cal28_sailor · Mar 23, 2015

new sail

I'm not sure the dimentions are exactly the same, but i have a new mainsail i bought for my cal 28 flushdeck if your interested. It's been raised only 6 times.

Roadking Larry said:
Thanks guys.
The main already has a Cunningham cringle and after seeing what I need the expense is pretty minimal so that's pretty doable quick and cheap, can't hurt.

My backstay is a single wire so the bridle system won't work.
I'll walk the docks and see what is at the marina that I can emulate.

I'm gonna bite the bullet and move new sails further up the list and reevaluate the toy budget to see what I can come up with. Ought to be maybe less for a new main than the pair of Lewmar 30 St winches I put on last week .

Adding sail trim controls

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