Sail Questions

[geehaw]

I did notice the leach of my Genoa had a small line running the length of it and at the clew there was a clam cleat. Obviously it was for tightening the leach. But why would you want to do this? And does the whisker pole just hook over the sheet at the clew? That worked for me but wasn't sure as I hear a lot of using guy lines.
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I also notice my main sail leaves the boom hanging a little low maybe 5 degrees. And no matter how I tighten vang, out-haul, halyard the sail has a pretty good belly in it. Is that normal or is sail about shot?

Also how do you make a paragraph indent here?
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[Bill Roosa]

The leach cord is intended to take that last little bit of flutter out of the sail.
The whisker pole just fits over the clew as you described, a spinaker pole needs a guy line to control it when jibing
to have more than 90 degrees at the tack is not a normal sail making technique. Given that the sail is baggy I'd say you are in the market for a new one or a re-sew
No idea on how to indent a paragraph

 

[PrincessoftheLake]

In regards to your boom hanging low you might want to check that you have your sail hoisted all the way to the top of the mast.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

And if that doesn't work, there's medication (for a low-hanging boom).

 

[RAD]

And if that doesn't work, there's medication (for a low-hanging boom).

 

[RichH]

Probably 99% of non-racing sailors dont know how to properly RAISE a woven dacron mainsail. This will cause all sort of sail shape problems and poor sailing performance, 'weather helm' problems, a boat that heels over agressively etc.

From your brief description you may possibly have a 'shrunken boltrope' ... here's how to properly raise, how to check, etc. : Go to http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=120970
Shrunken boltropes are probably 95% the cause of "baggy sails" and "new sail-itis", yet the condition is quite easily remedied by a good sailmaker or by using a good/strong winch on the main halyard.