End of season, mainsail removal... aka I am a dummy...

[Leeward Rail]

I learned a "new" trick this fall when removing the main in very strong winds the day before crane-out.
Of course I assume that most everyone here knows this blatantly obvious trick for easily removing a loosefooted mainsail, but here goes...

Step 1: Take the sail ties... one by one... undo them and then clip/secure them JUST around the mainsail.

Done.

Clearly, I have had a blindspot for all these years... well duh.
I have long suspected those smiles from fellow sailors were actually glee at my apparent stupidity. ya bastiges.

 

[kappykaplan]

Step 1: Take the sail ties... one by one... undo them and then clip/secure them JUST around the mainsail.

 

[jssailem]

It is a glorious moment when the light bulb turns on...

Do not bemoan the fact that the others snickered. Feel joyful in the knowledge that you shared your Ah Ha... moment with others. Now watch for the next sail blowing in the wind with the owner grasping at the flagging cloth and say... I'll bet you a beer, I know an easier way...

 

[Leeward Rail]

It is a glorious moment when the light bulb turns on...

The annoying part is that I have done effectively the same thing by keeping a hank-on headsail bundled.. yet never applied it to removing a mainsail.. LOL

 

[jssailem]

Now you just need to find a big warehouse where you can layout the sails on a clean surface and dry / fold / bag them for winter storage.

 

[shemandr]

Or you could choose to remove the sail when it's not windy. Maybe that doesn't happen that often in Winnipeg?

 

[DougM]

Lazy Bag! Zip up the bag, Leave the front unzipped, drop the sail slugs out of the track one by one, slide the bag and sail off the boom, Done!
Then you can take the bagged sail ashore, open it up, fold it for storage and put it in a sail bag.

 

[Tally Ho]

I learned a "new" trick this fall when removing the main in very strong winds the day before crane-out.
Of course I assume that most everyone here knows this blatantly obvious trick for easily removing a loosefooted mainsail, but here goes...

Step 1: Take the sail ties... one by one... undo them and then clip/secure them JUST around the mainsail.

Done.

Clearly, I have had a blindspot for all these years... well duh.
I have long suspected those smiles from fellow sailors were actually glee at my apparent stupidity. ya bastiges.

I did that with mine…but I still had the lazy jacks in place. They held the sail in place until I was ready to pull the whole bundled mess off the boom.

worked great!

Greg

 

[Leeward Rail]

Or you could choose to remove the sail when it's not windy. Maybe that doesn't happen that often in Winnipeg?

LOL.... In this case we didn't have much choice... crane was booked to arrive the next morning.

The big worry was the wind speed continuing the next day, but fortunately the forecast was correct and it dropped overnight once the warm front arrived. Trying to tame a boat swinging around in that wind would have been scary.

The fall is usually short and unstable/windy here. Warm and cold fronts keep moving through. Often switching from north to south wind.
Especially on the lake due to it's size and how it alters weather.

2 years ago, due to work and other commitments, I was forced to haul out on a weekend that had snow/sleet, while wearing a winter parka.
Couple days later, mid week, it was well above freezing and sunny. The retirees were doing it then...

 

[Leeward Rail]

Now you just need to find a big warehouse where you can layout the sails on a clean surface and dry / fold / bag them for winter storage.

Our marina has a large grass area that is perfect for that. (also good for frisbee, bocci and other fun during the summer)

In this case, the late day rain fortunately hadn't started yet. We were forced to fold it on the dock because that marina doesn't have a good grass area close by.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I didn't get it until I picked up on "loosefooted mainsail ".
I wait for a calm day because my slip faces south. So when we haul out in the Fall, the wind is always coming from the north

 

[shemandr]

I had that issue in New Suffolk. You wanted a northerly breeze or no breeze to remove the sails. The prevailing Southerly would make it difficult. November 1st was the typical end of docking by contract and end of insurance coverage without a rider. If I were on the East End of LI this year I would have staring at a Nor'easter bearing down on us.

 

[jssailem]

Just removed my Genoa in the morning hours of day break. The wind of the night before had finally gone to bed and the sail was relatively not moist.

With the dock still showing the wet of the previous days storms I dropped the sail and proceeded to fold/roll it up on the foredeck.

It had the shape of a rolled sail but when I tried to help it into the sail bag, it was like trying to encourage a full figured woman into a pair of two sizes to small pair of spanks.

Off to the loft for inspection, drying, and proper folding for winter.

Taking care of your sails is like servicing an engine on a power boat.

 

[Tally Ho]

What a sad thread this is…


Tally Ho on the hard and covered for a long winter’s nap

Greg

 

[shemandr]

Quoting some movie I don't remember ... "The vines, they sleep." But in the spring they bring great fruit.

 

[Tally Ho]

Quoting some movie I don't remember ... "The vines, they sleep." But in the spring they bring great fruit.

I am praying for just enough “climate change” that the Great Lakes never freeze ;-)

Greg

 

[Ward H]

I started doing my main the same way a couple of years ago. I then carefully roll it up so it just fits into the truck, take it home and wait for a sunny dry afternoon to open it up, fold properly and into the sail bag for the winter.
Wish it was as easy for the Genoa. For that I wait for a light air day, then take it down and home to air dry and fold.

Yesterday's Nor'Easter wasn't too bad but I'm stripping the main, dodger and bimini tomorrow in prep for Friday's Nor'Easter which is forecast 40 knots on the beam. That'll have the boat rocking.