Loose-footed Mains etc.
Steve, Loose-footed Mains are becoming more and more popular and for one good reason. They work better! A loose-footed mainsail is easier to flatten as well as to "power-up" since it is not restricted by any cloth attached to the boom. Reef-lines are not impeded by the sailcloth either. It is easier to rig vangs, preventers and storm sails on a loose footed boom. From an aerodymaic point of view there is no advantage to attach the mid-foot to the boom. Whatever "endplate effect" that might occur is negated by the turbulence surrounding the deck and cabin top. The best argument for attaching the foot to the boom is to collect rainwater in arid cruising climates. This can also be acheived on a loose footed main by adding a loose soft shelf to the foot. We build these into our blue water racing mains such as Volvo 60's and Open 50's and 60's. Full Battens extend the life of a maisail by limiting damage due to flogging. The down side is that they add weight and cost. Racing mains use 1 full batten at the top. This supports the roach and adds the least weight. Also the longer the batten the more compression on the mast. The sail can be hard to raise and lower. This is why we have come up with a 2 2 Main which is a good compromise. On bigger boats full-batten mains require mast tracks and low friction batten cars, which are relatively pricey. Bill Colombo, Doyle SF
