Question and answer.
What IS a 'self-furling' main? Do you mean the thing which rolls up into the mast like a window-shade? Assuming you do, I would contend that a traveller to assist with maintaining sail shape is even MORE important than it is on a proper boom-footed set-up, in which a traveller is already crucial. Stowaway sails are NOTORIOUS for poor sail shape as the loose foot allows far too much belly in the sail (and no control over how much). The whole point of the track on the boom is to keep the sail panel flat. If belly is needed to assist draught through the sail (as in light air) it can be added via the outhaul and other stuff. The traveller is a MUST for loose-footed set-ups, and it's got to be mounted to pull as closely to vertical and as close to the END of the boom as possible, for leverage in keeping the boom end DOWN. I would also seriously consider uprating the line size for the outhaul (tack line) if possible. Even so I'm not sure it will ever be as good as with a boom-footed rig. And as soon as you roll that main in even part of the way the sail shape will go all to h*ll anyway. You may take this as you like it, but I will caution the debaters that as soon as you start worrying about raising the boom end to keep the bimini top up or to be able to propose toasts to your cockpit parties under way, you are probably not as interested in having a flat main for performance anyway-- and so why waste your money? JC 2
