Boom Droop

[John Thomas]

After reading that some of us have overcome the inherant problem with our booms drooping into the cockpit, I took my mainsail into the loft to see if they could help. Everyone agreed that my rpoblem was that of a shrinking bolt rope. But when I went back to pick up the sail a few days later the said the bolt rope length was fine and did not require modification.Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so do you have any suggestions that might help.

 

[Scott Davis]

About a year ago, I went to the Neil Pride Sail Loft here in Hampton, VA. and he had the blue prints from the Hunter 23 sail plan. He showed me why the boom droops. The sail has 6" of material added to the Leech (for extra sail area)once thought to be fast. More modern thinking is to take it back out. He told me it would be difficult to remove, for some reason I do not remember. My main is not worth a $250 recut, so I am just waiting to fix the problem when I replace the sail. For now, I just "Duck" as it go's by. Scott

 

[Bob Grogan]

Scott I think you are Correct

I got the same information that Scott received from Baxter Sail Loft. Their sailmaker came up to give a talk to the Blackwater Yacht Racing Club on Smith Mountain Lake, VA and looked at several boats and their sails during the fun race that followed. He said that the boom drop came from the extra sail cloth added to the bottom of the sail.

 

[mikeepp]

recut

I asked this question at a UK sailloft and was told it would be a simple matter to cut some off the foot of the sail and then it was suggested to make the sail "open footed" for best performance. I might do it eventually but it's not a big priority for me now and my main is only 2 years old having been recently bought by the previous owner.