Are you talking about an Oday mariner?Hey, John
How does your O'Day's new sail attach at the clew? And how's it working for you? I had Precision make me a loose-footed main with a slug at the clew. I don't like the slug; there's too much pressure on that small bearing surface for convenient outhaul adjustment. I've been thinking about cutting it off and rigging a clew strap, but maybe Sailrite's outhaul clew would work.
Another option is to simply take some power off the main sail, adjust the out haul, then put the main back into the full power position.If you switched from a foot mainsail to loose footed, you probably need to upgrade the outhaul.
Yep, that's what I do, but I don't like that. I can read a hundred articles and watch a thousand videos on sail trim, but I really don't get it until I feel my boat reacting to a single change. Pull on one string and see what happens. Keep pulling until I've gone too far. Adjusting more than one thing at a time, even if I try adjusting one of them back, doesn't work for my feeble mind.Another option is to simply take some power off the main sail, adjust the out haul, then put the main back into the full power position.
You’re very welcome.Judy B:
Thanks for the info. I had considered that I might need to install more mechanical advantage. One of my objectives in owning the Mariner is having an inexpensive platform on which to learn how to maintain and modify a sailboat. The larger goal is to learn what I need/want/don't want on the bigger boat in the future. My modification strategy is to start out simple and cheap, learn what I can, then if needed, make another small mod until I get it the way I want it. You are right - the boat had a footed main and no outhaul control. So my first try at adding a 2:1 outhaul didn't work (except when the sail is luffing). Your post indicates that I should install a 4:1 system. I'll just go ahead and do that.
bolt rope sails serve one purpose. one and done sail shape. The bolt rope completes a triangle plane. This connection of segments and the overlapping seams fixes the shape of the sail in all three dimensions. really all you can do to change sail shape at this point is bend the mast or adjust the boom up. Check out the design for the jib below. to make this jib i cut out a wood frame, stuff it with foam, then sand until the foam matches the wood. i then heat shrink gift plastic over the mold with a blow dryer. the resulting sail is a one piece 3D sail. the important part of the design is i can then tie off the three points with full tension. no matter the tension the shape is exaxtly as it was molded.The bottom third of the bolt rope sail does not attain the same overall shape of a loose foot. This has to impact the airflow. If you look at all the pictures of the a380, there’s a huge shape where the wing attaches to the body.
I would disagree with that, and if the ice ever goes away, I’ll certainly get pictures. The ability to control the draft with the outhaul and the traveler reduces the boom to little more than an attachment point.The shape is not dimensionally stable. infact, there is no shape once the sail is pulled off the mold.
You're talking about a hobie getaway mainsail now. notice how they have massive amounts of twist to "bleed" off the lack of dimensional stability, and then full battens everywhere. im sure there is a draft in those still. in other words, it probably doesnt lay completly flat on the ground, loose foot gives you more draft options.I would disagree with that, and if the ice ever goes away, I’ll certainly get pictures. The ability to control the draft with the outhaul and the traveler reduces the boom to little more than an attachment point.
...The shape is not dimensionally stable. infact, there is no shape once the sail is pulled off the mold. you just end up with a flat piece of sail with the foot a bit longer than what you started off with. in fact, even when put on a rig, you cant control the shape well, the max draft moves anywhere it wants to depending on the pressure....
I would disagree with that, and if the ice ever goes away, I’ll certainly get pictures. The ability to control the draft with the outhaul and the traveler reduces the boom to little more than an attachment point.
Total BS. high tech sails are absolutly molded. they start off with a platform that has been shaped to the final product. laminate is layed over the shape, next, fibers are layed in various directions, finalkt another laminate is sealed on top of that. the result is a fiber sandwich. when the final product is pulled off the mould the sail fibers and the laminate are in the shape of the mould.
I’m with Meriachee.
Most the content in BobbyFunn’s post isn’t applicable to real sails made of typical sailcloth or laminates, using typical construction details, and using professional design principles.
i guarantee if you suspended your main by three points say two trees and your truck hitch, you would see a beautiful moulded shape hanging down. thats the dimensinal stability that gives you repeateable sailing. thats from broadseaming. loose foot just lets you open the draft more, but somewhat randomly.I have a real sail that is not moulded, and is now a loose foot
I sail a 170 at the local sailing club, but get to watch pros competing often. i sail with dacron, but cant use dacron for RC as it is too heavy. My RC sails used to be the pkadtic used to wrap easter baskets.Your talking high tech sails, and maybe you can afford that kind of stuff, but the vast majority of people here live in a Dacron world.