Cunningham on a 310 any one?
- Thread starter Afraal
- Start date
Hello! I Installed a cunningham a couple of years ago and am pleased with results. Easy to do: I looped a line around the main sail first reef grommet to a multi block with a becket just below the boom. The other end loops up and back down to a multi block with a cam cleat at the base of the mast attached to an existing bail at the bottom of the mast. It took less than an half hour to set it up. The atached photo sort of shows it, black lines at the mast base.
My sail is older, not worth replacing yet as I do not race. Having the cunningham allows much better sail shape control when wind picks up.
My sail is older, not worth replacing yet as I do not race. Having the cunningham allows much better sail shape control when wind picks up.
Attachments
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,406
A cunningham is a common sail trim tool. It is basic and used on Catalinas and all sailboats.
Understand the basics. The Cunningham stretches the sail luff after you have hoisted it to the top of the mast. You pull out the wrinkles.
You need a "crinkle in your sail" to pull down the sail luff.
How you secure it is up to you. Some sailors use a cleat on the mast. Others prefer to run all of the controls to the cockpit. This means you must run the line, like in the second image, through the crinkle down to the mast base, turn on a block, and then back to the cockpit.
You can tie off on the boom gooseneck or add a hard point to the mast.
Understand the basics. The Cunningham stretches the sail luff after you have hoisted it to the top of the mast. You pull out the wrinkles.
You need a "crinkle in your sail" to pull down the sail luff.
How you secure it is up to you. Some sailors use a cleat on the mast. Others prefer to run all of the controls to the cockpit. This means you must run the line, like in the second image, through the crinkle down to the mast base, turn on a block, and then back to the cockpit.
You can tie off on the boom gooseneck or add a hard point to the mast.
Hello again. See my post above, I went to the boat and took a better photo of how it is set up. Se attached
Attachments
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,406
I see that @SJN is using a double block. That seems a bit overpowered. On my 35-foot boat, I do the control at the mast. I am not trying to stretch the luff; I am just reducing the wrinkles and smoothing the sail.
I've worked single-line Cunninghams on boats up to 46' at the mast. I slip the line around a mast cleat, haul back on the line like pulling a guitar string, and tie off. Easy work and no damage to sails.
I've worked single-line Cunninghams on boats up to 46' at the mast. I slip the line around a mast cleat, haul back on the line like pulling a guitar string, and tie off. Easy work and no damage to sails.