My staysail is self-tending on a boom with a traveler track and adjustable stops (no control lines). My problem is I don't really know where the stops should be depending on the point of sail I am on, and since I have to go forward of the mast to adjust the stops I don't do it very often. I set them - one on either side of the mast, not too far out - when i am putting the sails up. How far off center should the stops be adjusted? Is it worth the money to put in control lines (conversion kits are available, though not cheap). I have a 37 foot, 1979 Cherubini-designed Hunter Cutter, with a yankee, staysail and main.
cutter staysail trim
- Thread starter Debra B
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Staysail angles (and some 'trim
For pointing, the traveller stops should be set so that the angle of the boom makes with the boats centerline should be at approx. 10 degrees. This assumes a very flat staysail shape (tight outhaul) and with a 'rounded' luff (set halyard tension very tight). Under these setup conditions the staysail (flown under the genoa will not appear to be 'drawing' but will have definite aerodynamic advantages: reduces airstream turbulence at the mast, gives better flow at the main and give an 'upwash flow' to the genoa. The combination of using all three sail is VERY difficult to set/trim well. For reaching, etc. open the traveller as needed or as far as it will go ..... watch the behavior of the leech of the staysail and if the upper leech starts to flutter, consider to add a secondary control line from the rail to the end of the boom to help hold the staysl boom downwards OR consider to add a vang to the boom. Once the geometry of the leads to the staysail boom no longer pull it 'down' the boom will tend to rise, causing the upper leech flutter. Most cutter sailors will tend to ignore the boom rising, will have a fluttering upper leech --- and will be grossly overtrimmed at the foot of the sail in an attempt to correct for the fulttering leech. An over trimmed staysail foot with a fluttering upper leech makes for a very 'cranky' boat! Use telltales on the leech and luff on the Yankee, staysail; mainsail at mid-cord and leech only .... these will tell you how to best trim and shape the sails. The object is to get all the telltales, especially all the leech telltales, flying straight back. The ONLY 'good' explanation of stays'l trim and shaping was done by an Arvel Gentry a reknown sailor aerodynamicist. A lot of his technical work summarized in easy to comprehend language in a paperback in the 1980s called: "New Best of Sail Trim" by Sail Magazine. Most the advice you get on staysail trim/setting/shaping is just conjecture and not applicable to staysails and their interaction of other sails. BTW
For pointing, the traveller stops should be set so that the angle of the boom makes with the boats centerline should be at approx. 10 degrees. This assumes a very flat staysail shape (tight outhaul) and with a 'rounded' luff (set halyard tension very tight). Under these setup conditions the staysail (flown under the genoa will not appear to be 'drawing' but will have definite aerodynamic advantages: reduces airstream turbulence at the mast, gives better flow at the main and give an 'upwash flow' to the genoa. The combination of using all three sail is VERY difficult to set/trim well. For reaching, etc. open the traveller as needed or as far as it will go ..... watch the behavior of the leech of the staysail and if the upper leech starts to flutter, consider to add a secondary control line from the rail to the end of the boom to help hold the staysl boom downwards OR consider to add a vang to the boom. Once the geometry of the leads to the staysail boom no longer pull it 'down' the boom will tend to rise, causing the upper leech flutter. Most cutter sailors will tend to ignore the boom rising, will have a fluttering upper leech --- and will be grossly overtrimmed at the foot of the sail in an attempt to correct for the fulttering leech. An over trimmed staysail foot with a fluttering upper leech makes for a very 'cranky' boat! Use telltales on the leech and luff on the Yankee, staysail; mainsail at mid-cord and leech only .... these will tell you how to best trim and shape the sails. The object is to get all the telltales, especially all the leech telltales, flying straight back. The ONLY 'good' explanation of stays'l trim and shaping was done by an Arvel Gentry a reknown sailor aerodynamicist. A lot of his technical work summarized in easy to comprehend language in a paperback in the 1980s called: "New Best of Sail Trim" by Sail Magazine. Most the advice you get on staysail trim/setting/shaping is just conjecture and not applicable to staysails and their interaction of other sails. BTW
Debra: I'm sure glad Rich H jumped in on this one because my knowledge of staysails is pretty weak. I do know how effective they are. I used to race on a Newport 30, which is hardly a speedster but to make the boat more competitive the owner installed a staysail both for racing and general cruising. Every time we used that sail in decent wind we picked up a good 1 knot speed increase or more. I don't remember how the owner rigged it.
boomless staysail
my 37 cutter came with the boom long gone there is a staysail traveler and tracks with lines led aft not too bad to trim...just a little trouble not in my opinion nearly as much trouble as the running backstays debra... did you get my email??? sailorhayes@hotmail.com
my 37 cutter came with the boom long gone there is a staysail traveler and tracks with lines led aft not too bad to trim...just a little trouble not in my opinion nearly as much trouble as the running backstays debra... did you get my email??? sailorhayes@hotmail.com
Boomless Staysail Advantage
A bit of trivia - One advantage of a boomless staysail is that you don't have to worry about getting clobbered in the head if you have to go forward and do something, like take the sail down, when the sail is flogging. This is for hanked vice RF staysail.
A bit of trivia - One advantage of a boomless staysail is that you don't have to worry about getting clobbered in the head if you have to go forward and do something, like take the sail down, when the sail is flogging. This is for hanked vice RF staysail.
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