Dear Mr. Henderson

[Rick]

As a proud owner of hull number 5 of your three year 336 run I wanted a bit of advice if you have time. The main on my boat is as big as I have ever seen on one of comparable size. 602 sq ft of sail is impressive on a 33.5 foot hull. That being said, it does not have a loose footed main. To control draft depth and position, I use the rigid vang as a primary tool since I find the outhaul "appears" to do very little. Would it be beneficial to take the main out of the slot and make it loose footed? We have a downhill race, Newport to Ensenada shortly, and it is typically light airs. I also have a whisker pole for the jib. Thank you again for all the time you have taken here. It is greatly appreciated!

Cheers
Rick

 

[ghen]

Hello Rick,

For the record the 336 was not my design. Regarding loose footed mains, they are handier than a pocket on a shirt. It is easier to shape the foot, you gain a tad of area below the boom in and they are easier to bend on. I am wondering why the outhaul of your's is not controlling draft? Is the sail too long on the foot or is the tackle of the outhaul not working? One way or the other I would make that work as the outhaul is extremely useful. Good Luck in your race!

 

[Rick]

Glenn thanks for the reply. The tackle on my outhaul is all functional. In this design it just so happens that the foot of the sail has a bolt rope and is attached to the boom. Loosening or tightening the outhaul does not appear to have that much affect since the foot is still in its slot on the boom. Since the sail plan was designed that way, do you think it would be beneficial to take the foot out of the track? Any structural issues there?

Here is an old pic of my sailplan.

Thank you
Rick

 

[Rick D]

Modify?

The PO of my boat had the original MS modified to a loose-footed. I added a block to the outhaul rig to make it a 2 to 1 purchase.

 

[ghen]

Sounds like the bolt rope is too tight from shrinkage or something else. A loose footed sail cures all that.