Mates; After seeing the devestation of boats as a result of Katrina, I have to force myself to write anything about sail trim because I'm just sick seeing all those beautiful boats stacked up like cord wood. One I saw was perched on the second floor overhang of a building that looked like a Home Depot. They will probably have to take a chain saw to that boat to save demo time. I know how I would feel if any of those boats were mine. Just try to imagine what it would be like the first time you get to see your boat in those condition. I'd probably throw up on the spot. Anyway, here's a short piece on fairlead placement. The fairleads primarily control twist. Moving the fairlead forward DECREASES twist. When you decrease twist you power up the sail because you are closing the top of the sail or making the leech of the sail straighter. Moving the fairlead back INCREASES twist. When you increase twist you're depowering the sail because you are opening up the top of the sail. The bottom of the sail looks like it is closehauled while the top looks like it is on a beam reach. The top of the sail is spilling air and that is what depowers it. The problem with understanding twist is Less twist equals more power and more twists equals less power. I had an awful time trying to understand that concept!! Why do we care about twist in the first place? The reason is explained in the previous paragraph - your controlling the power of the sail just like you would the accelerator on your car. Why don't mates use the fairleads more instead of just "setting and forgetting" them. The reason is because the pin type fairleads are a pain to deal with. With a system like Garhauer makes, adjustment is a snap and fun. How do you find your fairlead starting position? Easy, just pick some spot on the track - for some it will be the spot where the fairlead is rusted in place!! Now turn the boat into the wind and watch the telltales and leech of the sail. The idea is that you want the telltales or the leech to BREAK evenly from top to bottom. Rarely does that happen but you want to get as close as you can to that. If the top telltale breaks first you have too much twist so you want to move the fairlead forward. Move the fairlead forward a couple of holes and try turning into the wind again until you find the correct spot and then make a mental note of the position. If the bottom breaks first, the sail need MORE twist so move the fairlead aft a couple of holes and go through the same proceedure. Here's the problem with all this - the wind is constantly changing so to keep your jib always powered up you have to be constantly messing with the fairleads. That is why an adjustable fairlead system is so important to the sailor who wants to get the most out of his jib. Any questions or comments?
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fairleads
agree with everything but not all of us can use the garhauer system, or easily enough. my boat, a late mkii, has a more recessed genoa track than earlier boats and even mark of garhauer gave up the ghost on installing mine without major boat surgery.
agree with everything but not all of us can use the garhauer system, or easily enough. my boat, a late mkii, has a more recessed genoa track than earlier boats and even mark of garhauer gave up the ghost on installing mine without major boat surgery.
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Don Guillette
Fairleads
Mortyd: That's really too bad because you would love the Garhauer adjustable fairlead system. I've sold and installed a bunch of them and have not run into a Catalina that they would not fit on but obviously I'm not an expert on all Catalina models. All I've had to do is pull off the track end cap and slap on the system. Takes me about 5 minutes to do each side. Prior to arriving at the boat, I always ask the owner to break the screws loose (that is the hard part) and call me when he has completed that task. Some of those screws can be a bear to get loose. Incidently, Mark is Bill's (owner of Garhauer) son. You can't work with anyone higher up than him. If he could not make it work, then no one can.
Mortyd: That's really too bad because you would love the Garhauer adjustable fairlead system. I've sold and installed a bunch of them and have not run into a Catalina that they would not fit on but obviously I'm not an expert on all Catalina models. All I've had to do is pull off the track end cap and slap on the system. Takes me about 5 minutes to do each side. Prior to arriving at the boat, I always ask the owner to break the screws loose (that is the hard part) and call me when he has completed that task. Some of those screws can be a bear to get loose. Incidently, Mark is Bill's (owner of Garhauer) son. You can't work with anyone higher up than him. If he could not make it work, then no one can.
fairleads
i don't want to make this a private conversation, but mark and i agreed that trying any harder than i was to loosen the track screws might not have been worth taking the chance on, since i would have to take out more than on earlier c30's whose tracks were not as recessed. mark was really good about the whole thing. i've bought other stuff from garhauer and agree they're tops.
i don't want to make this a private conversation, but mark and i agreed that trying any harder than i was to loosen the track screws might not have been worth taking the chance on, since i would have to take out more than on earlier c30's whose tracks were not as recessed. mark was really good about the whole thing. i've bought other stuff from garhauer and agree they're tops.
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Alan Johnson
Compensating for wind speed
Don, I know you explain this in your book, but when you say it here, it seems to come together for me (of course I am not sailing which is when I need to apply this stuff). Anyway, if I understand correctly, when the wind kicks up beyond comfort range for the Admiral, I should move the fairlead back to spill wind and reduce the number of white knuckles on board? I have an Oday 25 with a 150 genoa on a rolling furler. I hate reefing it because I can't point worth a flip -- the roll that results impedes air flow terribly, but I could be doing something wrong there, any advice is welcome. I recognize that moving the fairlead will not have the same impact as reefing, but do I understand correctly that it will help some? Thanks Alan
Don, I know you explain this in your book, but when you say it here, it seems to come together for me (of course I am not sailing which is when I need to apply this stuff). Anyway, if I understand correctly, when the wind kicks up beyond comfort range for the Admiral, I should move the fairlead back to spill wind and reduce the number of white knuckles on board? I have an Oday 25 with a 150 genoa on a rolling furler. I hate reefing it because I can't point worth a flip -- the roll that results impedes air flow terribly, but I could be doing something wrong there, any advice is welcome. I recognize that moving the fairlead will not have the same impact as reefing, but do I understand correctly that it will help some? Thanks Alan
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Don Guillette
Wind speed
Alan (Nashville): Your wife might be my wifes sister!! I can't tell you how many times she has told me to get the boat level. Sometimes I want to say what do you think I'm trying to do!! That is the reason I have all my control lines led back to the helm. Definately, when the wind picks up you want to spill air to maintain the status quo. It is like taking the curve in a sport or race car - you let off on the gas to keep the vehicle or boat on its feet. In my opinion, once you reef sail trim goes out the window. All I'm trying to do is keep the boat under control and get safely back to the dock. I could care less what the sails look like. That is the beauty of being able to control your sails so they act like the accelerator on your car but there does come a time when you just have to reef and the time to do it when the thought first crosses your mind. Prior to the point you reef, you have a lot of options to control the boat before you slap in the reef. By the way, my wife says hello to her sister!!
Alan (Nashville): Your wife might be my wifes sister!! I can't tell you how many times she has told me to get the boat level. Sometimes I want to say what do you think I'm trying to do!! That is the reason I have all my control lines led back to the helm. Definately, when the wind picks up you want to spill air to maintain the status quo. It is like taking the curve in a sport or race car - you let off on the gas to keep the vehicle or boat on its feet. In my opinion, once you reef sail trim goes out the window. All I'm trying to do is keep the boat under control and get safely back to the dock. I could care less what the sails look like. That is the beauty of being able to control your sails so they act like the accelerator on your car but there does come a time when you just have to reef and the time to do it when the thought first crosses your mind. Prior to the point you reef, you have a lot of options to control the boat before you slap in the reef. By the way, my wife says hello to her sister!!
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