FLICKER QUESTION

[Doug on Long Island Sound]

When I look at pictures of the instalation procedures of the flicker, it appears to be level with the boat when not tensioned. Mine always has a bend even when the backstay is slack. I don't know if the length of the preventer line is stopping it from going straight, or the set-up is wrong, or the flicker/batten is fatigued. I purched a 2015 boat at the end of last year and am still learning it. Unfortunately, I won't be able to check the preventer line until the boat is uncovered in the spring. Any thoughts?

 

[danstanford]

Without any tension on the backstay my flicker was quite straight and bent slightly by the weight of the backstay. As you added tension it bent sort of predictably.
I am not understanding how the preventer could add backstay tension but in any case the flicker should be pretty straight when not tensioned and quite curved when tension is applied.

 

[Doug on Long Island Sound]

Thanks for the quick response. No better time to talk about our boats then when theirs snow on the ground. The preventer I was referring to is a line that spans my adjusting backstay blocks. As the backstay is tightened, the line becomes more slack. When the backstay is released, the line tightens and stops it from becoming totally loose. Even in that released position my flicker is still bent downward causing the backstay to rest on the mainsail, forward of the leach. In light air it actually prevents the sail from moving side to side in a tack or gybe.

 

[danstanford]

I understand. Is your question really whether your backstay is too tight if your flicker is bent?

 

[Doug on Long Island Sound]

Not sure what the problem is. I never had a boat with a flicker. When I release the backstay it seems loose to me, but it doesn't clear the mainsail. I would expect, based on pictures, that the flicker would keep it clear of the leach. I'm just going to have to wait until Spring to do a better evaluation. Until then I'm working on installing shore power with interior outlets, a battery charger, a 2nd battery, and new instruments.

 

[danstanford]

Not sure what the problem is. I never had a boat with a flicker. When I release the backstay it seems loose to me, but it doesn't clear the mainsail. I would expect, based on pictures, that the flicker would keep it clear of the leach. I'm just going to have to wait until Spring to do a better evaluation. Until then I'm working on installing shore power with interior outlets, a battery charger, a 2nd battery, and new instruments.

Ours certainly did not keep the backstay off the roach of the main if there was any tension on the backstay. If I had to do it again I would not bother with the flicker. My new boat only has a small flat top of about 8" and a decent sized crane so the main goes through most of the time unless the backstay is on hard which we would generally only do if the wind was up where the sail goes through anyway.

 

[Vincent Williams]

My flicker is also bent with back stay off. Works fine occasionally when I have a lot of tension on sail ti gets caught in tack (lower wind) release tension and sail frees up. I think my forestay/headsail rig is a little long/loose causing me to use back stay to take out slack. Will have this adjusted this spring

 

[rdunncpa]

Not sure what the problem is. I never had a boat with a flicker. When I release the backstay it seems loose to me, but it doesn't clear the mainsail. I would expect, based on pictures, that the flicker would keep it clear of the leach. I'm just going to have to wait until Spring to do a better evaluation. Until then I'm working on installing shore power with interior outlets, a battery charger, a 2nd battery, and new instruments.

We just added a 2nd battery as we closed on our 275 a few weeks ago. I see you are at Mt Sinai. We are planning to deliver from Greenport to Huntington, with a stop in either Mattituck or Pt Jeff. Not meaning to highjack this thread, but perhaps we can converse off this thread re local knowledge. Thank you!

 

[BarryL]

Hello,

Regarding a transit from Greenport to Huntington, I would not recommend Mattituck. It's a long winding trip up a very narrow creek. Once you get to the harbor it's very nice but it's not very far from Greenport. I would go to Port Jefferson instead. Depart Greenport 1 hour before low tide and you'll have favorable current the entire trip.

Good luck,
Barry

We just added a 2nd battery as we closed on our 275 a few weeks ago. I see you are at Mt Sinai. We are planning to deliver from Greenport to Huntington, with a stop in either Mattituck or Pt Jeff. Not meaning to highjack this thread, but perhaps we can converse off this thread re local knowledge. Thank you!

 

[rdunncpa]

Hello,

Regarding a transit from Greenport to Huntington, I would not recommend Mattituck. It's a long winding trip up a very narrow creek. Once you get to the harbor it's very nice but it's not very far from Greenport. I would go to Port Jefferson instead. Depart Greenport 1 hour before low tide and you'll have favorable current the entire trip.

Good luck,
Barry

Thank you. We are trying to hit plum gut at slack and it seems like a 2 hour trip from safe harbor Greenport. The earliest we can depart is next Wednesday May 6, but the forecast doesn’t look good until maybe that Friday or Saturday. Slack at Plum Gut for those days doesn’t give us enough time to make Pt Jeff with a comfortable margin before sundown, never having been in any of these waters. That’s why we are looking at Mattituck with a next day to Pt Jeff or Centerport.