How can I improve the rigging of my mainsail?

Aug 8, 2024
27
Siren Siren 17 Lake Ontario
Hey everybody

I want to improve my setup for the mainsail. As you can see, the tack of the sail is tied around the boom (that doesn’t seem common). If I don’t, I find that the sail comes out of the track unless I loosen the outhaul (I would rather not because it loosens the foot of the sail even more). I want to invest in a proper downhaul instead of the makeshift downhaul that I have now (which is admittedly not the most elegant). I am a fairly new boater so rigging has been the most complicated aspect for me so far.

Let me know if you need more/better photos and I will upload them as soon as I can.

Thank you for reading!
 

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PaulK

.
Dec 1, 2009
1,421
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
You definitely need a better method of securing the tack of your mainsail. While a ram's horn might work well enough, setting up something using a threaded shackle attached to the gooseneck might be better. It would pull the tack closer to the mast, which would make outhaul adjustments more useful. Maybe just lashing a shackle to the mast at the gooseneck would be enough.
The "downhaul" you have set up is actually a Cunningham. Downhauls move the boom down; Cunninghams move the sail down. If you tied your Cunningham line to the boom, then led it up through the Cunningham hole and then down to the cleat on the mast it would give you a 2:1 purchase and make it easier to adjust. It doesn't have to be overly elegant to work.
 
Aug 8, 2024
27
Siren Siren 17 Lake Ontario
You definitely need a better method of securing the tack of your mainsail. While a ram's horn might work well enough, setting up something using a threaded shackle attached to the gooseneck might be better. It would pull the tack closer to the mast, which would make outhaul adjustments more useful. Maybe just lashing a shackle to the mast at the gooseneck would be enough.
The "downhaul" you have set up is actually a Cunningham. Downhauls move the boom down; Cunninghams move the sail down. If you tied your Cunningham line to the boom, then led it up through the Cunningham hole and then down to the cleat on the mast it would give you a 2:1 purchase and make it easier to adjust. It doesn't have to be overly elegant to work.
Thanks for the advice! Is it ok if the sail comes out of the track? I find that if I use a shackle to hold the tack, it comes out and I need to tie the sail to the boom for it to hold. Is that better? Cheers!
 

PaulK

.
Dec 1, 2009
1,421
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
Thanks for the advice! Is it ok if the sail comes out of the track? I find that if I use a shackle to hold the tack, it comes out and I need to tie the sail to the boom for it to hold. Is that better? Cheers!
It is hard to tell from the photo you posted, but it looks like there may have been a swivel piece/shackle on the gooseneck between the mast and the end of the boom that has broken off and gotten lost. Perhaps something a bit like this: West Wight Potter Factory Gooseneck. If you use the Cunningham to hold the sail down it won't matter that the tack is not entirely in the slot on the boom. The Cunningham will hold the sail down and the tack fitting will hold it forward, pulling against the outhaul.
 
Aug 8, 2024
27
Siren Siren 17 Lake Ontario
It is hard to tell from the photo you posted, but it looks like there may have been a swivel piece/shackle on the gooseneck between the mast and the end of the boom that has broken off and gotten lost. Perhaps something a bit like this: West Wight Potter Factory Gooseneck. If you use the Cunningham to hold the sail down it won't matter that the tack is not entirely in the slot on the boom. The Cunningham will hold the sail down and the tack fitting will hold it forward, pulling against the outhaul.
That seems like the correct attachment but I can’t find mine for the life of me! I think I will find a U-bracket that fits on top of the gooseneck and then attach it to the tack. Same idea. Cheers!
 
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