I found something odd on my mainsail - curious what it might be for

[dlochner]

indeed - it seems there's a cord of some sort inside the sail along the leech - but there's no loose line anywhere on this thing. having no line is like having no car and being asked to demonstrate parralel parking.

There is part of the confusion. The old one broke or the PO cut it off. A leach line is nice, but not essential. If you are feeling rich, have a sailmaker install one. He'll probably try to sell you a new sail instead.

There's a large metal plate at the top corner (yes i know thats not the right name for it, i know the clew name at least!) with a number of holes in it which i PRESUME is where such a line goes but maybe not? I mean, one of them has to be for the halyard itself ... logically.

That thing you're describing is the head of the sail. Typically leach lines are wholly encased in the leach except where they come out to a cleat. Take a good look at the leach, right below the reef points. Look for a row or two of horizontal stitching, that is probably where the leach line was attached.

If its luffing wouldn'y you eliminate the looseness of the leech by pulling a bit of tension on the main sheet... maybe a little in the vang? and if that doesn't work, adjusting the traveler so the main is pulling down more on the boom, instead of holding it in? If you pull a line on the leech thighter i would think that would introduce more slop to the tension of that edge of the sail.

Luffing is what happens at the luff (front of the sail). The traveller, vang, and mainsheet can affect leach tension, but if the sail is older and stretched out, that may not be possible. Then the leach line can take out the flutter. Get the boat in the water and start sailing it. This will all make more sense when you actually sailing.

 

[tipsyravensailing]

yeah. thats the plan. i just want to make sure the big ones are handled before putting myself out there that or have enough gas to do the trip twice on the boat

i've inspected and replaced all hardware on the main for the halyard, mainsheet, vang, and outhaul. I still have to replace the line for the downhaul, but that is a couple feet of 1/4 or 3/8ths (the original line was missing) i was just going to buy at the marina. i also did the same for the headsail, halyard and both sheets, as well as inspecting the roller furler's drum line. for giggles i threw up the spinnaker halyard block and a halyard for it but there's no spinnaker yet so its ... just there.

I'm hoping the reefing and things like this leech line make a lot more sense when its all upright and underway because of all the extra cheek blocks and whatnot on the boom.

 

[tipsyravensailing]

ultimately the sails were in new bags by doyle and the service tags indicate that they have 0 hours of time on the mast (dates are after the PO stopped sailing the year before he defaulted on the marina slip costs) ... the main and a 130 genoa. I'm guessing that its a moot point presuming doyle did a good job Those are the only two sails i own for this boat however... and they'll have to do the job for a year or two before the lady will let me buy more ... though she's tickled pink over the idea of a big spinnaker that she'll have full artistic freedom over ... so she says.

 

[jssailem]

she'll have full artistic freedom over ... so she says.

And your pocket book allows.

 

[tipsyravensailing]

heh. i got pretty deep pockets when it comes to keeping the lady happy about the boating stuff in general. i should probably poke around online and find out how big of a spinnaker makes sense and look into the custom pricing for such things ... that way i get the sticker shock outta the way.

 

[jssailem]

She is looking over your shoulder as you write this isn't she...

 

[jssailem]

First decision Symmetrical or Asymmetrical

There are color choices...

Some sites let you select colors for panels.

Then there are the images. which have become the rage and are getting quite fancy..

Or you can go the virgin white...

Always a pleaser.