Is it the trim, or is it the sails?

[sesmith]

As a response to the screen saver post, here's a topic I'm not sure has really been covered in the past. Anyone new to sailing has a lot to learn concerning sail trim. That said, there can come a point where all the seemingly correct trimming you do doesn't get you where you want to go.

Case in point. We've owned 3 sailboats now. I've replaced sails on 2 of them and am always amazed by the improvements especially in up wind sailing. It's always like replacing an old worn out engine with a brand new boat. Add to that, switching from a bolt rope main to a loose foot main, and adding a cunningham, you find controls you never had (or never used) and it takes you to that next level of sail control.

Now I'm not suggesting everyone new to the game to go out and replace sails with fancy new radial cut sails, but often, new sailors are in older boats with old sails. Once they get the basics down, they don't know what they're missing by not having good sails to improve their game.

Thoughts, anyone?

 

[Hollyberry]

I do agree... it is remarkable how much difference new sails can make over blown out baggy ones. Hard core racers tend to upgrade every 2 or 3 years to keep that 'last nth' of performance. But it's not just the sails, but also how you use them.

And even for cruising, esp in popular areas at peak season, proper sail trim during a 15-20 NM beat can get you to a better anchorage situation - or that last mooring buoy - an hour or even two ahead of a boat less efficiently sailed. I think many cruisers eschew that kind of attention to detail because they're 'not racing'..but there's a good amount of satisfaction from leaving such a boat behind, (though even more so if that boat IS doing its best!

 

[jssailem]

You strike a positive chord @sesmith . Here in these threads there are volumes about Universal, Yanmar, Perkins, and outboards all of which are "auxiliary" power sources for sailboats. Checking my boat description, sails are the primary power on my paperwork.

Why is it that sails take up second fiddle to the auxiliary power. Perhaps is that they are not as well known by the new boat owner. There was a day when a boat came with a suit of sails. You maintained a locker to store your sails. Carrying the neatly folded sails down the dock, to the boat, was a part of the formality for a sailboat owner, like pulling a cooler of food and beer to a power boat. Selecting the sails for the day was an art form.

And they had names, some long forgotten...

• Mainsail
• Foresail
• Genoa
• Jib
• Staysail
• Spinnaker
• Gennaker
• Mizzensail
• Lugsail
• Stormsail
• Spritsail
• Topsail
• Royal
• Skysail
• Moonraker

New owners of a sailboat, having spent their hard cash to get the boat, would do themselves a favor and improve their enjoyment, prioritizing their first expenditure on the boat by repowering their sails...
It is like giving a lady a new dress... It is transformative.

 

[Ward H]

Why is it that sails take up second fiddle to the auxiliary power. Perhaps is that they are not as well known by the new boat owner.

I agree.
Most boat owners arrive at their boat by some motorized means. It's what they are familiar with. They can move the boat with the motor before they learn to move it with the wind.
Not many of us can move our boats in and out of our marinas under sail only.

Only when they can make their sailboat go will they start thinking "I'm bored, how can I make my boat go better" or "I'm ready to invest in making my boat go better". Many I'm sure think "I'm on the water, I made the boat move with wind power, I'm happy. I don't need new sails or fancy gear".

Once they get the basics down, they don't know what they're missing by not having good sails to improve their game.

Or maybe they do know but don't care.
I have friends who are long time sailors. They are happy to be on the water and moving under sail.
They are not interested in more than that. They're not interested in tweaking their sail trim, buying new sails or equipment to improve their sailing performance.

Maybe that's why there are more powerboats than sailboaters. Much easier to jump in a pb, push a button and go then to shut off the motor and make the boat go with wind power.

 

[Ward H]

"You don't know what you don't know until you do know."
The main sail that came with my C30 was still crispy and had somewhat decent sail shape. Still, it looked to be cheaply made and came from a low cost loft.
When under sail using the main alone, I've never seen more than 3.5kts speed despite wind speeds up to and over 20kts of wind. Reefed or not reefed.
My local sailmaker made me a new main sail. Full battens, loose foot, top quality cloth and construction.
Been out in winds of 12-20kts 3 times over the past week with main only. Easily hitting 4.7kts with this new sail. I had good trim but I knew I had room for improvement. ( luff didn't seem to have enough tension, clew appeared to be too low.
Sailmaker stopped by today and showed me what I was doing wrong with my trim. (Mostly not enough halyard tension)

I never would have guessed I was missing out on 1.2 knots of speed. Maybe even more next time I go out.