Loose-footed main

[Jim 5757]

First, I want to thank you, Bill, for taking time to help us all! My question is this:Our Morgan 28 OI has a loose-footed mainsail (original) It's in fair condition, but certainly is overdue for retirement. Am I correct in assuming that we would be better off with the foot attached to the boom,and why? Are there any major cost considerations either way?Jims/v: the Merry Bee

 

[Bill Colombo]

Advantages of the Loose Foot

Hobbyking,The only pro I can think of for a standard foot main is that you can sit on the boom without falling through. I tend to recommend loose footed mainsails in most cases. There are a couple of reasons for this. Since the loose foot is a simpler setup it is easier to trim. By tensioning the outhaul the foot of the sail is able to be pulled absolutely flat. On mains with an attached foot, there is usually some 3D curvature designed into the foot of the sail so that it can have a reasonable shape just above the boom but still return to the straight line of the boom groove or track. Pulling the foot tight will minimize, but not totally eliminate this 3D curvature. This is the reason that in the old days racing mains used a flattening reef, which tensioned the sail on a line just above the foot curvature(these days amost 100% of racing mains are looe footed). Conversely, when you want to make the main fuller and more powerful there is no limitation as to how full the loose footed main can get, since there is no cloth holding it to the boom centerline. Also, a loose foot mainsail is easier to bend on to the boom. It also affords much more flexibility when rigging such thing as, reef lines, jibe preventers, vangs and other things that require tying a line around the middle section of the boom. I would suggest you stick with a loose footed mainsail. Thanks,Bill ColomboDoyle Sails

 

[Clark]

Conversion to Loose Foot

Can a standard main be used loose-footed? I'd like to try it unless the main I have would be damaged in the trials.BTW, I have a Cal 2-25 which in many respects is similar to the Cat 25/27.

 

[Warren M.]

Loose Footed Sails

Unless you are an avid racer who likes to tweak the outhaul, leech, and luff tension of your main a lot, the decision to have a loose or shelf footed main is pretty subjective. I recently bought a new main for my Hunter 28.5 from North and could have gone either way. North convinced me to go with the loose foot; yet sent me a sail with bolt roped foot. They would have modified it to loose foot if I wanted to send it back. I didn't. Bending on a sail with loose foot is certainly easier, but it's not a big deal with a bolt rope either. This is a once-a-season event anyway. And, as a cruiser, I hardly ever change the outhaul tension, but when I do, doing it with a bolt roped foot is pretty easy too. Flattening the sail with a cunningham works the same with either style, too. I would sort of wonder if making a loose footed sail is cheaper for a sailmaker as it would seem to require a lot less labor - and they can sell the sail for the same price as a shelf-footed sail....In the end, I think it's a wash either way.

 

[Bill Colombo]

Loose Foot Conversion

Clark,It is possible to simply drop the bplt rope out of the boom and use the sail loose footed. It won't work quite as well since the rope usually has shrunk a bit and requires some tension to smooth it out. This would be a good way to try the loose foot configuration. If you find that you like it have a sailmaker convert it for you. It is a siple and relatively inexpensive procedure.Thanks,Bill C.Doyle Sails

 

[Bill Colombo]

Loose foot cheaper?

Warren,It is too bad that North did not deliver the sail you ordered because I think they were correct in originally recommending a loose-footed sail. These sails definitely can be trimmed flatter. The cunningham is used to tension the luff in the bottom third of the mainsail but has little effect in flattening the foot. It is not cheaper for us to build a loose footed main than a standard foot with a bolt rope. The only difference is in the cost of the rope, which is relatively inexpensive. The pre-made bolt ropes we use require less labor to install so this cancels out any additional material cost. A shelf foot is distinctly different from a standard foot and we do charge extra for a shelf foot. These days we rarely use shelfs since they are basically designed to be used with a flattening reef. This combination has basically gone out of favor with most sailors.Thanks,Bill C.Doyle Sails

 

[Tom S]

One "pro" for a bolt rope or shelf footed Main

Is if you are a full time liveaboard cruiser.With a bolt rope or shelf footed Main you can still catch water in the main to be able to funnel fresh water in your tanks. Not as easy if you have the loose footed sail I converted from Bolt Rope to loose footed and I am very happy with doing it. I can "flatten out" and "belly out" my main so well now. The high friction of the bolt rope made easy adjustment of my mainsail nearly impossible.Now that its easy to adjust I find myself tweeking the outhaul more which makes me sail better.My biggest concern was how well my dutchman sail control system wou;ld work with the main not attached and all my concerns are for 'naught'. I pull the outhaul tight and the Dutchman system works just fine.

 

[Jim 5757]

Wow! Thanks to all of you for your valuable input on this subject! I guess Morgan had it right from the start, so I may as well leave well enough alone. Thanks again!Jim