Mac26S - sail controls

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May 17, 2004
2,099
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
Bruce: I've never sailed on a Mac26S but from your description it appears it is equipped like a Sabot. Actually, the sabot probably has more sail trim controls!! When you get into boats above 25', the sails get bigger and you need the ability to adjust the sails and fixed points just don't cut it. I'm not an expert on blown out sails. You can tell a sail is blown out just by the way it hangs. You raise the sail and some of the material in the foot hangs over the boom. The sail feels like a limp dish rag. No matter what you do you can't make it look right in any wind. The best way to tell is to take it to a sail maker and get his opinion. A barberhauler is simply a short piece of line that you attach to the jib sheet about 1/2 way between the fairlead and clew and you use it to pull the sail in or ease it out. What you are doing is making believe you have inside and outside tracks. There are only 2 sail trim controls for the angle of attack and they are the mainsheet and traveler. Although a brother sailor named Steve suggested that the boom vang might work in a pinch by using something called boom sheeting. Not sure how it works but I get the idea. Maybe Steve could help us out with a detailed explanation - if he is reading this. I assume by draft you mean draft depth and not draft position. They are 2 different things. Anyway, draft depth (belly)in the main is controlled by the outhaul and mast bend. Increasing pressure on either reduces the belly and decreasing pressure gives more belly. Draft depth (belly) in the jib is controlled by the fairleads, halyard mast bend and the sheet. Move the fairlead forward and you increase the belly. Move it back and decrease the belly. Unfortunately, you can't do either because yor fairlead is fixed. You can use the halyard, mast bend and the sheet but none of these are as effective as the fairlead. Go into the archives for a more detailed discussion on draft depth and draft position.
 
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