Main Rigging Upgrades
- Thread starter Foswick
- Start date
I heave to to reef, and you power head to wind to reef. Makes a huge difference in the amount of mainsail flogging. Since I'm normally single handed with a tiller clutch and not an autopilot, heaving to is by far the safer maneuver. The effective wind on the main is significantly reduced by the jib sheeted to windward. Even with an autopilot, the slightest wind shift causes the boom to dance, regardless of the position of the topping lift. Even in a 3-4ft sea and 18kts of wind, heaving to is far easier to manage in a 19ft boat - and that's assuming head to wind is the same as head to seas.
When reefing while hove to, the topping lift keeps the boom at chest level while I get the reef clew tight. Again, a difference in size of boats, equipment, and philosophies.
Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner 19 #4133 Sweet P
Albemarle Sound, NC
When reefing while hove to, the topping lift keeps the boom at chest level while I get the reef clew tight. Again, a difference in size of boats, equipment, and philosophies.
Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner 19 #4133 Sweet P
Albemarle Sound, NC
I am unclear as to which "you" was referred to. If by "you", you meant me, I do not power head to wind, I either sail close-hauled or hove-to. In racing, I prefer the close haul because I loose very little speed and position. I usually do this with the auto pilot but can also do it with just locking the helm with it pointing just a bit higher than close haul. The boat will accelerate and round up a bit which luffs the leading edge and she falls off until the sail refilled. My C30 will sail for many miles with the helm locked when close to the wind.
If I am not racing and am feeling lazy, I hove-to. My point was that by adjusting my reefing method so that the weight of the boom is always pulling down on the trailing edge of the sail, I completely eliminate the wild flogging which terrifies so many sailors and has destroyed more than one sail. That tension on the trailing edge, means that all three edges of the sail are controlled so there is no flogging.
How do you reef downwind? Most of our reefing is downwind, and usually in conditions where turning upwind to reef would be dangerous.FWIW, I do not want the topping lift to take the weight of the boom off the sail. Back before single line reefing, I used a reefing procedure that kept the weight of the boom on the leech of the sail from start to finish because as long as there is tension in the leech, the sail does not flog. It just swings lazily back and forth. As soon as that tension goes away, the sail flogs wildly. When I reefed, I would come to a close-hauled course [or heave-to], then ease the main sheet, traveler and vang. I then pulled in the reef line to the clew reef cringle which pulled the boom up to the cringle. I then eased the halyard down until I could hook the tack reef cringle into the ram's horn. This would also lower the boom down while its weight kept tenson on the clew so that the sail did not flog. I then tension the halyard and trim the main. No stress, No worries. If I had enough crew, I would have one haul in the clew reef line while the halyard was lowered rather than doing it in two steps, but the goal was to always have tension on the leech.
To see what I mean by the flog vs no flog, next time you are close-hauled, ease the sheet all the way and watch what the sail does. Then lower the haulyard a couple of feet with the boom on the topping lift and compare the action. The second step will have you rehoisting on the double before your sail does a RUD.
Full battens pretty much eliminate flogging, so not much worry if you have them.
Mark
Changing sails and track is a big investment.
He‘s received some really useful input above which will help improve what he’s got, and that will keep him busy for a while.
One other thing which is very important - OP must correct that electrolysis. It’s very active at the fasteners and it should be addressed soon before things start coming apart on an unscheduled basis. Stainless steel fasteners need to be electrically isolated from aluminum. Screws need to be isolated by nylon/teflon washers/sleeves and/or Tefgel, rivets need to be made from monel if load bearing (or aluminum if high strength isn't required). The bubbled paint areas need to be sanded and primed/painted.
He‘s received some really useful input above which will help improve what he’s got, and that will keep him busy for a while.
One other thing which is very important - OP must correct that electrolysis. It’s very active at the fasteners and it should be addressed soon before things start coming apart on an unscheduled basis. Stainless steel fasteners need to be electrically isolated from aluminum. Screws need to be isolated by nylon/teflon washers/sleeves and/or Tefgel, rivets need to be made from monel if load bearing (or aluminum if high strength isn't required). The bubbled paint areas need to be sanded and primed/painted.
I have full battens, and the sail will still flog unacceptably when there is no tension on the leech. to reef downwind when I have crew, I will center the boom and then pull in the clew reef line while I am lowering the halyard so that the leech is in control. If I am solo, I will round up through the wind, pulling in the jib furler until the sheet is tight. This reefs the jib. I then pass through the eye of the wind and turn the helm back the other way which puts me in a hove-to position and reef the main.