Main Sail Downhaul

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atwhite2

atwhite2

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Dec 14, 2008
92
Tartan 30 Bayfield, WI
I received a sad email the other day... from my marina... Summer in/out storage is over... :cry: Summer is coming to an end. I plan on doing some late season boating on Lake Michigan, but the fall winds are sometimes a bit unpredictable.
I am in the process of installing a single line reefing of my 26S, but I also thought about a mainsail downhaul, something to douse the sail at a moments notice. I searched a bit for this, but with no posts about a mailsail. Has anyone installed a mainsail downhaul, or what are your thoughts on this? Is it worth it and how would it be attached?

Thanks, as always

-Abe
 
finding41

finding41

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Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
You may want to look into jiffy reefing. Or something similar.
I sail on a gusty lake and just keep one hand on the main sheet and one on the tiller handle. I can let it out very quickly and if I'm not quick enough the boat rounds up for me.
There is a fine heeling line that I tend to sail when I'm racing. I have found that if I let the main out just an inch with the main sheet the boat will heel about 15* less.
This is when I keep the sheet out of the cleat and hold on to it so I can pull or release depending on the gusts.
Good luck.
 
oreana123

oreana123

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Jun 5, 2004
997
Macgregor 26D Boise
Perhaps it would be a good time to install mainsail slugs. My main drops like a rock when I release the halyard....
 
flynfol

flynfol

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Oct 8, 2008
362
MacGregor/Venture 25 Winthrop Harbor, IL Drummond Island,MI
Mr. Bill beat me to it......ditto above. What does Skipper Buds charge for that service? Mast up? Do you store there for the winter? Security been okay? I miss George. I might be out this weekend if you want to see mine.......

John
 
atwhite2

atwhite2

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Dec 14, 2008
92
Tartan 30 Bayfield, WI
flynfol said:
Mr. Bill beat me to it......ditto above. What does Skipper Buds charge for that service? Mast up? Do you store there for the winter? Security been okay? I miss George. I might be out this weekend if you want to see mine.......

John
Click to expand
John, its about $600 for the summer for mast up trailer storage. I keep it in one of the north buildings. The door to the building is about 2 feet TOO LOW for my mast up storage. I have to drop the mast to about 45 degrees, tie it off, drive through the door and raise the mast again. It is a little bit of trouble, but it outweighs the benefits of the piece of mind of storing indoors. No bird droppings, no spiders, no dirt. The boat is dry and ready for me when I get there. I have had no security issues storing indoors. I don't leave any temptations out and I keep the boat locked up as I would anywhere.
In the past I have winter stored in my driveway, Skipper buds cant guarantee that I can access my boat over the winter if I stored it on the lot... I like to work on it while its not sailing.
 
P

Piotr

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Dec 6, 2010
848
MacGregor 25 Rock Hall, MD
Chris & Lenore

Chris & Lenore

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Apr 24, 2006
868
Aloha 32 Toronto, Lake Ontario
Similar to mine too except I hammered it all back to just a quarter inch and opened up an area just above the boom. Works great, reefs perfectly and no gate needed.

Chris
 
oldiesrocker2001

oldiesrocker2001

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Jun 8, 2004
350
Macgregor 21 Clinton, NJ
Atwhite, My older boat(O'day 17) had sail slugs as does my mac21. Neither 'dropped like a rock' when released - especially in any decent wind. While I havent done so with my mac, I had rigged a line of the same qualities as my topping lift as a downhaul for the main(and also something similar for the jib) since I singlehanded more frequently with the smaller boat.
My simple rig for this was to tie one end to the top slug and ran it alongside the mast loosely until the boom where I had a turning cleat(for lack of the correct description) to bring it mid-boom to cleat - similar to reefing systems. I actually kept the line tied on to the top slug when storing the sail for the winter. Worked like a charm.
 
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Piotr

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Dec 6, 2010
848
MacGregor 25 Rock Hall, MD
oldiesrocker2001 said:
Atwhite, My older boat(O'day 17) had sail slugs as does my mac21. Neither 'dropped like a rock' when released - especially in any decent wind. While I havent done so with my mac, I had rigged a line of the same qualities as my topping lift as a downhaul for the main(and also something similar for the jib) since I singlehanded more frequently with the smaller boat.
My simple rig for this was to tie one end to the top slug and ran it alongside the mast loosely until the boom where I had a turning cleat(for lack of the correct description) to bring it mid-boom to cleat - similar to reefing systems. I actually kept the line tied on to the top slug when storing the sail for the winter. Worked like a charm.
Click to expand
the slugs will drop like a rock if you completely luff your main prior to dropping.
 
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