Main sail draft in video

[Jim Seamans]

Hey Don,I would like you to see this video that was shot for Latts & Atts on one of their TV shows.What I'm really interest in, is the amount of draft they had in the main sail. To me it seemed extreme. I don't think I've ever had that much draft on my boat.Any thoughts.JimEdit: I see the link didn't work Edit 2: I see that doesn't work either.Try this one  http://www.latsandatts.tv/After you get there select Boat Reviews and select the Hunter 45CC.

 

[NewportVic]

Not what we are taught ... but seems to work?

nm

 

[s sauer]

C&C or Saber comparisons

Did you check the main sail trim on the C&C 99 or the Saber 42 videos? More performance oriented boats or less casual about sail trim.Perhaps it's just that the in-mast furlng for the Hunter dosen't have the outhaul run all the way out.

 

[Don Guillette]

Draft Depth

Jim: I could not get the link to come up but let me use this opportunity to explain what DRAFT DEPTH (belly)is all about. The first thing sailors have to know is how it is calculated and how it is expressed. Draft depth is always expressed as a percent (%). If I told a lot of sailors that the draft depth of their main should be about 20% they would nod their head in agreement but I know they would not know what I was talking about. Here is a rough way to determine what the percentage means as it relates to a foot or a yard. This is not the scientific way but it will get you in the ballpark.First, measure the foot of your mainsail - lets say it is 10' long. The next thing you need to know is what is the distance say from the center line of the boom to the deepest part of mainsail. Lets say it is 2'. Draft depth would be expressed as 20%. If it was 2 1/2' or 3' it would be 25% and 30% respectively.So what do I think the max amount of draft depth that a mainsail should have? I think it is 25%. Anything over that is too much in my opinion. With a loose footed main it is very easy to over draft depth the main. Most of you guys probabaly subscribe to a sailing magazine. Take a look at the sails pictured in the advertisement. In many cases the picture looks very artistic but the jib shape doesn't match the shape of mainsail and sometimes I wonder how the got the boat to move at all. It does sail but with a better trim it would sail so much better.Any questions on draft depth or any element of sail trim??

 

[Jim Seamans]

Wow! Don you got me on that one

On the H356 the foot is 15ft. so1/15 = .072/15 = .133/15 = .20So based on what I'm seeing in the video, the draft might be ok.On Java I keep the draft less than 2ft and more like 1 foot. I justmight loosen up a bit more this next season and see what happens.Thanks JimS/V Java