Main Sail Settings for Broad reach?

[Rick]

HI, all. I have an '88 Hunter 285. I have a queston re: How/Where to position the Mainsail when flying my cruising 'chute on a Broad Reach. So, for instance, while on a Starboard Tack (wind coming over the starboard quarter)Should the Mainsail be:1. Sheeted in tight with the traveller to leeward (say, boom pointing back over the port corner? or2. Lots of twist ie, Mainsail eased, Traveller to windward, boom pointing over port corner?3. Some other configuration?Thanks for your help!

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi Rick, what I normally do is place the spin...

and main on the port side with the main out to about fifty to sixty degrees depending upon angle of attack, ease the outhaul to increase draft (depending upon wind strength-less wind less draft), the main sheet traveller over to port and the vang trimmed to control twist.Terry

 

[s sauer]

Broad Reach 28.5

With the 28.5 being a masthead double spreader rig, a lot of folks are reluctant to let the main out to the shrouds on a broad reach or run.I'd set up the cruising chute the same way you'd set a large Genoa; then starting with the traveler centered use vang and mainsheet to trim until the tell tales on the leach of the main are all flying and the leachcurve of the main parallels the leach of the A-kite. If you have the main out to the spreaders you may not want or need the outhaul slacked. With enough wind to sail a deeper line, I'd be more concerned with keeping the flow off the leach of the main flying the telltales than keeping the main off the spreaders. However if having the main out on the shrouds bothers you, just head up slightly and snug the mainsheet a tad to keep the main just clear.

 

[Rick9649]

Thanks, guys!

Your suggestions make lots of sense. I'll try them this Spring.

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi Rick, as a follow-up note you might want to...

post your question over on the Sail Trim forum and see what kind of additional input you might receive, FWIW.Terry