Main Trim

[Alan]

Peter Sauh

I must diagree with your comment "Looking at the photo, your trim doesn't seem to be too far off. Although the topping lift could be a bit looser, it seems OK. I'm assuming the tight line to the ledt is the backstay. Judging by the draft stripes just above and below your flag, the chord of the middle of the sail is almost parallel with the airflow over the flag. That's OK. However, the lower part of the sail seems hooked to windward and the upper part seems to off to leeward a bit. Easing the mainsheet slightly should fix that."Vitually every trim control on this main is set incorrectly. The angle of attack is wrong, draft is too deep, luff is too loose, topping lift(not a sail control, too tight)outhaul way too loose, there isn't much else. I strongly suggest the skipper buy Don's Sail Trim Guide.

 

[Bob]

Backwards

Alan makes good points. Peter, easing the mainsheet will free the top of the sail much more than the bottom, so if the bottom is hooked and the top is too free, easing the sheet will do the opposite of what is desired. Instead, the traveler should be eased and the sheet brought in - this will free the bottom some and take some twist out of the top.

 

[Mike]

Outhaul

First off, I fly an American flag from my backstay, which I know isn't exctly right, but I like it, and I don't care if anybody else doesn't! Second,I think that if a little more tension was put on the outhaul, it would be helpful to take the big belly out of the sail. Tightening the boom vang would also help flatten the sail.