No matter what I do, my mainsail tends to spread itself (no pun intended) over the spreaders and upper shrouds when I am running. OK, I know I have swept spreaders just like the backstayless boats do, but I can't believe that this was supposed to happen, and besides, I feel uneasy every time I look up and see it. Even when broad reaching, the sail still gets onto the spreader. Does this mean my main is blown out? Peter S/V Raven
Mainsail chafe on spreaders
- Thread starter Wanderer138
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Fret Not
There have been several mentions of sails-on-spreaders in recent weeks and I just wanted to put in my two cents on the matter. Sails are foil shaped and therefore have a degree of draft all the way up the sail. (Draft is the distance from the centerline of the boom to the deepest point in the sail's curvature.) When running or even broad reaching, the only way to keep the sails off the spreaders or shrouds is to have FORWARD swept spreaders. Obviously, this is not air efficient, aesthetically pleasing, or good for jib control, thus you probably won't see it. Regular/standard rigs with athwartships spreaders still have the sail touching the standing rigging when broad reaching and running, just not as much. Is it really a problem? I have a 1982 H25 (standard spreaders) and a 1985 H31 (sweptback spreaders) both with the original mainsail. These boats have been used extensively in both training and chartering environments without damage or any kind from shrouds or spreaders or even protection on the shrouds or spreaders. The stock sail on the 1985 H31 is Pryde and the stock sail on the 82 H25 is a North. Neither sail shows wear at the spreaders. I am very impressed with HOW well the sails have stood up to constant use and abuse. So, if you're worried about it, I'd put a baggy-wrinkle on the spreader and some vinyl covering on the shrouds. Otherwise, I would not be overly concerned unless you run or reach in 30+ knot winds with the full mainsail (not likely???). Even rigging tape could be used to protect the sails. Hope this helps.
There have been several mentions of sails-on-spreaders in recent weeks and I just wanted to put in my two cents on the matter. Sails are foil shaped and therefore have a degree of draft all the way up the sail. (Draft is the distance from the centerline of the boom to the deepest point in the sail's curvature.) When running or even broad reaching, the only way to keep the sails off the spreaders or shrouds is to have FORWARD swept spreaders. Obviously, this is not air efficient, aesthetically pleasing, or good for jib control, thus you probably won't see it. Regular/standard rigs with athwartships spreaders still have the sail touching the standing rigging when broad reaching and running, just not as much. Is it really a problem? I have a 1982 H25 (standard spreaders) and a 1985 H31 (sweptback spreaders) both with the original mainsail. These boats have been used extensively in both training and chartering environments without damage or any kind from shrouds or spreaders or even protection on the shrouds or spreaders. The stock sail on the 1985 H31 is Pryde and the stock sail on the 82 H25 is a North. Neither sail shows wear at the spreaders. I am very impressed with HOW well the sails have stood up to constant use and abuse. So, if you're worried about it, I'd put a baggy-wrinkle on the spreader and some vinyl covering on the shrouds. Otherwise, I would not be overly concerned unless you run or reach in 30+ knot winds with the full mainsail (not likely???). Even rigging tape could be used to protect the sails. Hope this helps.
I vote for .......way streached out main sail
Peter, I think your main may be a little stretched. You might try installing a Cunningham to take up the slack. No guarantee it would work with the stretch you describe though. Or you could try about 9 inches of negative mast rake (JOKE AGAIN, PHIL). Greg
Peter, I think your main may be a little stretched. You might try installing a Cunningham to take up the slack. No guarantee it would work with the stretch you describe though. Or you could try about 9 inches of negative mast rake (JOKE AGAIN, PHIL). Greg
Spreader Chafe
Peter, I have to agree with Jay, its nothing to get worried about. Although the sail shape is distorted near the spreaders, you still develope plenty of power from the upper and lower parts of the sail. Especially keep in mind that the problem of laying up against the speaders is in your fastest points of sail, where you are most likely to be going at hull speed. In terms of chafe, I worried about the same thing when I got the boat in 12/86,and had local sail-maker put on sticky backed sailcloth patches. The patches still don't show any wear. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Peter, I have to agree with Jay, its nothing to get worried about. Although the sail shape is distorted near the spreaders, you still develope plenty of power from the upper and lower parts of the sail. Especially keep in mind that the problem of laying up against the speaders is in your fastest points of sail, where you are most likely to be going at hull speed. In terms of chafe, I worried about the same thing when I got the boat in 12/86,and had local sail-maker put on sticky backed sailcloth patches. The patches still don't show any wear. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Main Chafe
I would suggest a little "Gold Bond Powder" Kills the itch also...
No joking, mine seems ok too. I often have the main up aginst the spreaders, with no problems.
I would suggest a little "Gold Bond Powder" Kills the itch also...
No joking, mine seems ok too. I often have the main up aginst the spreaders, with no problems.
Spreader Patches & Vang
I'd like to chime in with Jim and recommend spreader patches be added. These are sacrificial and don't cost much but protect the mainsail from chafe. If the sail cloth is a laminate, such as North's Norlam, then "point pressure" by the spreader tip could cause harm to the lamination and spreader patches wouldn't solve that problem. The other thing one can do is to crank up on the boom vang to take some curve out of the sail.
I'd like to chime in with Jim and recommend spreader patches be added. These are sacrificial and don't cost much but protect the mainsail from chafe. If the sail cloth is a laminate, such as North's Norlam, then "point pressure" by the spreader tip could cause harm to the lamination and spreader patches wouldn't solve that problem. The other thing one can do is to crank up on the boom vang to take some curve out of the sail.
spreader boots.
On our previous 240 we got a hole/small tear in the main at the spreader due to the fact that the bolt holding the shrouds stuck out the aft end of the spreader about half and inch, and during an 'on the spreader' session got punctured/torn. I believe that the bolt was improperly installed and should have been pointing forward if it stuck out at all. I had the sail repaired and installed some spreader boots. I will ALWAYS have spreader boots from now on. I was also told that 'you should not have the sail on the spreader, you should tack downwind with swept back spreaders'. I try to do that. Is that BS? Tom
On our previous 240 we got a hole/small tear in the main at the spreader due to the fact that the bolt holding the shrouds stuck out the aft end of the spreader about half and inch, and during an 'on the spreader' session got punctured/torn. I believe that the bolt was improperly installed and should have been pointing forward if it stuck out at all. I had the sail repaired and installed some spreader boots. I will ALWAYS have spreader boots from now on. I was also told that 'you should not have the sail on the spreader, you should tack downwind with swept back spreaders'. I try to do that. Is that BS? Tom
Spreader Boots - good idea.
Sometimes I forget how far from original my 23 has gotten. My main does not touch the spreader until 1-2 inches befor the boom hits the plastic shroud covers. I probably spend less than 2 hrs. per year running. The prefered tack with swept spreaders is a reach (and faster). If you've got things sticking out of the end of your spreader and into the sail than that's wrong and should be fixed or at the very least covered with something smooth like a boot.
Sometimes I forget how far from original my 23 has gotten. My main does not touch the spreader until 1-2 inches befor the boom hits the plastic shroud covers. I probably spend less than 2 hrs. per year running. The prefered tack with swept spreaders is a reach (and faster). If you've got things sticking out of the end of your spreader and into the sail than that's wrong and should be fixed or at the very least covered with something smooth like a boot.
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