Mainsail foot

Charisma · Nov 28, 2009

Check in the archives for "loose footed" . We have one and love being able to easily adjust the depth. Charisma

RichH · Nov 28, 2009

paphman said:
We will be replacing our main on our Catalina 22 soon. My question is does it make a differance if the foot has a bolt rope or slugs? The main we now have has a rope foot and a shelf, but I thought slugs would make it easier to adjust. What do the rest think? Thanks

Dale

Bolt-rope IN the mast/boom slot/groove is VERY strong. BUT... it requires constant lubrication of the boltrope sleeve, constant cleaning/lubricating of the 'slot' so that friction doesnt become 'overwhelming'. Slugs are added to a boltroped sail to lessen friction but are less strong than a boltrope IN the slot. Both are high friction methods.

As the other poster has stated consider a LOOSE FOOTED mainsail ........ and add a single long metal/teflon 'fritted' slug for the clew connection to help with the friction. A loose footed main is vastly easier to adjust the clew tension (and should be less expensive too).

Joe · Nov 29, 2009

I'd get a loose footed main.... or a shelf foot if I went offshore alot. I would not get a bolt rope main unless there was a shelf sewn in. Slugs in the foot might help movement a bit, but unless an expanding pocket (the shelf) is part of the sail's foot it won't help the shape.

Barnacle Bill · Nov 30, 2009

Back in 1978 I bought a new boat that had a loose footed main. Not many other boats had that. Then they sort of disappeared as far as I could tell and now they are increasingly more popular. For the luff, usually slugs make the task of raising and lowering the sail easier. There are even some black-finished slugs (called Allslip) made for even easier sliding.
Luff wind entry probably is better from a performance perspective, which you probably are not worried about. Bolt rope luffs can wear more quickly and I have seen some rope in the luffs shrink, which affect sail shape. If you break a slide or slug, then it is a cheaper fix. I have noticed that some top brand sail makers are a little cheaper in comparison to their competition. One way they cut costs and quality is to have fewer slugs along the luff of a mainsail.

sailingdog · Dec 1, 2009

You also might want to ask about whether your boom is strong enough to handle a loose-footed mainsail. It may not matter on a Catalina 22, but on some larger, older designs, I've seen that be a problem, especially if the boat is setup with mid-boom sheeting.

A loose-footed mainsail concentrates the loading of the sail on the clew and tack, and on a mid-boom sheeted main, it increases the loads on the boom where the main sheet attaches.

shemandr · Dec 1, 2009

For a Catalina 22, which presumably isn't sailing in a gale, I would think loose fitted or slugs would be fine. I would think the ease of adjusting and setting up (If you trailor) would out weigh the concern about the boom strength.
I've had both and I like slugs especially on the luff. The sails go up much more easily. I guess if you're racing above club level it makes a difference but a Catalina 22? Go for easy.

RichH · Dec 1, 2009

paphman said:
I have thought about a loose footed main, but I am going to order one with a shelf ( my sail now has one) and a bolt rope or slugs. My feeling is a main with slugs ( on the foot) will be easier to adjust, over one with a bolt rope. I can see there are many different opions on this. I have not heard a good reason not to order the slugs. It could be just a matter of what you feel will work for you. It sure makes a good thread.

Dale

You cant have slugs without a boltrope and expect a sail to have long life. Boltropes are installed so that the sail doesnt stretch completely out of shape at the designed wind strength ... usually 15+ knots. Slugs are installed through grommets that are adjacent to a boltrope .... so that the slug attachment points dont easily pull out of the sail material ... Boltrope AND slugs.
Sails without boltropes are easier/faster/cheaper to construct; using heavy sail 'tape' in lieu of the boltrope; but, the tape isnt as strong nor as 'elastic' as a boltrope and if you sail in wind conditions above the 'tape' luff/foot will ultimate wind up with a grossly and permanently 'stretched out of shape' sail.
Loose footed mainsails typically use a boltrope on the luff and a taped foot; but, since one doesnt usually 'stretch out the foot' (in comparison to the needed stretch in the luff), a taped foot works well and lasts long on a 'loose footed' mainsail. Loose footed (taped foot) is vastlly better for control of the 'amount of draft' in a sail. Aerodynamically there is no advantage for a shelf footed mainsail.... because the loose footed sail usually has an 'apron' that hangs down below the boom (tack—clew line) to 'compensate'. the loose footed sail is the prime choice if you want any 'adjustability' in the amount of draft in a mainsail. Boltroped foot mainsails are an obsolete design.

Of course if you dont 'shape' your sails (by correct halyard/outhaul, etc. tensions) after you raise them, all the above wont matter. ;-)