mainsail telltales in the CENTER

[Ms Hillary]

I am going to add telltales to the center of the mainsail as suggested in The Sail Trim users Guide by , Don Guillette.I assume after setting twist via the boom vang, and mainsheets , I should THEN adjust the outhaul to get appropriate depth of the sail by looking at these new telltales in the CENTER of the mainsail. I am just guessing; what tips do you have for use of the CENTER Tellales in the MAINSAIL!

 

[Don Guillette]

MS. Hillary: You are on the right track. The problem here is space does not permit me to go into all the details of how you read the telltales (I devote 7 pages to how to read them in my book) but you are lucky because you have the book!! If your anything like me, you will have to read the section 2 or 3 times to get what is going on. If you were to use a highliter on that section all the words would be in yellow as that is how complete the subject is. I did not use any useless words in that section. There is nothing mystical about the center telltales on the main. Here's what I mean. You are going to read them the same way you read the jib telltales. In other words, for starters you want both streaming. If the outside telltale, which is a steering telltale, starts to flip you have to adjust your course or adjust your sails. You are going to make your sail trim adjustments just like you do for the jib except that you are going to use different controls but they accomplish the same thing.

 

[Ms Hillary]

Mainsail control- what is the best order of adjust

I added the tell tales to my mainsail's center.I have a 150% genoa, and sailing close reach and close hauled I noticed the the windward tell tale on the main almost never streamed back. Also the windward tell tale in lower wind speeds and traveling slower sometimes streamed forward toward the mast. I played with the mainsheets, bomvang, and outhaul but I can't figure out why the telltales both won't stream correctly. The sail did not balloon out like the choking of too narrow a flow between the genoa and headsail, but I suspect that must be it.How can i get the best airflow, what is the order of steps when adjusting mainsail controls after setting the boomvang?

 

[Don Guillette]

Mainsail controls - adjustment order

Hillary: Part of the problem might be that the mast is causing a wind flow disturbance because the telltales are not far enough back. It is going to be a bit more difficult to get them to fly as opposed to the ones on the jib. How does the the leech telltale on the top (most important) and the middle one look? Are they flowing nicely?Like everything there are steps to be followed. The problem most sailors have is they start at step 1, then go to step 4, and then back to 2 and so on and then they wonder why things don't work right. The next time your out, take your SAIL TRIM CHART with you. Then refer to page 3 on the chart and you'll see the trim sequence for the main and jib. After you finish that sequence, go to page 2 and follow the steps for adjusting the traveler for proper twist. Now your in the ball park. The next thing you want to do is fine tune your sails. Determine the wind speed and check the individual settings for the main and jib that I've suggested on the chart. When you've done all that, which will take less than 5 minutes, you should be pretty close to perfect and 100% efficiency. Hey guys - how would you like to sail against Ms. Hillary after she figures this sail trim out, which she almost has? I'm not sure I'd want to match race her as she'll definately give anyone a run for their money!! I'll bet she gets more out of that MacGregor than 75% of the MacGregor owners worldwide.

 

[Osprey17220]

mainsail adjustment order?

OK, now for those of who don't have the SAIL TRIM CHART.....?Let me see if this sounds closefree the mainsheet, boomvang, cunningham and leech line, hoist the main1 set the luff tension with the halyard 2 set the depth of draft with the outhaul3 pull on some main sheet to the desired twist4 adjust the traveler to get the boom on center5 pull the vang on till it is about equal tension with the main sheet6 use the cunningham to pull the draft forward if needed.6 check the leech for flutter, pull on some leech line if needed.7 recheck draft position and depth for racing.I was once told to set the vang properly you should fall off to a beam reach and add vang till the top batton just starts to curl or flutter, like you would set the mainsheet when close hauled.how am I doing teacher?

 

[Ms Hillary]

I am getting better at this sail trim!

I am doing better Don, I hit 6.2 knots on a wind gust of maybe 12 knots. This is a new high for me. I stayed at over 5 knots most of the afternoon with the wind at 7-9 mph.Thanks again for your tips and great book as well as sail trim chart!

 

[Don Guillette]

Mainsail adjustment order

Osprey: Not bad there mate. There is just one thing to add and it depends on the rig you have. If it is a masthead rig, you want to always adjust the jib first. My Sail trim Chart outlines the procedure and my book tells you why, plus more. If you have a fractional rig, you want to adjust the mainsail first. Regular readers of this forum know the reason why you adjust each rig differently - on fractional rigs, the engine is the main and on masthead rigs the engine is the jib.On vang adjustment - there is a particular adjust for each point of sail and wind condition and you can't mix and match. Try it and see what happens. I went through this a million times when I was trying to understand sail trim. Mates would tell me something and I'd sit there like a Hawaiian doll on the back shelf of a car bobbing my head in agreement. Then I'd go out and try it - sometimes what they said worked but most times it didn't. The reason was they were mixing apples and freight trains. That's how far off they were. Same goes for what I tell you - ALWAYS try the things I'm telling you and see if they work for you.

 

[Don Guillette]

I am getting better at this sail trim

MS. Hillary: Like I said, you are about the last MacGregor sailor I would like to match race against. I don't even think I would like to come up upon you in the harbor with the idea of giving you "a go" at it - any time two sailors meet on the water it becomes a race!! I know guys hate to hear this but I've been in the sail trim teaching business for almost 10 years and have run into and talked to more sailors worldwide in a couple of months than most sailors talk to in a life time. The bottom line is gals are much better at absorbing the subject of sail trim (probably any subject)than guys because they don't come to the subject with any baggage. This is how guys present questions - I've been sailing for 20 years ........ and then they ask me how the topping lift works as a sail trim devise. Actually, I've played golf for over 25 years and never hit the ball to the same place twice until I took lessons!! I've done seminars for gals only and I'll stack these gals up against their husbands any day of the week. I can say that because I know most of the husbands.Anyway, Hillary keep at it and if I ever get to Cleveland maybe we could sail together.

 

[r.w.landau]

Small note...

For many years my wife did not sail and now she puts forth a major effort. I am enjoying my wifes desire to sail lately. I have to remind her that yes sailing is work but keep it fun and relaxing. Part of this is getting comfortable with the trim you are carrying.Where I sail wind changes all the time but to see an Osprey ( no pun Osprey AR., it happens for real on Lake Authur) dive and catch a fish and fly off rates above 1 minute of sail trim. Remember to enjoy the whole of sailing! If you are racing then block all else out as you see fit.Ms. Hillary it does sound like you are getting down. Fair winds!r.w.landau