We have a Hunter 29.5 with a new north sail loose foot main. All summer we struggled with a diagonal wrinkle in the sail. The main is only attached to the boom by the outhaul. Any advice on how to smooth out the sail?
Mainsail trim advice.
- Thread starter Daddio
- Start date
Cunningham, or some kind of tack downhaul?
Also, from the photo, how much pre-bend is in that mast?
Also, from the photo, how much pre-bend is in that mast?
You need to talk to the person who told you that a big-roached sail like that would be OK without FULL BATTENS. Yours is a 2+2 configuration, OK for regular sails. Full battens support the extra roach on that kind of sail. Talk to them.
The sail strongly looks as if its not fully raised - the boom aft end seems lower than the tack, it has an immense amount of draft, draft seems to be too far aft, and the head of sail is not near the 'black band' at the top of the mast.
Dacron (not on in-mast furlers) mainsails with luff boltropes NEED to be stretched out along the luff via halyard tension so that they take their as-designed shape.
That big diagonal crease, and all those little creases along the luff are indicating that the halyard tension wasnt set correctly after you raised the sail. "Girts" or creases that are observed are usually a symptom that one or more 'corners' of a sail are improperly tensioned - in this case its probably two corners (improper halyard tension). Dacron is 'stretchy' and you need to properly tension all 'corners' when raising. If it would be that there is too much mainsheet tension, that big 'girt' would be pointing more towards the head of the sail; so, my suspicion is a too slack luff/halyard.
Here's how to PROPERLY raise a woven dacron mainsail and how to precisely adjust that needed halyard tension: http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=120970 see post #1 in that thread.
Dacron (not on in-mast furlers) mainsails with luff boltropes NEED to be stretched out along the luff via halyard tension so that they take their as-designed shape.
That big diagonal crease, and all those little creases along the luff are indicating that the halyard tension wasnt set correctly after you raised the sail. "Girts" or creases that are observed are usually a symptom that one or more 'corners' of a sail are improperly tensioned - in this case its probably two corners (improper halyard tension). Dacron is 'stretchy' and you need to properly tension all 'corners' when raising. If it would be that there is too much mainsheet tension, that big 'girt' would be pointing more towards the head of the sail; so, my suspicion is a too slack luff/halyard.
Here's how to PROPERLY raise a woven dacron mainsail and how to precisely adjust that needed halyard tension: http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=120970 see post #1 in that thread.
One other thing that might help. Loose footed mains need to be held to the boom by more than the outhaul. Normally this is a velcro strop wrapped around the boom and through the clew eye. Like below.
This and Rich's advice might help, but a sail with that much roach REALLY should be full battened.
This and Rich's advice might help, but a sail with that much roach REALLY should be full battened.
Agree with the apparently missing 'CLEW slug' on the boom. http://www.sailrite.com/easearch#!&ea_q=mainsail clew slug
Dont fully agree with large roach and 2+2. as his #3 is a quite 'long' batten.
4 full battens would help but would tend 'hide' that long diagonal clew—mid luff 'girt' and youd never know that you have a too loose luff tension unless youd feel/recognize the increased 'weather helm' because of the too loose main halyard/luff tension.
Dont fully agree with large roach and 2+2. as his #3 is a quite 'long' batten.
4 full battens would help but would tend 'hide' that long diagonal clew—mid luff 'girt' and youd never know that you have a too loose luff tension unless youd feel/recognize the increased 'weather helm' because of the too loose main halyard/luff tension.
Rich,
I hear what you are saying, here one other thing to think about.
Big roached sail need long battens to support the extra roach and sail area, Once to a certain length, the load on the batten pressing FORWARD will cause that crease, like in the picture. It's not just the sailing hanging down, its the thrust vector inward towards the mast that causes it. Ideally that thrust would follow a full batten all the way to the mast and be dissipated there at the car.
I hear what you are saying, here one other thing to think about.
Big roached sail need long battens to support the extra roach and sail area, Once to a certain length, the load on the batten pressing FORWARD will cause that crease, like in the picture. It's not just the sailing hanging down, its the thrust vector inward towards the mast that causes it. Ideally that thrust would follow a full batten all the way to the mast and be dissipated there at the car.
Lots of good advice. Thank you everyone.
I agree the halyard tension is not enough. We have had trouble with the halyard getting tough to move once we get the sail 99% up. We can't seem to get that last bit to snug it up good. When we rigged the boat in the spring I noted there was no clew slug. However I had never seen the boat rigged before I bought it so I thought I would try it as is. We didn't purchase the sails they were with the boat when we bought it. I agree full battens would help.
I agree the halyard tension is not enough. We have had trouble with the halyard getting tough to move once we get the sail 99% up. We can't seem to get that last bit to snug it up good. When we rigged the boat in the spring I noted there was no clew slug. However I had never seen the boat rigged before I bought it so I thought I would try it as is. We didn't purchase the sails they were with the boat when we bought it. I agree full battens would help.
I figured the sails came with the boat, and are just looking to make the best of it. Try all the tricks mentioned. Here's a pic of the mainsail for your boat with full battens. Somerset Sails.
I understand what youre saying; but, consider that the big roach additional area is chiefly from the head down to batten #2. Below #2 the additional roach area is minimal and quickly tapers to batten #3 and below (and all the battens in front of the 'black band' on the boom end).
When the luff is more full tensioned that leech will 'open' (fall off to leewards) and those girts caused by the closed-up leech (pointing higher to windwards than 'normal').
If there was a pic 'straight up' from directly under the boom you could probably see this 'hook-up' (closed leech). More halyard tension will definitely cause the leech to 'open' and fall off to leewards a bit ... so that the sail will better take on its 'as-designed' shape. ;-)
At least we're both talking about leech tension causing that big 'girt'.
;-)
That's not a sail made from woven dacron with a boltrope of equivalent 'pre-load'. The sail in this pic is a semi-radial panel config, so it cant and shouldnt be 'stretched out' as should a cross cut woven dacron and boltroped main. This is a 'the shape you buy, is the shape you get' type of sail - minimal 'adjustability'; plus, its got 5 battens, not four. VERY BIG difference (although thats what a properly raised boltroped & woven dacron mainsail 'should' look like when raised.)I figured the sails came with the boat, and are just looking to make the best of it. Try all the tricks mentioned. Here's a pic of the mainsail for your boat with full battens. Somerset Sails.
Just an update to the sail trim problems I was having. This season we have been working on getting the main halyard all the way up. Tuns out there is a mark on the halyard that shows you. We also secured the clew of the mainsail close to the boom as the clew is not held down with a car to the boom. The results have been great. We no longer have so much "grit" in the sail 
I speculate that the cord seven into the luff just needs to be stretched out a bit. Each time we put up the main it seems easier to get good tension on the luff. Thanks for all the help.
I speculate that the cord seven into the luff just needs to be stretched out a bit. Each time we put up the main it seems easier to get good tension on the luff. Thanks for all the help.