Mainsail Trim

[Warren Tan]

I was told by someone at the marina that he noticed the foot of my mainsail was too tight???? What does this mean and how do I correct it? He said that it can eventually ruin the mainsail.Thanks!Warrens/v jetmags

 

[Hayden Watson]

just another control

The main outhaul is just one of many main sail controls, including halyard, sheet, cunningham, vang, reefing, etc. in light air you should have very little outhaul. At 15 to 20 knots you should have the outhaul very tight. On my previous boat (A C25) I had a 3 to 1 outhaul and always adjusted it for best sail shape. By tightening the outhaul and cunningham I could completely get rid on weather helm (with a pre-balanced rudder!)My new boat, a C30 tr/bs, has a 3 to 1 and it is totally inadequate. On this boat I set the outhaul as tight as I can get it. I plan to increase it to at least 5 to 1.Hayden Watson1988 C30 tr/bsPapillonSpokane, WA

 

[steven f.]

sail trim

Your talking about your outhaul trim. Sail trim is an art, some people love it, appreciate it and study it, others simply enjoy sailing and dont question too much. I have found that sail trim can shorten my longer sailing trips, challange my sailing abilities and most importantly, it increases the safety of my sailing. In stormy conditions my boat can handle quite a lot of wind simply by trimming the sails correctly for the conditions. After all, most sailboats can handle more weather than the crew but the crew can handle more weather if the boat is trimmed correctly. One good book on sail trim is Dennis Conners book, "sail like a champion". It can get technical but it tells you how and why to trim different sail different ways. Good luck, this is a much talked (argued about in many cses) topic.