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Timm: There are two types of configurations for the foot of the sail - loose footed and bolt rope. You can mark the extremes of both with stickers you can buy from West Marine. On the bolt rope set up, the extremes are easy. Release the outhaul and and let it go as far as it can. That's one mark. Pull it back as far as you can and that is the other mark. Also, place a mark in the middle. Loose footed is not so easy. The aft extreme mark is easy as it is as far back as the clew will go. To determine the forward extreme you have to understand draft depth (belly). The problem I enounter on every loose footed boat I have been on is that the skipper induces too much belly in the sail. With some things in life "more is better" but it is not the case with draft depth. The more belly you induce into the sail - after a cetain point - makes the sail less and less effective. In fact, it becomes counter productive. Draft depth and draft position are measured in the form of a percentage. How do we determine the percentage? Easy, just measure the foot of the sail. This is not the scientific way but it will get you into the ball park. Assume the foot is 10'. If you put 2' of belly into the sail that would equate to 20%. 3' would be 30%. 3' would probably be the maximum amount of draft depth you would ever want to put into a sail. SOoooo, at the dock, raise your main and locate the middle of the foot of the sail. Then release the outhaul and pull out the foot of the main. Now merely measure say 3' from the boom to the foot of the sail. Mark that spot on the outhaul. That is the forward extreme. Also mark the halfway point. If you are loose footed, the next thing you want to do is go out sailing and experiment. You just can't mess with the outhaul only. In other words, you have to set up the jib properly for the wind conditions you are sailing in. Additionally, you need all the other controls for the main set properly. At that point you can start playing with the outhaul. There is an optimum position for the wind conditions you are sailing in, which you have to note for future reference. Unfortuantely, every time the wind speed changes so does that position. Timm, I hope I've given you the info you need, but if not just fire another question away.
Bolt rope
I have the bolt rope setup......I understand about chord line and etc. I was just curious as to what too much was because I usually start out with a small amount of tension on the outhual and if need be...put more tension on it if I need to flatten the sail depending on wind conditons. I know the extreme would be to yank out the tack but I wanted to avoid putting too much stress on the outhual to avoid damaging the sail.
I have the bolt rope setup......I understand about chord line and etc. I was just curious as to what too much was because I usually start out with a small amount of tension on the outhual and if need be...put more tension on it if I need to flatten the sail depending on wind conditons. I know the extreme would be to yank out the tack but I wanted to avoid putting too much stress on the outhual to avoid damaging the sail.
You're not strong enough
to damage the sail by pulling on the outhaul line (unless you have a big winch and an outhaul line that is long enough to reach it). To tell how much outhaul to apply, look at the sail shape. The outhaul moves the position of the maximum draft (in the lower part of the sail) forward and back. Stronger winds want to move the draft back in the sail by stretching the sail, so you try to move it back forward by pulling on the outhaul. The bigger question is how much to ease the outhaul in lighter winds. Steve Alchemist C-320 #909
to damage the sail by pulling on the outhaul line (unless you have a big winch and an outhaul line that is long enough to reach it). To tell how much outhaul to apply, look at the sail shape. The outhaul moves the position of the maximum draft (in the lower part of the sail) forward and back. Stronger winds want to move the draft back in the sail by stretching the sail, so you try to move it back forward by pulling on the outhaul. The bigger question is how much to ease the outhaul in lighter winds. Steve Alchemist C-320 #909
Steve: The answer as to how much do you ease the outhaul in light wind is - very little. The reason is that light wind does not have enough power to get around the sails . That goes for both the main and jib. In very light wind you want the sails as flat as possable for the same reason. I know that does not sound right but to test what I'm saying just try it. There are a lot of light wind days here in So Ca and invariable guys think a lot of belly is the thing to do in very light and light wind and they wonder why they go nowhere. I know there are some sailors on this forum that have tried my suggestion and maybe they could chime in here and tell if it worked for them.
Light WInd
Don’s light wind suggestions worked for me. Last time out, we had some light winds – played with the trim and clearly had a boat speed advantage in the J22 over a (clearly hotshot racer’s) J24 that we were tracking. Of course, he could have just as easily of been in a big hole with even less wind – but that’s not the way we tell the story!
It does seem to me that when it gets so light that you have trouble telling if/where the wind is – that flattening out the sails helps.
Don’s light wind suggestions worked for me. Last time out, we had some light winds – played with the trim and clearly had a boat speed advantage in the J22 over a (clearly hotshot racer’s) J24 that we were tracking. Of course, he could have just as easily of been in a big hole with even less wind – but that’s not the way we tell the story!
It does seem to me that when it gets so light that you have trouble telling if/where the wind is – that flattening out the sails helps.
Don, question on loose foot
At what points of sailing are you discussing or does it matter in light winds. And what do you consider light? less that 5kts? Jim S/V Java
At what points of sailing are you discussing or does it matter in light winds. And what do you consider light? less that 5kts? Jim S/V Java
Jim: Thank you for the question. I'm primarily talking about closehauled to close reach. I like those points of sail because it allows me to get the most out of the boat that she can give. I like going fast even though 5 to 6 knots is not anywhere near the water speed record. Light wind would be in the 5 knot range. Very light would be 3 to 4 knots. Every time I make these wind evaluations I always get private messages from mates telling me that is not what they consider light or very light. They give me numbers which are a couple of knots here or there so I don't know but that is the way I see it. The point is, no mater what your point of sail, other than a run, if you have wind flowing over your sail in the conditions I describe than keep the sail as flat as possable. As you get farther and farther off closehauled to down to a run, in very light or light air you may as well forget it from a sailing stand point because you "ain't" going nowhere. Sometimes you just have to start the engine to get where your going. In my case, I bought a sail boat to sail it. A tank of gas last me 3 years!! I don't like light wind (I don't mind it racing because it separates the men from the boys - if you can sail in light wind you can sail in anything) so when the wind drops I just head in to the marina. I tie up the boat and have a "tinny" (beer to my Aussie friends)and BS with my dock neighbors.
Don as a side note - tailtales
Since I get to play with computers. I took apart a bad computer tape cartridge (DLT for those who wish to know). From this I made tailtales 12" long and attached them to the jib. They are extra light and it seems that a sneeze would make them move. Picture of the slot - tailtales streaming. I will try taking some of the belly out of the sail this weekend to see how light air works. Jim S/V Java
Since I get to play with computers. I took apart a bad computer tape cartridge (DLT for those who wish to know). From this I made tailtales 12" long and attached them to the jib. They are extra light and it seems that a sneeze would make them move. Picture of the slot - tailtales streaming. I will try taking some of the belly out of the sail this weekend to see how light air works. Jim S/V Java
Jim: Nice picture. Next time out tighten up the jib halyard which will eliminate some of the scollops in the middle of the sail.
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