My main sail is old and a little stretched out but no tears or damage and is still a decent weekend cruising sail. Its loose footed and takes quite a bit of force on the outhaul to get the foot reasonably flat. Was flaking the sail to cover it up until i can get back out sailing maybe next weekend. Wondered for the first time whether i should release the tension on the outhaul to keep from further stretching out the foot of the sail permanently? Is it possible to permanently stretch a sail like this, or is it really not an issue? I'm pretty sure its Dacron. Something I would think as a medium weight cloth, but not 100% sure. Its definitely not canvas.
Release outhaul when not using boat?
- Thread starter BAD ORCA
- Start date
Wouldn't hurt. Might help remind you to set the outhaul properly for each sortie.
Yes, it is possible, but your outhaul isn't pulling on the cloth, or at least, it shouldn't be directly. You should have a boltrope along the foot that takes that load. How tight do you haul your clew, and for how long do you plan to leave it? Your sailing season will probably stretch on the sail's foot far more than sitting under sail ties for the off-season.
Like PaulK says, it couldn't hurt.
-Will
I will have to take a closer look. I never noticed a bolt rope, but i'm sure its there if its common to have one. It is a decent 'North Sails' sail. Now that some of the big boat projects are getting done and we sail the boat more, i'm starting to notice some of the little stuff I never noticed before.
I dont winch on the outhaul, just pull it hand tight as hard as I can. I guess it cant hurt to ease off on it a little. The foot of my main looks pretty well stretched. Its hard to get the foot tight.
I was just curious
There might not be a bolt rope since it was designed to be loose footed. I agree with the others - can’t hurt to slack it.
It should be possible to pull the bottom of the sail pretty flat, even if it’s stretched. The middle is usually the bigger problem. When you try to flatten it do you have the sail luffing so there’s no tension on the foot? Any amount of pressure in the sail will definitely make that harder.
It should be possible to pull the bottom of the sail pretty flat, even if it’s stretched. The middle is usually the bigger problem. When you try to flatten it do you have the sail luffing so there’s no tension on the foot? Any amount of pressure in the sail will definitely make that harder.
Off topic so I apologize in advance but have never had a loose-footed main so - how does one reef it? Tie the whole thing to the boom?
Same as one that isn't loose-footed. There are reefing points on the leach and the luff. Ease the main halyard, attached the reefing ring to the gooseneck, snug up the reefing line, and re-tension the main halyard.
Normally I try to luff it. I definitely cant pull it tight if there is any wind in the sail. Cant pull hard enough on the small line. I tensioned it this morning at the dock when i was putting away the sail just to see how tight i could get it with no wind. Seems to be a little slack still but will leave it tensioned and see how it looks while sailing. Might be something jamming my outhaul track.
I have cringles across the sail at the same level as the reefing points that you can put a rope through to tie the middle of the sail to the boom. There are three just for the purpose of securing the middle of the sail.
On another thread I suggested keeping the outhaul all on for a blown out sail. I'll stick with that here. If Bad Orca can only get the outhaul tight when there is no wind than I think he should tighten it Max then and sail with it that way. And leave it that way.
Regarding loose footed mains and bunt lines I think you can tie the bunt lines around the sail but not the boom to neaten up the reef. On older main sails with a bolt rope or track of some sort I'm not sure what was recommended. I think it's been a no-no to wrap the bunt lines around the boom for years but I'm not clear on why. Maybe that puts too much pressure on the bunt line attachments on the sail, where the sailcloth is not strong.
Regarding loose footed mains and bunt lines I think you can tie the bunt lines around the sail but not the boom to neaten up the reef. On older main sails with a bolt rope or track of some sort I'm not sure what was recommended. I think it's been a no-no to wrap the bunt lines around the boom for years but I'm not clear on why. Maybe that puts too much pressure on the bunt line attachments on the sail, where the sailcloth is not strong.
Regarding the reef ties, with a loose foot it's easy to tie them properly (to reduce harm to the sail) by tying the little tie lines around the flaked sail material, and not including the boom in the lashup. FWIW when just out for a day sail, there is seldom any reason other than appearances to tie up the loose folds. (.02 worth...)
My stack pack keeps the sail on the boom. If I didn't have that, there is a series of smaller grommets along each reef that I can run sail ties through to keep the sail in place. I was told (or read somewhere) that you shouldn't tie the reefed sail to the boom - only to itself.
No reason you can’t tie the loose sail around the boom with a loose footed main, same as a bolt rope footed one. Once the sail is reefed the loose foot is bundled up along the boom anyway and it all looks the same. With both toes of sail it’s important to not let the grommets take any of the load of the sail. They’re there purely for tidying up the loose cloth, not to carry any load.
The only reason for the warning to not tie the bunt lines around the boom is to not have the possibility of having the grommets take load, lie @Davidasailor26 said. It's easy to crank down on them too much when tying around the boom, but not easy when just tying around the sail.
If the outhaul is a simple one without multiple purchase, and you aren't using a winch to tighten it, I doubt you are getting enough tension where backing off when not sailing would matter to the sail. Even if you left it tight, I doubt it would do much to stretch the sail.
Similarly, furled headsails are supposed to have their halyards slacked before furling them away between use, but most people just set and forget them, and sails aren't being damaged appreciably.
If you race, where these controls are often put under high tension, then slacking them is a good idea if they haven't been slacked on the last leg of the race and are staying rigged between races. If you are one of the more numerous that sets these controls to some moderate catch-all and never really adjust them to the extremes, then just leave them as is.
Mark
If the outhaul is a simple one without multiple purchase, and you aren't using a winch to tighten it, I doubt you are getting enough tension where backing off when not sailing would matter to the sail. Even if you left it tight, I doubt it would do much to stretch the sail.
Similarly, furled headsails are supposed to have their halyards slacked before furling them away between use, but most people just set and forget them, and sails aren't being damaged appreciably.
If you race, where these controls are often put under high tension, then slacking them is a good idea if they haven't been slacked on the last leg of the race and are staying rigged between races. If you are one of the more numerous that sets these controls to some moderate catch-all and never really adjust them to the extremes, then just leave them as is.
Mark
Have you tried lubricating the clew car/slider track? Release all outhaul tension, lube the track, the slide it back and forth. You may even disconnect the clew from the slider... then slide it back and forth... pull the outhaul line to make sure the internal connections are free. Getting the outhaul to move easily will eliminate that possible source of the problem, While the clew is disconnected, on a calm day at the dock, see how far you can stretch the sail. The solution to your problem should be determined by these two tests.
