Roller Boom Main... What the???

[Fifth Starr]

So I just bought my first sailboat; a beautiful Pearson 30. She's a beauty with a new Yanmar, 4 year old North Sails, and great interior. With this great boat came some features that neither I (new sailor) or my close mate (10 year veteran) are familiar with. The most pressing question is in regards to the roller main. The slugs that run in the track on the mast are fastened to the sail with some cotton 1/4 line (only about the bottom 1/3 of the sail). The sail also has a Flying Duthman set up. Is this why, or is the sail mis rigged. I will be heading out to the boat on Saturday, at which time I will take some close up pics of the set up for reference. Also, any salty dogs with the Dutchman?

Thanks

 

[paulj]

ix:


paulj :troll:

 

[Ross]

We will need more detailed information. At this point my understanding of your post is very limited.

 

[RichH]

The early P30 had what's known as 'roller boom reefing' .... there is a gear to crank up near the gooseneck and the boom joint. Such reefing was a disaster as it will create horrendous shaped mainsail when even 'slightly' rolled-reefed. Roller boom reefing was common in the 60s and then quickly abandoned by all. P30s produced after ~1972 had that 'roller boom reefing' locked-out by welding the gooseneck outer body directly to the boom. Slab or jiffy reefing is the preferred way to go on a P30.

As regards the saIL slugs, the OEM design was to have all the slugs engaged in the 'slot' on the boom. Nowadays most sailors prefer 'loose-footed' mainsails for better sail shaping (draft) ability (via outhaul), so it really doesnt matter if the slugs are engaged into the boom slot or not. Your sail probably is a 'shelf-foot' main so if you do engage the slugs (all the slugs) be sure that the track on the boom (and mast) is well lubricated - rub simple candle wax into the slot or get some "McLube" to allow the slugs to freely slide back and forth.

Congrats on your new boat. A P30 is a WONDERFUL boat to sail, well balanced and with NO bad manners. ENJOY.

FLAT sails on a P30 - 'speed shape'. If the boat shows any so-called weather helm, just increase the mainsail halyard tension until the helm goes 'neutral', then back off the halyard an inch or until the helm has very very slight 'weather helm' - that configuration will allow the keel to 'lift to weather' when beating ... and the boat will absolutely 'fly'.

 

[Roger Long]

The purpose of the sail slides (slugs) being attached with a jackline on the lower part of the sail is this. When you lower the sail, the end of the boom may go down if the topping lift isn't properly set up. This will but great strain on the slides and jamb them in the track. It may even pull them loose. When the luff slacks, so does the jackline. This lets the slides move away from the sail and keep moving freely without jambing. It is an essential feature on many sails unless you are very careful about using an adjustable topping lift.

You need to make installing proper reefing gear on that boat just about your first priority and learn how to use it. Come back and ask and you'll get more advice here than you can digest

 

[sailingdog]

The other reason for a jackline attaching the sail slugs to the bottom part of the sail's luff is to allow you to hook the reefing cringles on the tack hook if the sail is slab reefed. Without it, the sail generally can't be made to bend enough to allow the reefing cringle to reach the tack reefing hook at the gooseneck.

BTW, I'd agree with the previous posts about the sail shape of most older boom roller furling mains. It sucks... in many cases, wedges were added to the boom to help improve the sail's shape when roller reefed, but IMHO, you're far better off converting to a slab/jiffy reefing setup, and locking the boom in position.

BTW, what the hell is a Flying Dutchman setup??? Photos would be helpful.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

Rich H and salty dog are talking about two different kinds of roller boom and since you have a jack-line on your slides I believe Rich is probably the more correct. The jack-lines allow you to roll up the main around the boom without removing the slides from the track and you would indeed have a geared sliding gooseneck. There would be no need for any cringles. With the hand roll up type you would hook the cringle, open the track gate, slide the slides off and hand roll up the excess sail. Neither of these systems meet todays standards. So you should get your experienced friends to show you slab or jiffy reefing.

Good luck

Joe S