Spreader Boots
I got 17 seasons out of the original equipment mainsail on my 28.5 and now have a new loosefooted main with a full length top batten and the remaining three IOR length battens. Neither sail had spreader patches nor do they need it . I use standard spreader boots and rigging tape at the somewhat sharp intersection between the spreaders and the mast brackets. You should use a boom vang and keep the boom off the shrouds, but having the mainsail laying up against the standing rigging doesn't wear the sail because if the boom isn't riding up, the sail is not moving vertically or horizontally against the spreaders. Sail shape in the forward 1/4 of the main is somewhat comprimised, however triming the telltales on the leach of the main gives the better driving force on an over the shoulder broad reach. Going directly down wind is best done wing and wing with the genoa poled out to windward with a whisker pole and the boom vang used as a preventer. After 17 seasons we had wear at the batten pocket stitching, flutter at the leach and a little too much belly in the main, but nothing but a little dirtier pattern at the spreaders.
