Sails trim and adjustment ??

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epsilonblue

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Apr 3, 2010
33
Beneteau 411 Celebration and 260 Shotley and Punta Gorda
I sail a 411 celebration. I have a dillema with the cruising chute when off-wind. I have fitted a Bowsprit to transfer the tack forward of the pullpit by around 18 inches or half a metre and want to know how close to the downwind line others manage to sail.
The other querie I have is adjustment to the main-sail outhaul, I have run the outhaul line back to the cockpit but find it difficult to gauge the correct adjustment although the sail is loose footed it is covered by the sailbag along the boom. Any advice welcome.
 
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bob_pattison

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Oct 27, 2010
119
E-22 e-22 Stratford
epsilonblue said:
I sail a 411 celebration. I have a dillema with the cruising chute when off-wind. I have fitted a Bowsprit to transfer the tack forward of the pullpit by around 18 inches or half a metre and want to know how close to the downwind line others manage to sail.
The other querie I have is adjustment to the main-sail outhaul, I have run the outhaul line back to the cockpit but find it difficult to gauge the correct adjustment although the sail is loose footed it is covered by the sailbag along the boom. Any advice welcome.
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Assuming your spinnaker is designed to fly up and above the bow pulpit (unlike a racing asymmetric spinnaker) then you downhaul line is used to adjusted the vertical shape of the sail.
So with our cruising spinnaker for instance, the sail should fly about 5-6feet above the deck in downwind sail, but if you find yourself in light air and want to sail higher angles to keep your speed up, then by pulling the downhaul down will flatten the shape of the sail so it is more 'genoa-esque' and you'll be able to go closer to the wind.
I actually have sailed a 411 (at a block island rendezvous) as close as 52degrees...this was in about 6 true with the tack pulled right down as close to the boat as we could get it.
Remember though: your sailing angle is directly related to windstrength...so though I could sail that close in 6 knots, there is no way you could do the same in 12...as the boat will just round up out of control. Conversely, when you sail low angles, the more breeze there is, the lower you can sail. It's easy to sail as low as 170d in strong breeze...

Hope this answers your questions.
Bob Pattison
 
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epsilonblue

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Apr 3, 2010
33
Beneteau 411 Celebration and 260 Shotley and Punta Gorda
Thanks for the info Bob, I am experimenting with furling the asym'c and have made my own kit at about a quarter of the cost. sailing in florida at the moment in a little Precision 236, racing round the cans and the occasional two day cruise.........not like the 411 though.
 
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