Setting Sail Trim with an In-Mast Furling System

[Don Guillette]

Setting sail trim with an in mast furling system

Tracey:You must be reading my mind!! Yesterday, I was putting together my thoughts regarding an article on heavy weather sailing with particular reference to the effect that waves have on the boat and how to deal with them. Anyway, to depower your boat, or any sail boat for that matter, is pretty simple. I'll get into in more detail as the Forum proceeds but essentially what you want to do is gradually flatten the sails (which reduces its power), and drop the traveler a bit. The first thing a lot of sailors do is ease the mainsheet but you should actually deal with the traveler first and that may get you where you want without dealing with the mainsheet. Additionally, you want to induce twist into both sails. That causes power to be spilled out of the tops of the sails. To maintain your speed , you have to use all the sail controls for the main and jib.To power through the waves, you do the exact opposite of what you did to depower the boat. Probably that may seem easier said than done but if you stick with me through this forum you'll see how easy that actually is.

 

[Tracey]

I'm new to both the B&R rig and In-Mast Furling System on my boat. How would I depower the rig in heavy air and still maintain speed with slight heel? Also we tend to get some good chop off the coast, how would I set the rig up for power to punch through the waves?

 

[Andy]

Traveller use

DonHow much would you guess an average sailor, on an average day, uses the traveller? Is it the kind of thing that is always being manipulated?I am an average sailor-not novice and not expert. I am not a racer, or even a wanna-be racer with no "Type A" tendencies to want to always control the moment.That said I do manipulate the traveller but have friends who say "never touch it"Thanks

 

[Don Guillette]

Traveler use

Andy: The average sailor probably adjusts the traveler as much as they adjust the fairleads for the jib!! I've been on some boats where the fairleads are rusted in place!!Within a few days I'm going to provide an explanation of draft depth, draft position, twist and angle of attack so I'm getting a bit ahead of myself with this answer. Additionally, I'll explain how every sail trim control for the main an jib effects those items and then I'll tell you the general adjustment you should use for each control for every wind speed and point of sail. Whew, I'm exhausted already!!The traveler adjust only ONE thing and that is the angle of attack. Simply put, the more you pull the boom in using the traveler, the faster the boat goes. Ease it off and the boat slows down. To dispel the myth about never adjusting it - how would you sail down wind without moving it. Don't pay attention to folks that tell you not to move the controls. God put them on sailboats for a reason.The traveler does not have anything to do with sail shape. Picture this to see how it works - visualize your screen door and assume it has a pin in the corner that moves in a grove on the floor. When you open the door does the shape of the scren change? Obviously, it doesn't and neither does the shape of the mainsail.To depower the boat and reduce excess heeling, the first thing you should do is drop the traveler. When you do, the boat will come back on its feet. To power up the boat, just pull it up.Next time your out sailing, get the boat set up going to windward and mess with the traveler and see what happens. Andy, I'm a lot like you. I'm just a common seaman and I don't even claim to be an expert. I do have a good knowledge as to how the sail trim controls work and since these controls are there I like to use them. To me it is like driving a sports car - I want to get as much out of it that it can give. My wife is always telling me to relax and stop messing with the controls. What she does not understand is that when I'm messing with the controls I am relaxing and enjoying myself!!