so much mainsail twist on the VOR65s

danstanford

danstanford

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Aug 2, 2010
502
J-Boat J/88 Cobourg
Was looking at the photos and footage of the VOR boats beam reaching if the waves were showing the wind direction...I cannot be sure, but the flat top main was twisted all the way to 90 degrees to the centerline of the boat. The boom was out about 30 degrees so that makes 60 degrees of twist!
Is it that we cannot see this on our own boats due to the shape at the head or am I not using enough twist? For sure the top tell-tales were flowing correctly and in one shot the windex looked like it was showing 180 degrees apparent.
They were under triple headsails at the time so I am guessing the lower portions of the sail would need to be way twisted due to the effect of the headsails.
Not sure if there is a question in there....sorry
 
Ross S

Ross S

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Oct 20, 2011
120
Precision 21 Great Sacandaga Lake
Can you post a photo or a link that shows what you were looking at?
 
danstanford

danstanford

.
Aug 2, 2010
502
J-Boat J/88 Cobourg
Not the best photo but close to the condition I was describing. This looks like the flat top is 75 degrees from parallel to the center line of the boat
 
D

dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
11,398
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
The VOR boats were so fast downwind sailing became a beam reach because the apparent wind moved that far forward. If I recall correctly none of the boats ever flew a spinnaker, it was always a Code 0 or similar sail. The other factor is mast height. Wind 100 feet up is always a different and faster, thus the upper part of the sail is trimmed for down wind while the lower sail is trimmed for a reach.
 
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jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,084
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
danstanford said:
Is it that we cannot see this on our own boats due to the shape at the head or am I not using enough twist?
Click to expand
The flat head on the main shows the twist off much more distinctly than the traditional cut main. Note the VOR flat head sails have a much greater roach at the head sail. This may be a factor, why they are sailed with what appears great amount of twist.

I would not think using this large twist is a target to emulate on a different boat using a traditional sail cut.
 
J

JBP-PA

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Apr 29, 2022
394
Jeanneau Tonic 23 Erie, PA
The amount of twist you want varies according to the weather and there are several factors to consider. The most simple is wind shear. If the wind near the water is significantly less than the wind near the top of your mast, twist to match that is good. This depends on the wind and how tall your mast is. Another reason to twist is to widen the groove upwind. On my wee little boat, bashing upwind in short steep waves has me zooming down the waves and nearly coming to a standstill as I dive into the next. I like a lot if twist in those conditions so I have continous power, even if it's not maximum power at each Instant.
Another reason to twist is to spill wind off the top to depower the top without reefing yet still retaining some power.
 
J

JBP-PA

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Apr 29, 2022
394
Jeanneau Tonic 23 Erie, PA
The boats in your picture look like a broad reach in light wind. They have the big genoas out which aren't entirely full. I'm guessing a lot of shear.
 
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D

dlochner

.
Jan 11, 2014
11,398
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
JBP-PA said:
The boats in your picture look like a broad reach in light wind. They have the big genoas out which aren't entirely full. I'm guessing a lot of shear.
Click to expand
There is a lot of disturbed air because the boats are so close to each other, that will account for the headsail shapes.
 
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