Oops I goofed. Pls ignore what I wrote. I obviously need to wake up. Thanks for pointing that out. I was conflating the backstays with the topping lift. Duh!Why does a B&R rig, etc. preclude a topping lift?
-Will (Dragonfly)
Judy
Oops I goofed. Pls ignore what I wrote. I obviously need to wake up. Thanks for pointing that out. I was conflating the backstays with the topping lift. Duh!Why does a B&R rig, etc. preclude a topping lift?
-Will (Dragonfly)
I accept the thought but not sure if it is the only way or even the only best way. Safety is a measured term and I am not sure the cockpit is always the safest place to accomplish all of the tasks as some may have to be fixed from the mast anyway. As in the sail jams against the lazy jacks while being raised. and releasing the halyard in the cockpit does nothing. When going forward the sail is pulled down but jams as the halyard in the cockpit is knotted. The cockpit is manned by the Helmsman. So now it is a dance between the cockpit and the mast by the crew member just trying to raise the sail.Halyards, reefing clews (outhaul) should be adjustable from the safety of the cockpit.
I like meatloaf and your story. It may provide an explanation why the daughter and mother always found that their meatloaf fit their pan.Could be the ol' meatloaf story -
This is so true. How did you make it from 15 to the College aged sailor that you are? Possibly by having the Halyard experience mistake and then having to solve it. Such is a lesson that you do not repeat often. Yet some do. The need for instruction and experience is universal. Some things are book learned and some are experience based. Letting the 15 year old have the experience is a part of the task of taking a 15 year old out on the water. And it is a great way to learn to teach 15 year olds. A daunting task on the best of days.but a fifteen year old kid...will probably stagger up there..panic.
"May the Force Be with You" and take you to the water.this warmer weather has me in a canvas mood.
Congrats on getting your boat a new mainsail. Yes the newness of the sail is much like the starchy feeling of a new shirt. After use and repetition folding of the sail, soon the sail will become trained. Lazy Jacks are helpful. A stack pack is another good tool.my new main is VERY difficult to flake. I'm hoping I can train it with a few more attempts.
Holy windage batman!I converted to a bag a couple of years ago, never goin' back!
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This past Fall I finally led my Dutchman line aft so I can tension or ease it from the cockpit.My boat came with a Dutchman, used it, liked it, now would not use anything else, solo a lot, keeps it fast and simple.
My Boomkicker keeps my boom from hitting my Bimini. I don't have a topping lift per se. It's only used to carry the Dutchman lines. Raising or lowering the mainsail doesn't change my boom much.Justin, not sure I understand leading the line aft. Mine is set up on my topping lift and I never have to change or manipulate, when the sail goes up it puts a bit of slack in the topping lift and needs no adjustments.
If you're talking about a stack bag, it seems like it would, but I'm not sure you would use a stack bag with a loose footed sail. I don't have any experience with that particular refinement of the lazy jacks, so I could be totally off.Here is a question: If you have a loose footed sail and use a sail bag, are the advantages of a loose footed sail negated?
By the term “Sail Bag” I am guessing you mean a “Stack Pack”. A tool that is attached to the boom, sitting up above the boom to capture the sail as it is lowered. If so the primary answer is No.use a sail bag
My Mack Pack can affect the shape of the foot, so when important to me (usually in light air), I will loosen the Lazy jacks and then roll the bag down to the boom…that way the foot can have an unimpeded shape.By the term “Sail Bag” I am guessing you mean a “Stack Pack”. A tool that is attached to the boom, sitting up above the boom to capture the sail as it is lowered. If so the primary answer is No.
While the StackPack can affect the air flow at the bottom of the sail it has little affect on the value of the loose foot. The loose foot is used to shape the whole of the sail. The shape of the sail is not encumbered by the foot being pulled onto the boom. Performance testing in the late 70’s found that the attachment of the foot to the boom limited the ability to get the desired sail function. Some of this was done by Arvel Gentry for the Americas Cup out of Southern California