Wrinkles in my main sail....

[hman]

I just got a used set of Niel Pryde sails made for an Oday 23, I've used them several times now and I have a problem of sorts.

I have 3 or 4 large wrinkles running from the edge of the luff about half way up diagonally down the sail towards the clew.

I've tried tightening/loosening the halyard, more/less tension on the boom vang and outhaul. The only thing that seems to work is putting a lot of tension on the leach of the sail with the cord running the length of it, which creates a pocket in the top of the sail but removes the wrinkles somewhat....

Any ideas other than a tall ladder and a hot iron in the cockpit?

 

[RichH]

Look near where these 'wrinkles' come close to the luff section. Look for a grommet that is VERY CLOSE to or is 'trapping' the 3-strand boltrope (inside a sleeve at the luff).

This will also happen if the "SEWN TO THE LUFF" sail slugs are 'bound too tight' ... and not allowing the boltrope+sleeve to 'freely float' or move up and down with differing windloadings on the sail. The too-tight slug binding is preventing the boltrope and its sleeve from moving or its has moved and cant get back to its 'normal' position. Too tight slug to sail connections are usually seen AFTER the sail has been reefed or a LOT of halyard/cunningham pressure has been applied. The 'correct' tension of these bindings allows the boltrope to easily slip (back and forth) inside its luff sleeve.

SimpleSpeak: probably, one of the sail slug's 'binding' about half way up the luff is too tight.

If so, REMEDY: get some waxed sailmakers twine and re-do the slug to sail connection OR change out to 'plastic' slug connectors.

 

[hman]

The lugs that came on the sail were the wire ones with plastic clips through brass grommets on the leach and across the bolt rope. They were hanging up in the mast so I replaced them with new ones that had the thick plastic that held them against the bolt rope a bit straighter, the new lugs seem to go up and down with no problem or binding...

I'll give lubricating the sail slide on the mast with some dri Kote and see what happens.......

 

[RichH]

In that case - probably a slipped boltrope that didnt go/slip back to 'normal' and you 'should' see a wrinkled (binding) section on the boltrope sleeve, if this is the case. What probably happened is that one of the original sticking slugs caused the boltrope sleeve to 'bunch up' and then 'stick' on the stretched-out boltrope.

If so, then remove the sail slugs from the mast track and raise the sail *solely connected by the tack/goosenecck connection and the headboard connection* (like you would a spinnaker !!!!). Apply and remove HARD halyard tension a few/many times to 're-set' the boltrope inside its sleeve ... and the luff sleeve 'looks normal' and without any small 'wrinkles'.

 

[hman]

Thanks! That makes sense, I will give it a try....

 

[Joe]

....The lugs that came on the sail were the wire ones with plastic clips through brass grommets on the leach and across the bolt rope. .......

Not trying to be a nit picker here, but Rich gave you some subtle hints on your incorrect terminology.... maybe you didn't pick it up... but the forward edge of the sail is called the LUFF, not the LEECH (that's the trailing edge) . Have fun!

 

[hman]

Not trying to be a nit picker here, but Rich gave you some subtle hints on your incorrect terminology.... maybe you didn't pick it up... but the forward edge of the sail is called the LUFF, not the LEECH (that's the trailing edge) . Have fun!

Mia culpa....I actually do know the difference, that's the problem with sneaking on and off when I'm supposed to be working! At least I got the advice I was looking for....

 

[RichH]

Just to be sure .... are we talking A or B???

 

[mcorse]

Mia culpa....I actually do know the difference, that's the problem with sneaking on and off when I'm supposed to be working! At least I got the advice I was looking for....

Actually, not trying to be a nitpicker here, it's mea culpa, not mia culpa,
As I'm new to Scott's Flat, maybe you can tell me about the whirlwind that lives off the point as you leave the boat ramp. Is it always there?

 

[fox islander]

I had the same wrinkles on my main (catalina 30). I photoghraped the wrinkles and sent the photo to sailcare. They thought the bolt rope had shrunk and needed to be "eased". I sent them the sail, they cleaned it, re-infused it with resin, eased the bolt rope and reinforced a few weak areas. The sail is beautiful...it literally looks and feels brand new and the wrinkles are gone. Great people to work with.