Main Sail Flogging

[yukonbob]

More throttle to keep into the wind or let mainsheet loose and it'll always go to down wind, in higher winds a little erratic but still down wind more or less

[kadet]

So without using those additional eyelets I had the baggy belly and I put the clew under too much stress and the sail ripped at the clew and the leech .... Lesson learned

Well Um well

No not really the sail is only supported at the head, clew and tack the reefing ties only gather up the extra bunt and are not suppose to support the working part of the sail or be under any tension. Your sailed ripped because;

• 1 it was old and ready to rip
  2 is was caught on something
  3 your vang was too tight and you pulled to hard on the main halyard with a winch
  4 your outhaul was too tight and you pulled to hard on the main halyard with a winch
  5 some other configuration issue

[yukonbob]

X2 only tackn and clew should take load, others are just to contain the extra sail.

[Signaleer]

Ok, well, glad you got out there and had some experience... there was a lot of good advice offered here, but let me add some additional things to the already great advice.

First, the reefing ties are not intended to secure the main sail to the boom with any tension really. They are simply to make the sail manageable as it it bundled up. Those points on the sail are not intended to take the stresses that the tack, head, and clew take... just note that. If I have you a loose footed main sail I don't even tie them around the boom when I reef. If you a bolt rope foot, then I suppose you have to, but be careful very easy to destroy a mainsail with reefing ties.

Secondly, you should continue to practice. (We all should). You should be able to reef the main without a motor on simply by sailing under head sail alone. Make sure you have the steps to do so correctly memorized. ... which brings me to #3.

From a previous post, it seems like you had the main sheet tight while raising the main trying to reef... That makes me think you had the clew already taught and the foot of the sail tight? I think you have the steps out of whack. Head, Tack, Clew is how to raise any sail, including during reefing operations, and the main sheet should be loose. You can lay it on the life lines, or other convenient location if sailing under head sail alone. After the luff of the sail is tight, then tighten the clew, then mainsheet, and sail.

It simply takes practice.

You should have seen me and my friend on our second set of a Spinnaker last weekend... 20 minutes of terror... it happens to us all. Higherlander would not be pleased.... )

Hope that helps, and I owe this forum a lot for when I came from a Pearson to a Mac... Glad to help if I can.

Ed.

[Signaleer]

So without using those additional eyelets I had the baggy belly and I put the clew under too much stress and the sail ripped at the clew and the leech .... Lesson learned

Well Um well

No not really the sail is only supported at the head, clew and tack the reefing ties only gather up the extra bunt and are not suppose to support the working part of the sail or be under any tension. Your sailed ripped because;

• 1 it was old and ready to rip
  2 is was caught on something
  3 your vang was too tight and you pulled to hard on the main halyard with a winch
  4 your outhaul was too tight and you pulled to hard on the main halyard with a winch
  5 some other configuration issue

Yes ^ .....

The OP did not diagnose this properly.. many things seem awry... Kadet has a good list...

[Neo]

Thanks Guys....
Kadet, yep 1 (It fly's the "M" so could be 12 years old!), 3 (the vang) and 4 (the outhaul I don't use a winch)

Ed, "Head, Tack, Clew then Mainsheet" .... Love it, must remember it. ..... Vang last?

Well at least I'm getting to know the local Sail repairer


BTW... whats best thing to do with a crazy boom while you're setting up the Main?

[Tomfoolery]

Ed, "Head, Tack, Clew then Mainsheet" .... Love it, must remember it. ..... Vang last?

If ever. It's the least needed sail shape control for these boats. Not saying it's useless; just that it's not worth thinking most of the time. And if you leave it shortened, you'll find yourself hoisting the main sail against it and wondering why it's tough going. Like when you forget to slacken the main sheet.

BTW... whats best thing to do with a crazy boom while you're setting up the Main?

Sheet it tight if just prepping the boat, but slacken it enough that it doesn't hold the boom down when you raise the main, and also so it can weathervane a bit while hoisting. But don't leave so much slack that you do a Martin Harvey in waves or wakes and go over the side when prepping the sail. I make sure I always have something solid, or reasonably so, to hang on to when I'm up there in a seaway.

Edit: Or do you not have a topping lift, or boom kicker?

[Neo]

Wow my head starting to spin with all this good information
No Vang needed for now .... This is good news ... I have another application for those blocks

Here's my two big questions to all.....
Setting up the Main is SOOOO much work compared to a furling Jib..... When speed (or direction) is not really import is the main really worth it?
Will I have more fun with just a Jib and a Spinnaker?

All the best.
Neo

[kadet]

Neo wrote:
BTW... whats best thing to do with a crazy boom while you're setting up the Main?

Get an auto pilot and wind instrument to steer into the wind under power or a well trained admiral

Setting up the Main is SOOOO much work compared to a furling Jib..... When speed (or direction) is not really import is the main really worth it?
Will I have more fun with just a Jib and a Spinnaker?

Only if you have an the was designed to be main driven alone for balance as you have no back stay.

Seriously though the main can be made as easy to hoist as a roller furling jib and not for that much cost either. Fit some lazy jacks and put a cleated pivot block at the base of the mast and lead the halyard back to the cockpit. Raising the main can then be done from the cockpit while you steer into the wind.

[Neo]

Yep I have two pivot blocks at the base but something always seems to jam up on the uphaul .... especially when the winds up.
I need to make up some Lazy Jacks


BTW they don't make those Harken units anymore.

[DaveC426913]

Thanks Grady .... are they about 7 inches long?

You'll want them a fair bit longer than that.

You need a knot on each side of the sail, with at least a foot extra or more on both end to go around the boom and tie.

Note: My first reef, I tied them down nice and tight. Found out very quickly that it's a real strain on the sail to do that because the clew and tack are higher.

Now, I tie them with a fair bit of slack (so the reefing points are at least 8 inches above the boom) to get a nice sail shape from clew to tack.

There is absolutely no harm in making your reefs lines way longwer than necessary, until you determine how loose you want to tie them round the boom. Then you can trim them back.

[DaveC426913]

Yep I have two pivot blocks at the base but something always seems to jam up on the uphaul .... especially when the winds up.
I need to make up some Lazy Jacks

I find the lazy jacks are of little use when raising the main in anything but a light breeze. They do not help align the luff of the sail with the slot. Worse, it's very easy to get a batten caught underneath the lazy jacks when raising. So I let off all tension on the lazy jacks when raising, and simply ensure I am pointed directly into the wind.

[Neo]

I find the lazy jacks are of little use when raising the main in anything but a light breeze. They do not help align the luff of the sail with the slot. Worse, it's very easy to get a batten caught underneath the lazy jacks when raising. So I let off all tension on the lazy jacks when raising, and simply ensure I am pointed directly into the wind.

Thats good information .... Thanks for that Dave

[Signaleer]

Wow my head starting to spin with all this good information
No Vang needed for now .... This is good news ... I have another application for those blocks

No vang needed?

Uhhhh... what? I wouldn't sail without one. (And I did for years) ... why would you not use vang?

I always apply vang as I want to control the shape of my sails.

[Signaleer]

Wow my head starting to spin with all this good information
No Vang needed for now .... This is good news ... I have another application for those blocks

Here's my two big questions to all.....
Setting up the Main is SOOOO much work compared to a furling Jib..... When speed (or direction) is not really import is the main really worth it?
Will I have more fun with just a Jib and a Spinnaker?

All the best.
Neo

Neo, are you just having fun with us now? Its too much wind for you to raise the main but you are going to fly spinny?