[Public-List] Main sail modification?

Lawrence Morris morris.lc at verizon.net
Sun Oct 31 14:29:08 PDT 2010


Bruno and Elyse

I agree with George. Your main is has excess belly. To much curve in the sail shape causes the excess weather helm and heeling. The solution you are considering doesn't address this issue. It would require completely rebuilding the leach of the sail. Reef points corner patches etc. Very expensive. 

I had this same issue with my main sail. I flattened the sail considerably by removing material from the luff of the sail (luff curve). It is relatively inexpensive for a sailmaker to do especially if you are willing to do some of the seam ripping and gromet removal. 

My old sail isn't new but it is a lot flatter and the helm is lighter and the boat feels stiffer. I don't have to reef nearly as much as before the change. 

If want to get more details call me. I am in the directory 



Sent from my iPhone

Larry Morris

On Oct 31, 2010, at 14:29, George Dinwiddie <gdinwiddie at alberg30.org> wrote:

> Bruno & Elyse,
> 
> I'm no expert on sails or blue-water cruising, but I have a couple thoughts to offer.
> 
> On 10/31/10 2:09 PM, elyse.pastor at sympatico.ca wrote:
>> 
>> Our main sail is fairly old but in reasonable good shape. In 2009, we
>> modified it to have 4 full battens as well as the "STRONG" sail track
>> - a modification we really liked (black-type of plastic track
>> attached to the mast).
> 
> How old is "fairly old?"
> 
>> What do we
>> do for higher winds - a smaller Jib - something like an 80 or so
>> (above wind of 20 - 25 kts)??
> 
> A working jib is nice to have, and can be sheeted to the inside tracks (if Heron still has them) for better pointing.  Mike Meinhold demonstrated the value of a "blade" working jib (tall and slender) on this year's Wild Goose Chase.
> 
>> We were considering to install a
>> removable forestay? The mast has already the attachment for it (near
>> the spreaders). All that would need to be done is the
>> mounting/installation of the hull attachment (removable and
>> installable) near the "DOLPHIN" Windlass.D.)
> 
> Are you sure that's not the attachment for the spinnaker pole lift?
> 
>> The main sail - we were
>> thinking to modify it for another year and see how that would work.
>> ?!? The problem (our feeling) we always had - at around 10kts we need
>> the first reef. At about 15 - 20kts, we need the second reef. In most
>> cases, we have a lot of "WINDWARD" pressure, forcing us to open the
>> main sail quite a lot.
> 
> This sounds to me like the mainsail has quite a bit of belly.  Our old main was like that, and while excellent in light air, was a handful in normal to heavy wind.  I was amazed at the difference when we got a new main.
> 
>> Our modification idea is as follows:Remain the
>> Actual Luff at 31ftModify (reduce) the Actual Foot from 14.2 5ft to
>> 12.25ft
>> Having read that Carl Albergs design was apparently changed to some
>> extent by Kurt Hansen, we think that this modification would be
>> beneficial. This would reduce the size from 220sqft to about 190sqft
>> (reduction of 14%)??? This modification should be reasonably
>> inexpensive and give us another season to experience the sailing of
>> the A30. We also believe that it would not reduce the speed of the
>> A30 in any way.
> 
> How much do you want to put into an old main?  Are you planning to use that old main for your Atlantic crossing?
> 
> - George
> 
> -- 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>  When I remember bygone days                         George Dinwiddie
>  I think how evening follows morn;            gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
>  So many I loved were not yet dead,           http://www.Alberg30.org
>  So many I love were not yet born.                          also see:
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> 
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