[Public-List] Main sail modification?

[George Dinwiddie]

Bruno & Elyse,

On 10/31/10 8:39 PM, elyse.pastor at sympatico.ca wrote:
>
> ??How old is "fairly old?"
> We only own the Boat since 2008 - thus have no idea on the age of the
> sail. But we are certain that it is older then 10 years and our guess
> is 15, 20 or even more. However, we had a sail manufacturer (Triton,
> Ontario) modify it in spring 2009 and they thought, that the sail was
> not in such a bad condition that we needed to purchase a new-one.
> Thus they made the new set of full battens with the new style of
> rail.

The suitability of a sail is a relationship between the sail and the 
intended use.  With good cloth and a smooth though full shape, I suspect 
that you could get years of lake sailing, particularly if you don't mind 
reefing early.  Blue-water sailing, or racing, might be a different matter.

>   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?
>
> Well my guess was as mentioned. How could we exactly know???

I think the proper location for an inner forestay would be higher.  In 
either case, an inner forestay might require running backstays.  I'm not 
sure that the aft lowers will provide sufficient support even for a 
forestay attached at the spreaders.  The calculations to determine that 
are beyond me, though.

I don't know of any Alberg 30s that have fitted an inner forestay, 
though the sailplan drawing (http://alberg30.org/boat/A30brochure3.jpg) 
suggests the possibility (above the spreader).

>   How much do you want to put into an old main? Are you planning to use
>   that old main for your Atlantic crossing?
>
> The idea was to sail it one more season (2011) and get more
> experience in every aspect.

If this trip to Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is a shakedown to prepare for 
an ocean crossing, I think that I (in your position) would want to be 
doing so with the equipment (as much as possible) I'd be choosing for 
the crossing.  It sounds like you want to re-cut the sail just for one 
year's use.

  - George

-- 
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   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:
                'The Middle' by Ogden Nash     http://idiacomputing.com
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