[Public-List] Main sail jackline(new sails)

[Michael via Public-List]

I thought the jackline was there as a function of the old roller 
furling; supporting that section of the luff cut back to allow for the 
furler mechanism on the boom, if you follow.
I have double reef points (slab or Jiffy reefing) with a jackline on my 
now very old Main. I don't double reef very often, but I can't recall 
the jackline being an issue when reefing. I know I keep all of the 
reefed sail attached to the mast slide, and that probably is because the 
jackline allows for "give".
A loose footed main doesn't sound very attractive to me-I am suspicious 
it is mostly cheaper construction technique. I would throw out the 
phrase  tip roll off when asking the sail maker, just to keep him 
honest. Also the double reef leaves a lot of material flopping around 
along the boom, I usually corral it all with a few loosely tied lines. I 
would think a loose foot would make that problematic.

MichaelGrosh
#220