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shorebird · 04-05-2013, 18:40

Put the main up today at the dock, but noticed I couldn't get the leech tight. The luff was snug, and all the way up, but when I eased up on the lazy-jacks to let the boom settle and snug up the leech, but the boom dropped so low it was resting on the dodger, and the lazy jacks were still supporting the boom. Shouldn't the lazy-jacks be slack so the boom and mainsheet tension the leech? At least for beating windward? What gives? Is the sail just worn? There is no vang on the boat.

Wakuu · 04-05-2013, 21:10

Sounds like you are missing a leach line. Important to have so the sail doesn't destroy the leach by flogging.

daddle · 04-05-2013, 21:16

The sail was meant for a different boat. But the price was good! Does it have a flattening cringle (water reef)?

Kestrahl · 05-05-2013, 00:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by shorebird

Put the main up today at the dock, but noticed I couldn't get the leech tight. The luff was snug, and all the way up, but when I eased up on the lazy-jacks to let the boom settle and snug up the leech, but the boom dropped so low it was resting on the dodger, and the lazy jacks were still supporting the boom. Shouldn't the lazy-jacks be slack so the boom and mainsheet tension the leech? At least for beating windward? What gives? Is the sail just worn? There is no vang on the boat.

Sounds like your sail doesn't fit. unlikely to stretch this much. If the sail is loose footed and you have room at the top of the mast to hoist the sail higher you could put a strop on the tack as this will lift the clew and the end of the boom.

Rubikoop · 05-05-2013, 03:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by shorebird

Put the main up today at the dock, but noticed I couldn't get the leech tight. The luff was snug, and all the way up, but when I eased up on the lazy-jacks to let the boom settle and snug up the leech, but the boom dropped so low it was resting on the dodger, and the lazy jacks were still supporting the boom. Shouldn't the lazy-jacks be slack so the boom and mainsheet tension the leech? At least for beating windward? What gives? Is the sail just worn? There is no vang on the boat.

Is your outhaul snug? If given enough slack you could end up with the situation you describe. Is the foot of the sail against the boom which is resting on the dodger or is it above the boom?

How does your forestay look? Was it eased for any reason? Any work done on the furler/head stay? Does the mast rake look the same to you? Any problem with chainplate on head stay? If the mast is raked back for ANY reason beyond where it was when the sail was removed, the boom could be too low.

Are you sure you have the correct sail?

shorebird · 05-05-2013, 04:13

Thanks for the replies. The sail has the insignia for the boat, (H-31) and all standing rigging looks correct. It is a loose-footed main. I will hoist again today and see if there is something else I can do.

daddle · 05-05-2013, 04:26

Wrong dodger? I can imagine some cruisers would never notice the problem ...

Rubikoop · 05-05-2013, 04:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by shorebird

Thanks for the replies. The sail has the insignia for the boat, (H-31) and all standing rigging looks correct. It is a loose-footed main. I will hoist again today and see if there is something else I can do.

So you've never had this sail on your boat? Do you have "a sail" that you know fits? Could you measure the sail that fits? Could you measure the sail you have and see how they compare? I thought the sail in question was one that you had taken off. I don't see where you indicated "I've acquired a sail and tried to put it on my boat and it doesn't fit. What should I do?" Then the answer would be, seek out a loft to alter it so it does.

What insignia a sail carries is mostly irrelevant. What a sail's measurements are is what matters.

shorebird · 05-05-2013, 18:12

Put the sail up today, its not the dodger, its the window for the cockpit enclosure, much higher than the dodger. There is no cunningham or vang on this boat, and it is the correct sail, so it appears there wasn't likely any anticipation of a cockpit enclosure, since they were not real common during the mid 80s when the boat was made. Whoever did the enclosure kind of pooched it though, but since its a bit of a "bells and whistles" cruiser, and we have been sailing all over Georgia strait and the Sunshine Coast for a couple years, we will continue with it. When we get a little more adept at the finer points of sail trim, we will likely be in a bigger better boat anyway.

Kestrahl · 05-05-2013, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by shorebird

Put the sail up today, its not the dodger, its the window for the cockpit enclosure, much higher than the dodger. There is no cunningham or vang on this boat, and it is the correct sail, so it appears there wasn't likely any anticipation of a cockpit enclosure, since they were not real common during the mid 80s when the boat was made. Whoever did the enclosure kind of pooched it though, but since its a bit of a "bells and whistles" cruiser, and we have been sailing all over Georgia strait and the Sunshine Coast for a couple years, we will continue with it. When we get a little more adept at the finer points of sail trim, we will likely be in a bigger better boat anyway.

I've see it a couple of times where canvas shops have made dodgers etc without realizing the boom is going hit it..... Then they would come to me and want the sail altered which is a disaster with all the patching reefs etc. if it is only a small amount and you can use the same patches its easy. One guy made his enclosure that big that the first reefing point on the Leech became the clew....

islandplanet · 06-05-2013, 16:29

Take off the canvas and go sailing. If you really need the canvas, it's time for a new main. You'd spend a substantial sum to modify the existing sail and if it's an older sail you'll be wasting money better spent on a sail designed for the boat. Or figure out a way to modify the canvas.