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1. 

   ThisTripIsNecessary
   Member

   RWB, yes, a boom vang is also next on the list, justbought hardware for it, though I seem to have a somewhat steep angle for a vang since my mast does into a the deck, and the boom is not very high over that deck. Also,  I think I ought to beef up that rather thin wooden boom where the vang would attach.  When I am happy with configuration, I may get an aluminum boom.

   I bought this sail used, but not much used.  I think it is a Doyle/Boyle sail?  It was originally intended to be boomless, but both the original owner and I thought it would benefit from a boom. I tried it boomless once, then took out the heavy bottom batten and added this old wooden boom I had hanging around, and yes, it works better that way. I am used to ONLY standing lugs, which set well without vangs for some reason.  I was also used to short stayless masts.  I needed stays for this rig (I used 1/8" Vectran, tied off to horn cleats to avoid complex hardware -- works).  So.... this new sail/rig is a learning curve for me.  --Wade

   Posted 8 years ago #
2. 

   ZeroTheHero
   Member

   HoldYourCourse wrote:

   ThisTripIsNecessary wrote:

   Thanks for advice on the top batten of my square-toppish sail.  The problem then is that the twist is excessive, and I need to put a traveler bar in front of me (the boom ends a couple of feet in front of where I sit) across my 22 inch wide hull -- an inconvenience when I have to "go forward" to do something, but I could build it so that I can quickly detach one side and and rotate it aside to open up the cockpit. I am guessing that about 4 feet of traveler swing will be emough to haul down and get out some twist?

   My video around 1:56 shows a view of the twist in this sail. Is it my imagination?  Is the twist excessive? Video at   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2hvRJj128o -- Wade

    ThisTripIsnecessary,

   Don't change the sail, it looks great!!  The only changes maybe tightening the two top  battens. Your boom position is something to look at possibly knot off the traveler to center the boom closer to the center of the boat. By centering the boom more "effort,force,wind" should fill out the upper part of the sail. While sailing along trying to get a good angle up wind  keep in mind  the weather helm, the force on your rudder  If this increases drasticaly to the new boom position keep carfuly track of your speed and carefuly bare away. The angle that fills your sail and doesn't choke your hull is the perfect angle. A wind vane and a GPS could help you. 

   Grind away on the top two battens I do it all the time.

   Going down wind this is a great sail. Just let your outhaul out 6 inches and let out your boom an additional foot. Angle off your downwind about 30 to 40 degrees. Again a wind vane and a GPS could help you. 

   I love these new boats. All undiscovered potential....

   Holdyourcourse. 

   I agree with hold your course, sort of.  I too think that sail looks pretty good but if you were trying to point upwind you need to get the boom more to centerline.  I would also think twice about a vang.  To get the force you need you may very well break that boom.  Bring the block to centerline or slightly above and then trim the main.  I know that sounds weird but I used to trim main on a C&C and a Baltic where we moved the car on the main traveler sligtly to windward all the time.  The car can be to windward of centerline but the boom should not be, get it on center or close and use the sheet to vang the sail.  Because you have 2 forces acting on that spot (sheet down, sail up) the boom is less likely to fail than if you vang with a traditional vang.  Also your sheet is so short between the blocks you could almost 2 block that rig (both main sheet blocks touching) upwind if the lower block was in the right position.  Plus adding a vang would be one more thing to deal with when raising or lowering the sail.  And I think you could grind the battens but I still wouldn't.  That sail is so small the forces are probably way under the spec on the battens but once you take off too much it's hard to put it back.  Also I doubt thay will help reduce twist.  I think vang or sheet tension is the answer, just be careful how you get it.

   Posted 8 years ago #
3. 

   Sailmaker
   Member

   A little more luff downhaul would help.  If that doesn't do it.  A stiffer mast and boom would be the cure.  

   Posted 8 years ago #
4. 

   Sailmaker
   Member

   Sailmaker wrote:

   A little more luff downhaul would help.  If that doesn't do it.  A stiffer mast and boom would be the cure.  

   The way the sail is set in the video all the forces are working on the individual parts of the sail.  If you increase the luff downhaul until you eliminate the diagonal wrinkles the forces will be working more through the whole skin of the sail and the skin and batens will combine more effectively to decrease twist. 

   Posted 8 years ago #

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