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Sail Shape/Trimming

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Blue Nose
1st Mate

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67 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/11/2009 : 10:51:42

Yesterday I was sailing in steady 10-15 mph winds and having a blast. The one thing that was puzzling me (well maybe more than one) is the sail shape and trimming. No matter what I did the trailing edge of the mainsail would flap between the 2 and third stays when the wind would blow steady or gust. I did notice that I had a 40-45 degree twist in the main which I couldn't seem to change either. The vang was tight as was everthing else? Where should I have started to try and trim it out. The genoa was doing the same as well but I had it about 20% furled.

Is this normal or are there things I can do to get both sails quiet and tight?

1986 C-25 FK Tall Rig
"Blue Nose"
Mobjack Bay, Virginia

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2009 : 11:14:50

By stays I think you mean battens.

Where was your traveller? High side or low side, and how far over?

How old and stretched are your sails?

What were your streamers doing?

How much backstay tension did you have?

If I were guessing, I would guess that you didn't have enough backstay tension and that your traveller was too far over on the leeward side, and that you should have pulled in your mainsheet more. Not being there makes this all conjecture.

If you had of hardened your sheets and sheeted to the high side, your boat would have leaned more. The backstay tension would flatten the sail a bunch, which would have acted to make it possible to let the sheet out until you got the right balance of heel and power.

Now lets hear what the pros say...

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2009 : 11:49:58

there is something called a leech line which is a very fine line sewn into the back of the mainsail. Tighten this up to stop the flapping but don't cup the sail. This helps flatten a worn sail.

Sounds like way too much twist! Harden the halyard, tighten outhaul, no topping lift, vang on. Backstay medium-hard if you got an adjustable (but then your rigging needs to be tuned properly for an adjustable backstay).

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Blue Nose
1st Mate

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67 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2009 : 13:29:03

How do you tighten the leech line?

On my boat the previous owner had tied off the traveler in a stationary position. It is centered. I will have to replace the line to make it adjustable. Halyard was hard, outhaul was tight, topping was slack. The adjustable backstay isn't even hooked up - maybe that is the culprit???

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2009 : 06:56:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Blue Nose
 How do you tighten the leech line?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

If your sail is equipped, the leech line, usually just a small diameter cord sewn into the leech of the sail, is adjusted on the sail itself. My main has a small nylon clam cleat device sewn into the sail to fasten the line. To adjust, simply tighten the leech line until the fluttering stops.

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2009 : 07:10:19

Blue,
My main does not have a leech line and it flaps continuously between the 2nd and 3rd battens in winds 10 knots and above. No amount of tweaking the traveler, vang, halyards or sheets has eliminated it. You can have a loft install a leech line but other than that, or replacing the sail, I think your just going to have to learn to love it.

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Blue Nose
1st Mate

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67 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2009 : 07:52:03

Thanks so much! I will look fo the leech line otherwise I will live with it until I buy a new sail. Good to know! thanks !

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2009 : 08:14:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dlucier
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Blue Nose
 How do you tighten the leech line?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> ...simply tighten the leech line until the fluttering stops.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">...just barely enough to stop it--no more.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.