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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Cunningham method

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Cool Breeze
Deckhand

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Canada
8 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/05/2008 : 07:36:35

Cool Breeze here again.
I notice that there are wrinkles in the mainsail luff. There are two eyelets in the sail head for the halyard. Which one is best to attach the halyard? Also, I installed a couple cleats at each side of mast bottom and bought a cunningham hook. After the main is up, I attach this cunningham hook to the cunningham cringle and pull down as hard as possible and cleat it off trying to reduce the wrinkes and get better airflow across the luff of the sail. Am I on the right track? I was thinking of putting a block on the deck at the bottom of mast to try and get more leverage before I cleat it off ... would that be an improvement?
Thanks,
Cool Breeze (Wayne and Karen)

Cool Breeze
2003 C250WB #694

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2008 : 10:02:51

You are on the right track for wrinkle removal with the cunningham, but this should only be required in high winds, above 15kts (18mph). I have found the 250 sails best at 15-20 degrees of heel, which under full main and 135 jib exceeds the 20 degree point at around 10 to 12 kts (11.5 to 14 mph). At this point I reef the main and find no requirement for the cunningham since I have plenty of halyard to tighten the luff. The two holes in the headboard are setup for the main halyard under full sail or reefed. The forward hole, closest to the luff, is for full sail, the other for reefed main.

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willy
Captain

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USA
422 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2008 : 17:38:34

Wayne,
Could the wrinkle in your sail be from main halyard slippage? When I get my sail properly raised, I have no wrinkle. Unfortunately my main halyard is just a tad too small for the clutch and it sneaks down and wrinkles. I plan on replacing the halyard with one a bit bigger but I'm just wondering if you are approaching this problem from the wrong end!
Willy

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Cool Breeze
Deckhand

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Canada
8 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 01:40:42

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by willy
 Wayne,
Could the wrinkle in your sail be from main halyard slippage? When I get my sail properly raised, I have no wrinkle. Unfortunately my main halyard is just a tad too small for the clutch and it sneaks down and wrinkles. I plan on replacing the halyard with one a bit bigger but I'm just wondering if you are approaching this problem from the wrong end!
Willy
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hi Willy,
I get the main halyard creep too when the clutch lets go a tad. I never thought it might be due to the halyard being to small ... hmmm. Seems to me I read somewhere though that halyard tension is good for keeping the top portion (maybe 2/3) of the luff wrinkle free, but that lower portions of the luff are best controlled with a cunningham. I am leery about winching the halyard too hard and as you say, it slips anyway! Anyone else have an opinion on this one because to me it is a key issue if only to have the main lookin' nice & purdy when full.
Wayne

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 08:18:05

Firts, I use the halliard to set the luff tension so that, when the boat is sailing downwind, the luff will be relaxed, with no perpendicular or diagonal curls in the sail. Then I use the cunningham to increase the luff tension when the boat is sailing to windward. That gives the boat the optimum luff tension and sail shape for both courses.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 08:46:31

Turk,
When you reef you don't actually lower your sail all the way to move the halyard shackle, do you?

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 08:53:42

Reading from "how to trim sails" last night. Main can be set up with either tension from the halyard or cunningham. The halyard set up hard will close the leach especially up top, the cunningham will open the leach.

I'm trying to add a halyard mast plate and run the halyards back to the cabin and add a block at the bottom to run the cunningham to the strbrd mast cleat.

I've got rope halyards, and I've always used to downhaul to do this but I think the cunningham will give me more frward luff and open the leech.

regards.ray

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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.