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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

reefing with loose foot sail

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dlewis812
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/07/2008 : 08:35:51

new mainsail i recently purchased is loose foot. when reefing assume should not tie down to the boom? (just sail itself and thus keeping it loose)

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2008 : 10:02:50

Loose or bolt-rope foot, it's the same. Use the tie-downs only to loosely organize the sail--they should never be tight. Only the reef tack and clew are tensioned.

Oops--I see what you're asking. Yes.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 09/07/2008 10:04:28

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2008 : 11:22:07

Do you notice any performance or handling differences from your previous sail? (and, did you have a bolt rope main?)

I'm considering the purchase of a new main sail this winter.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2008 : 12:38:00

Stamp: If you want real shape control, loose-footed is the only way to go--with a multi-part outhaul.

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2008 : 13:11:53

At this point, I'm going with loose footed...unless I hear otherwise.

I'm very impressed with the improvement my new 110 jib made, so I want complete the upgrade by adding the right main. Now that I've made two major repairs to my main I know that the next problem will be a terminal one for this old main, which could be the original.

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2008 : 13:12:53

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dlewis812
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2008 : 16:11:42

loose foot seems to work very well. although was replacement for the original ('86), so really hard to compare.

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 09:55:47

My main was loose-footed when I bought the boat, and a while back I added an adjustable outhaul made from an old mainsheet block and tackle with a cam cleat, based on info learned here. Easy mod. Had to pick up a new D-shackle.

Last week while sailing on a beam reach in maybe 8 knots of wind I noticed the outhaul was pulled in, so I released the outhaul and slid the clew about 6 inches forward and reset the outhaul. The foot curved outward with the breeze and the boat accelerated immediately by about 0.5 knot due to the improved sail shape.

That's why it's nice to have a loose-footed main.

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 10:35:35

Maybe I'm missing the point but if you are having to reef your main sail it is because you are overpowered so I doubt whether you lash it to the boom or not is not going to matter much. I thought the loose footed main sail was to take advantage of the sail shape in lighter winds. In heavy winds you will be getting plenty of power from the fore sail and the shape of the main sail will be inconsequential. I would reef it to the boom just for security sake.
JMHO

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dlewis812
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 10:57:03

good point.. just wasn't sure, since meant to be loose footed then should be as well while reefed (and not bad for the sail)

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 11:49:41

The issue of lashing it to the boom through the kringles is merely done to keep things in order. Most kringles on either type of sail, loose or bolt roped, are reinforced. the reinforcement however still might not be enough for some of the loads on the sail under the wind conditions.. For that reason many elect not to lash down any part of the sail, excluding of course the new tack and clew (leach and luff reefing kringles). The nice part about a loose footed main is that you can gather the sail and essentially tie it to itself.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 11:59:14

To Joe's point, I recommend using the reef ties to bundle the sail to itself (above the boom), for the reason Duane mentions. The reef-tie cringles are not meant to take any sifnificant load like the tack and clew are. If the loose-footed sail is tied down around the boom and the foot bows the slightest amount in higher winds, the tie-downs could rip the sail. Even if you tie loosely, you can't be sure how the sail shape is going to pull against the ties in strong wind (which is what you're reefing for). Why take the chance?

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 12:01:04

The reefing lines at the tack and clew are heavy and meant to hold the entire sail under load. The smaller reefing ties can rip out if tied around the boom, and as Dave said first and then Duane mentioned above, these are tied under the reefed loose-footed mains'l above the boom to gather the foot of the sail for neatness.

Edited by - JohnP on 09/09/2008 12:03:09

dlewis812
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 12:04:05

those were my initial thoughts!

thanks

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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1181 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2008 : 12:32:18

Sloop said, <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Maybe I'm missing the point <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No maybe about it. Dave, Duane and John are correct that reef cringles are not meant to hold the sail under load. I did some searches and main sails are notorious for ripping directly above the reefing cringle patches when loads are increased. Better to restrict those loads to the areas of the sail that are designed to accept them, which in the case of a loose-footed main sail is the tack and the clew.

Edited by - Sloop Smitten on 09/09/2008 12:33:08

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