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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

tell tales for mainsail leech?

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HeelinPatrick
Navigator

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USA
102 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/08/2009 : 15:46:27

I plan to add some mainsail leech tell tales (to determine twist) on the mains for boats I have (few dinghies and ice boat), but not finding anything on the net. To clarify, this would ribbon like tell tail that is attached to the end of an upper batten on trailing edge of the main. A typical yarn tell tale wouldn't work too well, since it isn't quite long enough, and wouldn't be real visible (too thin).

Anyone know where to get these, or of what material to make one from? And what is the proper spelling, tell tale, tail, telltale?

Just a few more days 'til the docks are in...

Patrick Moran
1981 SR/SK w/trailer
#2303 - "Chili Mas"
Lincoln, NE

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HeelinPatrick
Navigator

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USA
102 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2009 : 15:48:52

Just replying so I could subscribe to topic.

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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2009 : 16:49:48

I have always thought tell tail; except when I was thinking it was tell tale.

I have always liked ripstop for tell tails. There is a lot of air pressure coming off that leech, the tell tail doesn't need to be all that light of weight. I usually have a full set on the leech.

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HeelinPatrick
Navigator

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USA
102 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2009 : 09:00:24

Thanks! Didn't know that material was called ripstop, that was the ribbon material I was trying to describe.

Beautiful main too, like the full battens, and no cupping on the luff!

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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2009 : 09:35:38

I am a big fan of full battens, I sail in high winds a lot and I hate flogging. The fact that my main is reefed in that photo means it was blowing at least in the mid 20s, see how still the sail is... me like.

Edited by - pastmember on 04/09/2009 09:37:12

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2009 : 16:37:05

I think ours are ribbons, I should check. Anyone have tips to prevent from sticking to the sail?

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Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2009 : 00:47:25

I have a pack of teltails here. Says Ripstop Nylon. I sowed 4 of them at the leach where the battens are. I chose red, but hear white is better if sailing at night.

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2009 : 14:43:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I am a big fan of full battens, I sail in high winds a lot and I hate flogging.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Same here.

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pastmember
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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2009 : 14:50:56

Hi O

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dave holtgrave
Captain

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USA
427 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2009 : 08:05:08

patrick
if you can find 3/4 or 1-1/2 oz spinnaker material you got the exact material that comes in the small oackages at west marine.

they are proud of their prices for a package it usally about 7-9 dollars.

if you want you can use old VHS, casette tape for a great subtitute.

i use them for shroud tell tails.
yoiu may have to replace them every once in a while but, not expensive.

DO JUST THE TOP TWO BATTENS.

keep it heeling.

dave holtgrave
soon to by wet near carlyle lake in southern illinos.

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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2009 : 10:22:41

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dave holtgrave
 

DO JUST THE TOP TWO BATTENS.

keep it heeling.

dave holtgrave
soon to by wet near carlyle lake in southern illinos.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Dave, I love your passion.
If a sailor is a closet engineer, (and I believe most sailors are), then rigging choices are the result of a weighted formula. The variables are fairly consistent, it is the weighting which reflects one's personal goal. As a Catalina 25 owner I weighted convenience very high. I did that for two reasons, first is that boats that are easy rig and put away get used more and second, at my age I single hand a lot and ease of boat handling makes a single hander sail more. A full batten main is a dream to manage on a boom, in a pinch a single hitch of the boom vang tail will gather and hold the entire main on the boom, that makes coming in as a single hander so wonderfully easy. The full battens also make it easy for guests to gather the main and tie it off on the boom and we all know that the easier something is for a guest to do correctly the better for everyone. As for sail shape, I am so impressed with the power of a full batten main in very light air that I think it is a real benefit. When you have everyone sitting to leeward in light air it is real nice that the main has a perfect shape. I think the nuanced improvement in other wind conditions one could get from only using full battens at the top is a benefit I would value more on a Capri 25 or the ilk. As wise people here often say, your mileage may vary, i.e. a sailor should weight the formula to their own goals.

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Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2009 : 12:26:18

I use black ripstop and a light weight sail repair tape to attach them just above each batten.
When it comes time to replace then I find the tape comes off reasonably easily.
I think I do all four, can I ask why you would just do the two top ones?

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