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Downhaul for the main

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5378 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/28/2010 : 11:50:49

In the past few weeks with stronger winds that usually accompany the Fall, I've found it important to be able to douse the main quickly.

How many use a downhaul on their main (and for those without headsail furlers for their jib) for this purpose and how have you set it up?

First guess for me is to connect a thin (3/8" or 1/2") line to the main halyard shackle or the head grommet, running the line down the starboard side of the sail, hitting a block on the starboard side of the mast step and bringing the line into the cockpit through the second brake (the first one controls the main halyard).

I wonder whether the line would interfere with hoisting the main, get tangled in the shrouds or loop around the stanchions? Is there any way to positively prevent the line from going slack while under sail? Is this a potential problem?

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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5902 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2010 : 12:14:51

The mainsail should drop freely as soon as the halyard is released, so there's no need for a downhaul. If it doesn't drop freely, then a sheave might be frozen, and/or the slide track might be damaged or need to be cleaned. As a general rule, the mainsail should only be lowered while heading to windward.

A downhaul is sometimes rigged on the jib, because the jib can occasionally be picked up by a gust and start to fly, but most people who do so are sailing in a location where they are likely to encounter big waves, and they want to avoid going to the foredeck in such conditions, when waves are breaking over the bow. The same reasoning is not really applicable to the mainsail, because the coach roof isn't likely to be plunging up and down through the waves. A jib downhaul isn't really necessary on a small lake. I've never seen a mainsail downhaul on a sailboat, although someone might have rigged one for some reason.

I don't think you'll find anything on it in our archives, because I don't remember it being discussed.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 09/28/2010 12:18:08

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2010 : 12:43:10

There are several threads on this--[url="http://catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20445&whichpage=1&SearchTerms=dousing"]here's one[/url] that includes Jim Baumgart's suggestion for turning dead-downwind and centering the boom. It also includes my description of the main "dousing line" I installed on (ready for this) Passage. (Her intermediate owner probably removed it or didn't know what it was.) I agree that it's not as important for the main as for a jib--I rigged one for the jib on my daysailor because not only was the little foredeck sometimes an unpleasant place to be, but the a strong headwind would try to push the jib back up the forestay. Passage, of course, has that wonderful roller.

Although I used Bill Holcomb's dish soap idea, Passage's main would often drop only about 3/4 of the way and get hung up. I decided I wanted to be able to get it the rest of the way without jumping up on the cabin. I had a spare clutch, so I ran the 1/4" (or 3/16"?) rope through it--overkill, but it was there. When hoisting, I dropped the dousing line down the companionway so it would run freely through the clutch, and then snugged it after the sail was up.

Based on my experience with the jib douser on the other boat, I tied the main douser at the topmost slug--not to the halyard shackle or the head of the sail. I had found that if the line was made to the top, it would tend to pull the head board to the side, binding the top hank (or slug).

It worked pretty well for us.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 09/28/2010 12:53:58

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2010 : 13:12:29

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Voyager
 ...connect a thin (3/8" or 1/2") line to the main halyard shackle...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">That's thin??

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calden
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2010 : 14:13:25

I sail on inland lakes and use a jib dowser. It's saved my bacon a few times. I get the main hung up when I forget to turn into the wind and battens catch on the spreaders. Operator error, but I can see where a main dowser might be useful if winds suddenly pick up and things start to go awry.

Carlos

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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5378 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2010 : 15:13:21

Yes, I meant 3/16" (5mm) and 1/4" (6mm). Dave, you don't miss a trick! I always preferred decimals anyway.

Mostly, after spraying the sail track and slides with silicone, the main will generally come right down when pointed into the wind.

But, I've been in the situation with shifty conditions where I'd point downwind, release the main, then get backwinded and the boat will swing onto a beam reach. At that point, I'd wished I had a ripcord to yank down the main.

Edited by - on

Mark Maxwell
Captain

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USA
329 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2010 : 16:37:03

Thinking outloud...
Do you have 1 or 2 reef points? You may not have to run a douse line to the head of the sail. The baggy part when back winded is less than half halfway up. Where a second reef point would be. That 2nd reef point really de-powers the main quickly

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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5378 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2010 : 17:52:00

I've got only one reef point. Wish I had two. I will experiment with tying the downhaul to different points on the sail slides. Maybe 2/3rd of the way up would be sufficient. In the past, I've found I'd like the sail all the way down on the way in, but in terms of windage, that may be overkill.

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2010 : 18:54:21

Bruce--maybe I was unclear... Tying to the top slug worked fine--it's the very top (head) of the sail I'd advise against.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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5378 Posts

Response Posted - 09/29/2010 : 05:34:45

I think Mark may be onto something. I'd like to keep the downhaul as short as possible...

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 09/29/2010 : 07:25:48

As Steve said, you shouldn't need it for most of the drop--just the last few feet. The luffing sail should fall most of the way until there isn't enough weight to keep pulling it. I hauled it down just the last 5-6' so I could slap some ties on and bear off for home.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 09/29/2010 07:28:27

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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5378 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2010 : 18:14:44

Hooked up a trial downhaul today with some spare parts and line I had laying around.

I ran the downhaul parallel to the halyard line (block on the mast step, through the deck mounted blocks and through the spare line brake / jam cleat).

It worked PERFECTLY!

I was able to feed the downhaul line as I raised the main. It did not stick one bit.

Then later, on my way back to the dock on my way up-river, I unlocked the halyard and pulled on the down haul, and that pulled the sail straight down without any hangups.

Once down, I was able to get a velcro stretchie wrapped around the body of the sail. It was secure, done and out of my line of sight. I don't know why I hadn't done it sooner! Makes dousing the main child's play, instead of a struggle.

By the way, I tied the end of the downhaul to topmost sail slide, one down from the head. Brought the whole thing down.

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2010 : 20:37:58

Just like she used to be!

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