What a great description on sail shape and the furling process, it reminds me that sometimes its about knowing how to use what you already have and to not look outside for that quick fix magic bullet.
Taking your note one step further, in the archives there must be some solid information on rig tune and mast rake that enables the skipper to flatten the sail plan from the very start, could you direct this neophyte to that info.
Thanks,
Dave Techlin
"GUSTY" # 1532
Phil Agur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Patrick,
Ref: http://www.catalina27.org/SN-FTP/Sail%20Cuts.jpg
In a sail loft they would hang the sail horizontally with a taught luff and
pull on the sheet cringe to examine the shape and draft. You can do the same
by hoisting one and looking at its draft (depth of the foil shape) follow by
the other. The flatter one would be the reefing sail.
The simplest way to identify a reefing headsail would be to find a luff pad
sew behind the leach. A "Foam" luff pad was in vogue for a while but it
tended to degrade.
Trying to reefing a full cut headsail for high winds is bad because the
furler foil you are using to roll the sail gathers the cloth uniformly along
its length. That means the extra cloth that forms the draft for the fully
unrolled sail gets pushed back into the unrolled portion of the sail as you
go. The draft of the remaining portion of sail gets deeper. Very soon into
this process the shape is so bad the sail won't drive anymore and just
contributes a heavy heeling force and could force a lee helm condition.
Instead of being light and lively joy to sail in heavy air the boat sails
heavy and the skipper gets the feeling he's just hanging on.
A reefing headsail is cut flatter to start with and may not be effective
below 10 knots. When it gets rolled a luff pad built into the sail
effectively gives the furler a tapered foil skinny on the ends but thick in
the middle. As the cloth rolls up the thicker middle gathers the extra cloth
used to form the draft and the sail remains well shape and driving the boat
safely forward. The sail designer knows where to position the pad and how
thick it needs to be to match the cut of his sail so it can work quite well.
It's much better, if you don't have a reefing headsail, to learn how to
reshape the draft of a sail with luff tension controls and headsail twist
with fairlead position to adapt to changing wind conditions. In fact it
might be better if everyone learned this before relaxing with a reefing
headsail.
The main is adjusted in the same manner with luff tension controls to pull
the draft forward and flatten the draft while traveler position (and vang)
and allows the sail to twist off before reefing.
Phil Agur s/v Wing Tip
Commodore, Call Sign WCW3485
IC27/270A MMSI 366901790
www.catalina27.org Vessel Doc# 1039809
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Patrick R Ford
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 12:49 PM
To: IC27A
Subject: catalina27-talk: Headsail
Listers,
Article on furling and headsails in the August Mainsail
Technical Pull out section. There is a standard headsail
and reefing headsail.My sail came with the boat. How can I visually tell if
it is reefing or standard ? Why is a reefed, non
reefing sail " very bad in high winds " ?
Pat Ford
Seabiscuit 3692
Port Washington, WI
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