Paul McLaughlin
Walnut Creek, CA
Boat Name: Tiare
Model/Year: C22 Swing keel, 1982
Hull No. 10890
Hailing Port: SF Bay |
 06/13/2006 7:48 AM Pacific Time
Can anyone tell me the advantages and disadvantages of a loose-footed main vs. one with a bolt rope on the foot? |
Dave Amundson
League City, Texas
Boat Name: Dove
Model/Year: Wing Keel /1989
Hull No. 14897
Hailing Port: Galveston Bay |
06/14/2006 4:25 AM Pacific Time
Paul,
I’m put a loose-footed main on my Catalina 22 (wingkeel) sailboat a couple years ago and I love it. While I don’t race my sailboat I still like to be (what I call) an efficient sailor. The loose footed main give you more control over your sail shape. With the foot of the main being loose you can ease out the sail using the outhaul and give it more depth. With the traditional main you loose the ability to shape the bottom 20 percent or so of your sail due to the fact that it is attached to the boom. It’s great in lighter winds you can blouse the main out by loosening the outhaul to provide a sail-shape that extends all the way down the sail. In stronger winds you can bring the outhaul out (tauter) to flatten the sail. All in all it maintains the shape of the sail all the way to the boom. My main also has full battens. Another feature that you might consider if you’re shopping mainsails.
My motto is: The more strings, the more fun...
|
Paul McLaughlin
Walnut Creek, CA
Boat Name: Tiare
Model/Year: C22 Swing keel, 1982
Hull No. 10890
Hailing Port: SF Bay |
06/14/2006 7:20 AM Pacific Time
Thanks.
I not a racing enthusiast either, but also I enjoy the challenge of getting all I can out of the wind.
The control you describe sounds like what I am after. I have noticed that the outhaul on my old main doesn't quite have the effects that I've seen on friends boats. Could just be the age and mileage on my main.
You described all positive. Are there any down sides to a loose-footed main? |
Dick King
Melbourne, FL
Boat Name: Twilight Zone
Model/Year: Sport/2005
Hull No. 15546
Hailing Port: Melbourne, FL |
06/14/2006 6:31 PM Pacific Time
Downsides - There is no place for the ship's cat to sun itself. There is no catch basin for fresh water from a rainstorn. Make sure the clew of the sail has a boom slide attached to it. Otherwise, easing the outhaul eases the leech as well as the foot. |
Lynn Buchanan
Nevada City, CA
Boat Name: SAILYNN
Model/Year: SWING 1984
Hull No. 11994
Hailing Port: SCOTTS FLAT LAKE, CA |
06/15/2006 10:32 AM Pacific Time
another thing is it is easier to put the foot of the sail on the boom as there is only one slug which is inserted and pulled to the back of the boom. that's why it is easier to adjust a loose footed main because there is less friction than when using a bolt rope along the foot, so the mail loosens and tightens with less effort and faster. racers usually roll their mains, remove them and store them in a bag below deck, and not having a bolt rope to feed in and take out makes putting the sail on the boom easier. |
Peter
Stamford, CT
Boat Name: Au Contraire
Model/Year: Catalina 22 1986
Hull No. 13325
Hailing Port: Stamford |
06/16/2006 4:17 AM Pacific Time
Question 1:
When you are in heavy weather is the loose footed main an issue?
Question 2:
A little off topic. I go to Hong Kong and China every year. I am thinking of having some sails made for me over there. Where can I get patterns for making good sails? Or, does the sail maker need only know that the sails are for a C-22? |
Dick King
Melbourne, FL
Boat Name: Twilight Zone
Model/Year: Sport/2005
Hull No. 15546
Hailing Port: Melbourne, FL |
06/17/2006 4:47 AM Pacific Time
Peter - Question 1: If you are sailing in "heavy" weather, your mainsail should be reefed, so that the kind of foot it has is not an issue. A reefed mainsail is in fact loose footed, held to the boom only by the reef cringles.
Question 2: If you have to give the sailmaker a pattern for your sails, I suggest you find another sailmaker. |
Michael & Barbara Day
Selma, Oregon
Boat Name: Godspeed II
Model/Year: 1975
Hull No. 5316
Hailing Port: Howard Prairie Lake |
12/01/2006 3:31 PM Pacific Time
Hello all,
I have made sail repairs in the past on other boats I have owned and sailed. Last one (which I hated to part with was a Pearson Countess 44). My question deals with loose fitting the Main for the Cat 22. Where does the slide (slug) go in relation to the clew? Leave the boltrope on? Remove altogether? I have a walking foot sewing machine, so can do the repairs myself.
Thanks to all the contributors on all of the forums.
Mike
Selma, Oregon |
Paul McLaughlin
Walnut Creek, CA
Boat Name: Tiare
Model/Year: C22 Swing keel, 1982
Hull No. 10890
Hailing Port: SF Bay |
12/02/2006 3:08 PM Pacific Time
I have an older main. the bolt rope on the foot at the clew was starting to slip out of the boom on windier days. I took it a sail loft for advise. They advised me to let them covert the sail to a loose foot. They said I'd get better control on the sail shape. I let them do it and I am a lot happier with how I can shape the sail and my 4:1 outhaul is a lot easier to use. I've put off replacing my main for at least a year or so.
Here's a list of the things the loft did on the sail. The cut off the bolt rope and put on new tabling with a foot line inside with a small cleat. They put on a clew slide with two refinforcing webbing strips going 6" or so radially from the clew. They aslo pressed in a new clew grommet.
Incidently, the loft was Rooster Sails in Alameda, CA. I recommend them: great advise, quick turn around, quality work, nice guys, the repair was a lot less than I thought it would be.
Hope that helps. Good luck. |
Jim Kuertz
Cincinnati, Ohio
Boat Name: Almost Heaven III
Model/Year: 1989 Wing
Hull No. 14834
Hailing Port: Indian Lake, Ohio |
12/10/2006 2:44 PM Pacific Time
Dave,
What sailmaker did you go with for your lose footed main?
Jim |
Paul McLaughlin
Walnut Creek, CA
Boat Name: Tiare
Model/Year: C22 Swing keel, 1982
Hull No. 10890
Hailing Port: SF Bay |
12/11/2006 7:06 AM Pacific Time
I assume your question is directed to me.
I have an old main (may even be the original equipment) which I recently had converted to loose footed by Rooster Sails in Alameda, CA. |
Paul McLaughlin
Walnut Creek, CA
Boat Name: Tiare
Model/Year: C22 Swing keel, 1982
Hull No. 10890
Hailing Port: SF Bay |
12/11/2006 9:11 AM Pacific Time
Duh. It would help if I read the whole thing. You weren't asking me. Nevermind. |
Dave Amundson
League City, Texas
Boat Name: Dove
Model/Year: Wing Keel /1989
Hull No. 14897
Hailing Port: Galveston Bay |
12/12/2006 6:05 AM Pacific Time
Jim;
I purchased my mainsail from Catalina Direct and was extremely satisfied with their service. My sail was build by Ullman Sails.
Here's a link for ya:
http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_ID=14
-Dave-
|
Jim Kuertz
Cincinnati, Ohio
Boat Name: Almost Heaven III
Model/Year: 1989 Wing
Hull No. 14834
Hailing Port: Indian Lake, Ohio |
12/12/2006 6:14 AM Pacific Time
Dave,
Thank you for the information on the main.
Jim |
