Clew or Tack - I can't tell which is which!!

[Ianqv]

Ok - so its better to look an idiot for a short period of time than for the rest of your life..... well at least I think so!!

I have a Momentum cruising chute which we flew on Sunday out in the Blackwater.
With the recent thread in mind (spot the mistake - where the clew and take where the wrong way around).
I was concerned that ours was the wrong way around, so I swapped them over.... to be honest, I could get it flying pretty well either way!! So now I'm confused on what is the right way around!!
Is there any way to confirm what is the clew / tack? (and no, it is not written on the sail!!).

I'm confident that I have the top part of the sail right!! it's just everything else I'm clueless on!!!

Thanks in advance

Ian

 

[Lucky Duck]

My kite has clew/head/tack on each pointy bit, I take it yours doesn't?

 

[Ianqv]

haven't a clue!

My kite has clew/head/tack on each pointy bit, I take it yours doesn't?

Sadly not!

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Start at the head and gradually work your way down the sail pairing the two 'sides' of the sail... When you get to the bottom of one, you'll know which is the longer... That'll be the clew.

If they're the same then fly it either way!

 

[FullCircle]

To avoid this embarassing issue in future, I suggest you invest in a Magic furl. That way, you just hoist and unroll.
No mess or fuss.

 

[tillergirl]

Mine's the same and to confuse the issue one corner is red and one green with the other side (of the red and green) being blue! I resolved to rememebr last time I hoisted it (a couple of weeks ago) but to be honest I've forgotton already.

 

[dt4134]

For a cruising chute, which is an assymetric, just hoist it. There will be more curve in the leech and less in the luff. Work out which is which and write it on for next time.

If the "GBR" comes anywhere near the cockpit you've confused the head with the clew.

 

[wilkinsonsails]

Start at the head and gradually work your way down the sail pairing the two 'sides' of the sail... When you get to the bottom of one, you'll know which is the longer... That'll be the clew.

If they're the same then fly it either way!

Cruising chutes not a clew.
The longest edge is the luff !the bottom corner of that is the tack .
The shorter of the two sides down from the head is the leech,this is the clew .
You lot must spend a lot of time flying chutes back to front.
Cindy

 

[sailorman]

Cruising chutes not a clew.
The longest edge is the luff !the bottom corner of that is the tack .
The shorter of the two sides down from the head is the leech,this is the clew .
You lot must spend a lot of time flying chutes back to front.
Cindy

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Cruising chutes not a clew.
The longest edge is the luff !the bottom corner of that is the tack .
The shorter of the two sides down from the head is the leech,this is the clew .
You lot must spend a lot of time flying chutes back to front.
Cindy

Personally, i prefer upside down...

 

[Ianqv]

Chute

Well... I don't think I've got it up side down!! (yet)!!!

 

[davidwf]

Tack is normally Green, and the clew Red.

However I have also written on mine.

 

[MoodySabre]

Mine came with a sheet attached to one corner and has stayed that way. No need to reinvent it each time.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Mine came with a sheet attached to one corner and has stayed that way. No need to reinvent it each time.

I think you'll find that was a halyard Roger.....

 

[MoodySabre]

I think you'll find that was a halyard Roger.....

It's nice having the snuffer at deck level when the chute is flying

 

[FullCircle]

Mine's the same and to confuse the issue one corner is red and one green with the other side (of the red and green) being blue! I resolved to rememebr last time I hoisted it (a couple of weeks ago) but to be honest I've forgotton already.

Ooh, mines Pink....

 

[Leighb]

One clue is that the sailmaker usually puts his mark on the tack.

 

[tillergirl]

Tack is normally Green, and the clew Red.

However I have also written on mine.

Now I don't want to be accused of logic here but if they are going to use two colours for each corner, why not do the tack blue both sides and the clew red one side and green the other?

 

[tillergirl]

One clue is that the sailmaker usually puts his mark on the tack.

Yeah but if it's in the snuffer, you can't see the mark

 

[DanTribe]

Personally, i prefer upside down...

One Burnham Week, after a good night at the clubs, we hoisted our spinnaker sideways.
The worry was that it took a while to work out why the pole wouldn't fit!