Hoisting the main to dampen motion

[rigpigpaul]

Hi All, I am tied to the outer harbour wall in Las Palmas (on a drill ship) and have a birds eye view of yachts arriving. Most of them are coming from the north and most are motoring with out sails up.
I was taught to raise the main to reduce /dampen the the motion of the boat. A yacht came past yesterday, light winds and a following sea, with no main up. The yacht was pitching and rolling like a cork. Why do you think he never raised his main?
regards RPP

 

[Kelpie]

With swell on the beam, the main can help reduce rolling. However if the motion is more random, as your description suggests, then the sail is more likely to slat; the noise and the wear on the sail may outweigh any advantage.
I usually drop the main when things get choppy or there is too much pitching- can't stand the noise.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Why do you think he never raised his main?
regards RPP

Entering an unknown port, one less thing to do. It's S A F E R to prepare - flotilla sailor's mantra -

Sails down
Anchor ready
Fenders positioned
Engine on
Ropes ready

Or perhaps they just don't mind discomfort!
Or brains were in neutral

 

[vyv_cox]

The one thing a sailmaker loves to see is yachts motoring into the wind with the mainsail hoisted. Destroys the cloth faster than anything else.

I find that when motoring in swells and light winds having the main hoisted is of no value at all unless the wind is between about 30 and 100 degrees to our course. Otherwise it flaps, which is annoying and damaging.

 

[charles_reed]

The one thing a sailmaker loves to see is yachts motoring into the wind with the mainsail hoisted. Destroys the cloth faster than anything else.

I find that when motoring in swells and light winds having the main hoisted is of no value at all unless the wind is between about 30 and 100 degrees to our course. Otherwise it flaps, which is annoying and damaging.

I seldom just motor to windward - always motorsail - it's faster to tack and use the main to get some drive than to try bashing direct to windward. Tack through 90 degrees which gives an apparent wind of 30 degrees. Worst of all, however, is no wind and a sea running, causing the main to volley and slat. That I would suggest is the sailmakers' delight.

 

[Chris_Robb]

The one thing a sailmaker loves to see is yachts motoring into the wind with the mainsail hoisted. Destroys the cloth faster than anything else.

I find that when motoring in swells and light winds having the main hoisted is of no value at all unless the wind is between about 30 and 100 degrees to our course. Otherwise it flaps, which is annoying and damaging.

Also - in the Med unnecessary exposure of the sails to UV from the sun can shorten their life significantly.