I have a nice new main, should I leave outhaul slack after sail?

[Vega1447]

Hi all.
As above.
I left work early (broke my heart) this afternoon and took new sail out to boat & "offered it up".

New sail is alarmingly crinkly compared with its 30-year old retired predecessor..

I always left outhaul tension on after a sail with old sail.. (had it for last 5 years)..

Should I leave outhaul tension slack to preserve sail shape?

Thanks,

John

PS sail supplied by http://www.fastnetsails.com/

 

[DJE]

Well I always do. It doesn't seem right leaving the cloth under tension when you're not using it. And my new main is loose footed with a 6:1 tackle on the outhall so it only takes second to re-tension it next time I hoist the sail.
But I'm the sort of fastidious old b****r who takes his headsails off, folds them and puts them below before he leaves the boat.

 

[Slow_boat]

Yes. Think about slacking off the battens, too.

I always ease the genoa halliard while I'm at it.

 

[dunedin]

With a loose footed mainsail I would not expect the out haul to be very tight, except on very rare occasions. Hence we don't normally need to ease at all.
Slab reefs are a different matter, normally winched bar tight. So always try to free up reef lines if still reeled when stow sail.

 

[Vega1447]

Ta for answers..

New sail is loose footed..

I left outhaul loose after installing new main..

I will try to remember to do so in future...

John