FullCircle
Well-Known Member
Like the genoa thread, what specification do you ask for in a new mainsail?
List your requirements for a replacement mainsail here...
- Thread starter FullCircle
- Start date
npf1
Well-Known Member
Fully battened
3 reefing points
Top few feet in bright orange or covered in reflective material
Ballbearing battcar system
V strong reefing points with some way to minimize chafe
Simple way to lash the 'spare' sail when reefing: most seem to have only v.small eyes - surely there's a better way?
Lots of telltales, not just on the leech
Telltales away from the batten pockets then they don't snag on the velcro.
Heavily re-inforced batten pocket ends.
Sailcloth that is known to hold shape over the years and that is proven to last. Someone else can take the risks on the latest and greatest.
Sailcloth with mildew protection/treatment.
UV protected thread.
Decent sized spreader patches (perhaps these could be in reflective material too).
Leech line tensioning system that sufficently grips the line and is easy to adjust- how many times have you known them to slip?
Leech line adjustment when the sail is reefed.
3 reefing points
Top few feet in bright orange or covered in reflective material
Ballbearing battcar system
V strong reefing points with some way to minimize chafe
Simple way to lash the 'spare' sail when reefing: most seem to have only v.small eyes - surely there's a better way?
Lots of telltales, not just on the leech
Telltales away from the batten pockets then they don't snag on the velcro.
Heavily re-inforced batten pocket ends.
Sailcloth that is known to hold shape over the years and that is proven to last. Someone else can take the risks on the latest and greatest.
Sailcloth with mildew protection/treatment.
UV protected thread.
Decent sized spreader patches (perhaps these could be in reflective material too).
Leech line tensioning system that sufficently grips the line and is easy to adjust- how many times have you known them to slip?
Leech line adjustment when the sail is reefed.
michael_w
Well-Known Member
Decent sailcloth
Flat cut
Loose foot
Over the top leach line
Depending on size of the sail, blocks instead of leach reef cringles.
Flat cut
Loose foot
Over the top leach line
Depending on size of the sail, blocks instead of leach reef cringles.
captainslarty
N/A
One that works, well made, strong, no full batten crap..
thats it really
thats it really
ebbtide
N/A
More reefs than you or the sailmaker think necessary.
flaming
Well-Known Member
Out of interest, why no full battens? I wouldn't go back to non FB for a cruising boat.
Very different on a race boat of course.
Very different on a race boat of course.
pyrojames
Well-Known Member
It'd would depend on what sort of cruising I was going to do. Coastal/europe/Med I'd probably go FB, but not for crossing oceans. The extra weight slapping around aloft in light conditions on a proper swell throws all the air out of the sail and puts horrible strains on your rig.
Although with the boat I have now, FB are not really an option at all.
Although with the boat I have now, FB are not really an option at all.
captainslarty
N/A
Hi Sir
It really is a personal thing I suppose, I sailed for many years with "normal sails".. I like the luffing feedback and general feedback from a non fb sail.. we went for fb due to a desire to refit the old round the boom roller furling / reefing, to allow a better shape to be maintained to the boom on rolling.
I sometimes like to use the main as a steady boy steady lol, some call it "Solent Rig" whilst motoring in contrary seas..
the FB system just does not give me the feed back I am used to / like / need ? ... as said, a personal thing really.
for my type of sailing / cruising / liveaboard use, absolute shape is not necessary. feedback is.. and its more to go wrong, having had broken baton ends, ball track car faults etc.
Just seems like another gizmo, I would happlily dump the FB overboard, however, for around the boom furling it is a godsend, so, I will stick with it.. the main is a small percentage of our drive anyway.. we tend NEVER to reef the main, seriosuly.. we just dump it n go Jib n Jigger or Stays'l n Jigger..
the only real benefit I can see is the ability to cut a wider roach, but my back stays, mizzen fores etc negate that really, and the topping lift chaff can be a right royal Price Charles Dog Face Camilla pain in the arrrze...
But, to be fair to everybody, we have the better rig /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
a Ketch, much underated, much misunderstood, much flexibility though, and I wouldnt have it any other way.
Joe /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
It really is a personal thing I suppose, I sailed for many years with "normal sails".. I like the luffing feedback and general feedback from a non fb sail.. we went for fb due to a desire to refit the old round the boom roller furling / reefing, to allow a better shape to be maintained to the boom on rolling.
I sometimes like to use the main as a steady boy steady lol, some call it "Solent Rig" whilst motoring in contrary seas..
the FB system just does not give me the feed back I am used to / like / need ? ... as said, a personal thing really.
for my type of sailing / cruising / liveaboard use, absolute shape is not necessary. feedback is.. and its more to go wrong, having had broken baton ends, ball track car faults etc.
Just seems like another gizmo, I would happlily dump the FB overboard, however, for around the boom furling it is a godsend, so, I will stick with it.. the main is a small percentage of our drive anyway.. we tend NEVER to reef the main, seriosuly.. we just dump it n go Jib n Jigger or Stays'l n Jigger..
the only real benefit I can see is the ability to cut a wider roach, but my back stays, mizzen fores etc negate that really, and the topping lift chaff can be a right royal Price Charles Dog Face Camilla pain in the arrrze...
But, to be fair to everybody, we have the better rig /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
a Ketch, much underated, much misunderstood, much flexibility though, and I wouldnt have it any other way.
Joe /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
ditchcrawler
Well-Known Member
I went for fully battened having experienced it on friends boats.For me the big advantage is no slapping if motor sailing,which was a boon when we had to motor sail most of the way to Holland this year.Combined with a lazy jack zip up bag it suits me.Most of the other points have been covered.
Athene V30
Well-Known Member
'Spectacles' on the tack reef points - so much easier than trying to thread the cringle over the hook thing!
mikejames
Well-Known Member
Pentex/Mylar laminate with Dacron taffeta protection.
Costs a lot but my first and only is now 10 years old and when pushed still gets line honours for the class in the Round the Island when i am not cruising with it.
Costs a lot but my first and only is now 10 years old and when pushed still gets line honours for the class in the Round the Island when i am not cruising with it.
Phoenix of Hamble
Well-Known Member
metal leech line cleats
Multiple tapes on all the cringles
batten pockets sewn on the outside, not built in
Triple stitched
Seperate piece of material to make up the final leech (rather than the outermost layer of cloth just turned over
Flattening cringle
Blocks on the reffing cringles for single line reefing system
Cunningham cringle
Multiple tapes on all the cringles
batten pockets sewn on the outside, not built in
Triple stitched
Seperate piece of material to make up the final leech (rather than the outermost layer of cloth just turned over
Flattening cringle
Blocks on the reffing cringles for single line reefing system
Cunningham cringle
William_H
Well-Known Member
You need spreader protective patches for each reefed position.
olewill
olewill
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
Camber stripes