Loose-footed full length batten mainsail:should the foot be slack?

[Amari]

I had a couple of posts a month or two back seeking advice on wisdom of ordering a fully battened mainsail for my Wauquiez Pretorien 35 here in Turkey. Forumites' advice was most useful.
Best quote was from Far East Sails in HK but they could not ship the full length battens, so I ordered from UK Halsey (international I think with loft in Istanbul). because they made me an excellent genoa last year. Agent visited Amari to measure up.
To cut a short story long, sail delivered yesterday but Rutgerson batten cars won't enter mast track gate so awaiting new gate. Secondly, the new sail is loose footed, unlike its predecessor which fitted into the boom track. However, when foot shackled forrad at gooseneck and aft to clew outhaul, the foot is very slack. I am used to tightening the foot via the clew outhaul. I reckon the new foot is 2 or 3 '' too long if it is meant to be tight. The agent says loose-footed main should be slack.
Grateful for forumites advice re tightness of foot

 

[Dipper]

My main is not fully battened but it is loose footed. The foot itself is slack when the outhaul is tight. This allows the foot to take up the curved shape of the rest of the main which is an advantage over those sails with a bolt rope where the foot is a straight line.

I suppose it depends on how much slack you have.

Edit. Sorry. The foot isn't exactly slack but it is curved compared with the boom depending on wind strength and tension.

 

[Juggler7823]

The foot should be slightly loose in light winds particularly when reaching. In strong winds or going up wind the foot should be tight.

 

[Amari]

Many thanks Dipper and Prince Madoc

 

[simonfraser]

this way you get a full main, when you reef you can pull it out/back further and flatten the sail.

 

[explores]

My cat rigged ketch has a bolt rope foot ,is there any advantage in leaving it out to make it more efficient then? Would it work?

 

[moondancer]

The foot should be tight when at the full extent of the outhaul for flattening the sail. If it isn;'t flat when the outhaul is tightened then the sail dimensions are wrong and do not accept the waffle of the sailmaker.

You can then use the outhaul to ease out the sail as required.

 

[Norman_E]

It is too long if you cannot tighten it once the sail is correctly fitted at the mast. The idea of the loose foot is that you can tighten it when sailing upwind or in strong conditions, but slacken it a bit for good sail shape and maximum power downwind and in light winds. On my boat I do not have enough deck organisers and jammers to lead the outhaul back to the cockpit, but if you can do that it enables you to tweak it easily.
With a loose footed main it helps if you have a decent outhaul car running in the boom track. On your old sail did you have a car, or was the clew shackled direcly to the outhaul from the sheave in the boom end? If the latter I hope your sailmaker allowed for the addition of a car and made the foot of the new sail a few inches shorter than the old one. On my boat when the outhaul is tight there is still an inch or two of outhaul car movement available.

 

[Amari]

Thanks Norman E and others. The old sail clew was shackled directly on to the outhaul. All these replies indicate the foot is too long. Fortunately I have not yet paid anything, not even a deposit.

 

[bobgoode]

Sails with a bolt rope foot are cut with a shelf which allows the sail to shape correctly in light airs but still allows the outhaul to be tightened in stronger winds and when upwinding. The cut is wrong !

 

[justapheonix]

Yes, the cut is wrong.

If my experience of getting sail makers to sort problems out is anything to go by, you need to order a few more inches of boom.

Good luck.