Loose footed main

[Bat21]

Thinking about replacing the main sail, what would be the advantages/disadvantages of going for a loose footed sail?

Fractional sloop with full battens and stack pac.

 

[EdWingfield]

For. With an outhaul to the clew(s) you can adjust the sail shape to suit the wind strength.

Against. It'd better be a good setup or you won't get the benefit.

 

[[3889]]

Does a loose foot reduce control from the kicker? When I whack on the Kicker the boom bends, the lowest point being roughly central. With a loose foot the tension can only pass through the tack and clew and so pull down on different parts of the sail, no different to tightening cunningham and mainsheet really IMHO. This is my own conjecture and has no basis in fact. Despite this belief I have just ordered a loose foot main (from Kemp for the information of those who kindly contributed to my previous thread) as all sailmakers recommended it.
Andy

 

[superman]

pretty good having a loose foot for downwind...

 

[RupertW]

Great for downwind - but otherwise I'd rather not have one.

 

[savageseadog]

Get a loose footed main. Ignore comments about kickers an mainsheets being less effective, that's nonsense. The sail foot can be given the perfect shape without having the constraint of it being locked to the boom.
Forget nonsense about air going under the sail, for that's what it is, nonsense.

 

[simonfraser]

it's the way to go

 

[fireball]

Got a loose footed main on my RS400 ... no problems racing that ... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[kengill]

'Twould also be cheaper 'cos they won't need to sew in a bolt rope. or provide the rope.

 

[matt1]

Agree with the others - get one..... for upwind, downwind or any kind of sailing.

Much easier to control sail shape with it loose footed. Not sure about bending the boom to flatten the sail if it's a normal cut. Most sailmakers build in a "shelf" to the main so you'd have to bend the boom a hell of a lot before you really flattened it.

The only drawback is it makes it slighty harder to stowe when its loose footed.

Also note you say "fully battened" but if you have swept spreaders I would only have the top two battens full length else you will find it hard to depower where you can't get the boom all the way out.

 

[Blueboatman]

I'm convinced of the benefits.Theoretically you might be loading up the boom more where it interacts with a rigid kicker,but in conjunction with your fractional set up,a good traveller,easy adjust(eg jamcleat) backstay,and easy adjust(jammer again) outhaul,I really learnt a lot more about getting the boat going..

 

[andy_wilson]

nonsense about air going under the sail

With a lens foot (or shelf as some call it) you have all the control of a loose footed sail, plus end plate effect directing wind along the sail rather than spilling it down the hatch.

 

[gettingready]

Having an in-mast furling main on my current boat with three seasons sailing I'm well impressed with the loose foot. When I want flat the outhaul is cranked right in but off the wind and I loose the line and I can control the sail shape much better than if the foot was "normal". Of course I don't have the stowage problem mentioned earlier and that to me is the only slight negative.

Hope this helps.

 

[Robin]

Re: nonsense about air going under the sail

[ QUOTE ]
With a lens foot (or shelf as some call it) you have all the control of a loose footed sail, plus end plate effect directing wind along the sail rather than spilling it down the hatch.

[/ QUOTE ]

You get the same effect with a loose footed mainsail as with a shelf foot. Unlike the main on an in-mast system the loose foot has a curve in the boom edge which sits on the boom just like a shelf foot used to but without the bolt rope, especially if it isn't slackened too far off. Tighten the outhaul and the flattened lower sail is tight along the boom also. The 'end plate effect' is still there. This is how our loose footed fully battened main sits at least and I rate it much better than our old sail which was a fully battened one with a shelf foot.