Loose footed mainsail

[mrangry]

The main sail on my Beneteau Oceanis 440 has a boltrope on the foot, however since fitting my new to me sail bag I can no longer accommodate the sail boltrope in the boom. Am I right in thinking the only issue I will have in using it loose footed is that the sail shape at the foot may be poor? I cant justify having it altered by a sailmaker as it is nearing the end of its life and just looking to get this season out of it.

 

[NormanS]

I'm no expert, but why not just try it and see. My in-mast mainsail, presumably like every in-mast sail is loose footed, and I think it sets better than it would if it was secured all along the boom. It certainly seems to have a better aerofoil shape.

 

[B27]

Assuming it has a stout slider which does most of the work, it should be fine.
Some bolt rope mains do spread the forces into the sail using more of the bolt rope though.
It wouldn't be a nice thing to do to some brand new sails, but that doesn't apply.

 

[Channel Sailor]

I doubt a slider is fitted at the clew, so one could use those Velcro strips/strops I have seen on some sails, that wound around the boom and through the clew a few times.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I'm no expert, but why not just try it and see. My in-mast mainsail, presumably like every in-mast sail is loose footed, and I think it sets better than it would if it was secured all along the boom. It certainly seems to have a better aerofoil shape.

This. It’s for a season, what's the worst that can happen?

 

[john_morris_uk]

It’ll be fine. Stop worrying.

 

[William_H]

Generaly a main sail is fine if fitted loose footed. I don't think that when a bolt rope is ina track it is intended to take any load. Some main sails are/were made with a kind of skirt of lighter cloth between the straight line tack to clew which goes to a bolt rope. The idea being to close the gap boom to foot of the sail when it is set relatively baggy. Even with that arrangement itwill not make much difference with bolt rope in or out. I have not had a bolt rope or track on my little boat for many years. As said needs a stout attachment of clew to boom. ol'will

 

[The Q]

A bolt roped main set as a loose footed main will set very badly, but if you are only using it for a season and not racing I'd go for it..

 

[LiftyK]

A loose-footed makes it very easy to set up and remove a sail stacker. When I renewed my ancient mainsail, I moved from bolt rope to loose-footed for this reason. I was pleasantly surprised to see an extra section at the base of the main to cover the slot between sail and boom. It’s a great setup.

 

[MisterBaxter]

Does a loose-footed sail place more strain on the boom? I'm thinking of the kicker and potentially also the mainsheet (depending on where it's attached) pulling downwards on the middle of the boom, and the clew pulling upwards out on the far end. With a bolt roped sail I feel.like done of that upward pull would be spread along the length of the boom.

 

[PeteCooper]

I had a mainsail modified from bolt rope to loose foot - admittedly a lot smaller than yours, but it only cost £40.

 

[Daydream believer]

Does a loose-footed sail place more strain on the boom? I'm thinking of the kicker and potentially also the mainsheet (depending on where it's attached) pulling downwards on the middle of the boom, and the clew pulling upwards out on the far end. With a bolt roped sail I feel.like done of that upward pull would be spread along the length of the boom.

No different to a slab reef in heavy wind, except the pull is not right from the end of the boom. If you look at the hoisted sail you may well be able to flap the sail in the bottom few inches with your hands either side of the sail even when the mainsail is full of wind. That demonstrates that there may not be a great deal of weight in the sail at that mid point

 

[Stemar]

I did this on my Snapdragon. The outhaul does a good bit more work, so we upgraded it, and we didn't have a slide at the clew, so we sewed a webbing band to go through the clew and round the boom.

OK, she was never the world's fastest boat, but we didn't see any difference in performance. In light airs, you can slacken the outhaul and get a fuller sail shape, which may even improve matters.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

No different to a slab reef in heavy wind, except the pull is not right from the end of the boom. If you look at the hoisted sail you may well be able to flap the sail in the bottom few inches with your hands either side of the sail even when the mainsail is full of wind. That demonstrates that there may not be a great deal of weight in the sail at that mid point

Frequently the bottom section of the sail is cut in such a way that there’s little or no pull on the boltrope at the foot. Our XOD is very much like this, though it has sliders and track. The only reason to have anything at all is class rules.

As to it setting badly, it might be a little less good in the foot area, or it might make no difference. Only trying it will tell. Presumably, if it’s not worth it to modify the sail, it’s pretty knackered anyway.

 

[B27]

This. It’s for a season, what's the worst that can happen?

Presumably the worst that could happen is ripping the clew out of the sail, because the cringle is only made to take the outhaul tension and not the leach tension?
Sails which are built to use a significant length of the bolt rope to connect the leach tension to the boom can be built and reinforced very differently from those designed to put all the leach tension into the boom as a point load via a single slider or strap around the boom.

I'd imagine the OP's sail would be 'modern' enough to be fine, but without seeing it, who knows?

 

[john_morris_uk]

As to it setting badly, it might be a little less good in the foot area, or it might make no difference. Only trying it will tell. Presumably, if it’s not worth it to modify the sail, it’s pretty knackered anyway.

I’m unconvinced about the ‘may set badly’. Every racing boat I’ve seen in the last n years has a loose footed sail. I’ve had several new mainsails made for various boats in the last few years. They all came loose footed (after consultation with the sail maker.).

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Presumably the worst that could happen is ripping the clew out of the sail, because the cringle is only made to take the outhaul tension and not the leach tension?
Sails which are built to use a significant length of the bolt rope to connect the leach tension to the boom can be built and reinforced very differently from those designed to put all the leach tension into the boom as a point load via a single slider or strap around the boom.

I'd imagine the OP's sail would be 'modern' enough to be fine, but without seeing it, who knows?

It’s only got to last 6 months. The reefing cringles are strong enough for a loose footed main, cos that’s what you’ve got. Only exceedingly poor design or workmanship would make the clew attachment insufficiently strong.

 

[B27]

It’s only got to last 6 months. The reefing cringles are strong enough for a loose footed main, cos that’s what you’ve got. Only exceedingly poor design or workmanship would make the clew attachment insufficiently strong.

It might be designed to be used in a different way, and weakened by many years of UV..
The reinforcement around reef clews is different, because it's designed to be used differently.

This is a classic example of 'lots of people on the internet' saying 'that will be OK'. Based on very little evidence.
If it turns out not to be OK, they will go very quiet.

 

[Daydream believer]

..

 

[mrangry]

So some positive replies which is good ..... I will give it a go this weekend. The only bummer is that I will need to remove the sail stack bag as I have just noticed that there is a slider on the clew of the sail and will have to be slid into the boom from the mast end as at the moment all I have attaching it is the outhaul