Mainsail too big

stu9000

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Hi
My Westerly Seahawk mainsail is a few inches too tall for the mast.
I think the boom used to be a bit lower(now not adjustable vertically).

I am looking for a sailmaker, either in Gillingham area, or around Kingston upon Thames.
Any recommendations?

Im guessing (and it its a guess) that the easiest way to shorten it would be to trim a bit at the top rather than at the bottom of the sail.

This is how it is set up at the moment. It is hard to get tension through the halyard.
Thanks all.


mainsailfoot2.jpg
 
Hi
My Westerly Seahawk mainsail is a few inches too tall for the mast.
I think the boom used to be a bit lower(now not adjustable vertically).

I am looking for a sailmaker, either in Gillingham area, or around Kingston upon Thames.
Any recommendations?

Im guessing (and it its a guess) that the easiest way to shorten it would be to trim a bit at the top rather than at the bottom of the sail.

This is how it is set up at the moment. It is hard to get tension through the halyard.
Thanks all.


View attachment 82334
Novel Cunningham down haul
 
First thing to do is bring the clew right down onto the boom. ie get rid of that piece of rope. Perhaps a twisted shackle or peices of ss plate drilled to take bolts. Don't worry of the sail itself crumples a bit to get the eyelet lower. That should give you a few inches. Next thing is to make sure your halyard attachement to the head is as close as possible. ie get rid of shackle and tie the halyard though the eyelet back around itself and through the eyelet witha figure 8 stopper knot. This may give you enough extra movement to get the luff tight. Then finally if necessary you cut the top off the sail ie move the eyelet lower. Not so difficult DIY if it has a plastic head board. But may need a new eyelet set in. good luck ol'will
 
First thing to do is bring the clew right down onto the boom. ie get rid of that piece of rope. Perhaps a twisted shackle or peices of ss plate drilled to take bolts. Don't worry of the sail itself crumples a bit to get the eyelet lower. That should give you a few inches. Next thing is to make sure your halyard attachement to the head is as close as possible. ie get rid of shackle and tie the halyard though the eyelet back around itself and through the eyelet witha figure 8 stopper knot. This may give you enough extra movement to get the luff tight. Then finally if necessary you cut the top off the sail ie move the eyelet lower. Not so difficult DIY if it has a plastic head board. But may need a new eyelet set in. good luck ol'will

Some good common sense here. I'll shackle rather than tie off at the bottom and tie rather than shackle at the top.

I'm wondering how much of an impact on sailshape having that fold near the bottom has. It probably makes it fuller towards the leading edge don't you think. But little to no impact as go up...?
 
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