Sail trim maxim - "if in doubt let it out!"

[ex-Gladys]

All cliches have their limts.
When you're on a dead run in a Laser or similar, if in doubt, think twice before easing sheet or kicker....

Oh Ye...glug...glug... suicide roll to windward is awesome

 

[AntarcticPilot]

The stereotype of this is Mediterranean charterers - "we sailed past this island close-hauled last year"

Pete

Old joke - it's in "The Art of Coarse Sailing", but set on the Norfolk Broads - "We tacked down this reach last year..."

 

[Uricanejack]

I wouldn't know I've never sailed a dingy

 

[Highland Bear]

I wouldn't know I've never sailed a dingy

Nor me, and I find the notion that one can't learn sail trim on a yacht to be narrow minded.

 

[awol]

Nor me, and I find the notion that one can't learn sail trim on a yacht to be narrow minded.

I don't believe that was ever implied. Those that have spent time sailing lightweight dinghies have, as a necessity, learned the basics of sail trim which hopefully stays ingrained when they sail on larger boats. This does not mean that straight-to-yacht sailors can't trim sails but it is reasonable supposition that those that can't or won't trim sails have not successfully sailed dinghies.

 

[johnalison]

I don't believe that was ever implied. Those that have spent time sailing lightweight dinghies have, as a necessity, learned the basics of sail trim which hopefully stays ingrained when they sail on larger boats. This does not mean that straight-to-yacht sailors can't trim sails but it is reasonable supposition that those that can't or won't trim sails have not successfully sailed dinghies.

An early experience with sailing a dinghy was with a school friend in a lugs'l dinghy on the Broads. My friend suggested that the best means of propulsion was to present the greatest area to the wind. I can't remember how long it took me to work out how wrong he was, but I have always assumed that his antecedents must have worked on square-riggers.

 

[LittleSister]

straight spreaders . . . wary of whether I'm putting too much of an unfair load on them when the sail is pressed against them. . . . Can anyone advise whether, or how much, this is really an issue?

Wouldn't you control the fullness of the sail with the kicker under those circumstances?

To to the extent it's practicable, but I do not have the power in the kicker to do much more than prevent the boom rising. Had not previously thought of this an issue requiring attention, as I assumed great flatness of the sail was not a major issue when running/reaching (so the pressure on the spreaders was my main concern). Happy to be told otherwise (I could potentially rig a more powerful tackle).

I find it hard to imagine the canvas of the sail alone exerting any force on a modern rig spreader that would be a problem in any way whatever. The usual worry is wear to the sail.

The boom crash gybing against the rig is a different matter....

Depends what you mean by 'modern'! Designed and built late 70's, but a deliberately old fashioned design (appearance and rig, not construction).


Thanks, both of you, for the comments and advice.:encouragement:

 

[john_morris_uk]

Depends what you mean by 'modern'! Designed and built late 70's, but a deliberately old fashioned design (appearance and rig, not construction).

That's modern enough in my book.

PS May I humbly point out that the kicker is supposed to control twist in the mainsail, not just 'stop the boom rising'. (Although it's almost the same thing!)