Loose footed mains

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by Polarity, Dec 12, 2003.

  1. Paul B

    Paul B Previous Member

    I hope you realize that practically everything you have written (above) is nonsense.
     
  2. Paul B

    Paul B Previous Member

    Please explain how a loose footed main on a boom is difficult to use in heavy air.
     
  3. sean9c
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    sean9c Senior Member

    I'm thinking people are talking about 2 different things, a loose footed main (which has a boom) and a boomless main.

    Obviously the functionality and boom loads of a loose footed main compared to one with a bolt rope in the foot are the same.
    The only boomless main I've seen is on a cat which had a pretty beefy batten in the foot of the sail and a traveller that allowed the mainsheet to continue to provide leech tension. On a monohull I'm guessing it's just one of those cruisey trade efficiency for ease deals, sort of like battenless mains.
     
  4. Silver Raven
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    Silver Raven Senior Member

    Gooday 'sean' The people doing the talking - shouldn't be ! ! ! & they aren't talking about 'boomless' mainsails. I M H O nor do they know very much about what they are talking about - - at all.

    Your next paragraph - shows - that you might not - say to much either as there is little evidence to back up such a silly statement & 10's of 1000's of boats that have - very small booms - & are amongst the most efficient that are sailing.

    I just wish you'd not be so free with "on a monohull I'm guessing it's just one of those cruisey trade efficiency for ease deals. Bolloks ! ! Guessing is right !

    How many ocean miles have you cruised or raced or sailed in either multihulls &/or monohulls - - not all that much - by the sounds of your comments.

    Paul - I'm at a total loss as to how to get it across to these 'arm-chair' "drips-under-pressure" except to ask the likes of Bob Pattinson of Neil Pryde Sails - in Boston - to come in & see if he can exp[lain lessons #'s 1, 2, 3, & 4 - about basic sail setting & trimming.

    If anyone in these 'forums' has any idea how to explain - sail trim - to mountain-dwellers - Please feel free to make a comment. Ciao, james
     
  5. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    Almost every sailor uses a jib without giving too much thought about it not having a boom. What's all the mystery about setting a mainsail the same way?
     
  6. rick carr
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    rick carr Junior Member

    yes but they cant cut it for all wind speeds folks as you put it without changing sails.the original post was why do offshore racing 60s have loose footed mains and that would be fewer sail changes .
     
  7. sean9c
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    sean9c Senior Member

    James
    I'm always willing to learn, just being critical of what I said without adding any explanations of why you think I was wrong doesn't add to the conversation.
    I'll be the first to admit I have limited cruising and multi experience but a fair bit of mono racing experience. Even sailed with BP when he was coming up and I was racing with HP
     
  8. tazmann
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    tazmann Senior Member

    I had a loose foot race main built for my Merit, Love it, seems to me to have better shape all the way down past the boom a smidge vs standard or a shelf cut. easier to put on and take off also
    Tom
     
  9. brian eiland
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    brian eiland Senior Member

    Exactly, a boomless main would sheet entirely different than a loose-footed main. The boomless main sheets like a headsail, and we provided a 'varible attachment plate' to the clew of the sail.

    I really came around to this idea after using it on the Stiletto 23 and the Stiletto 30.

    It was great aboard this little tri as you could move around the cockpit very quickly without worrying about that boom. And unlike the Dragonfly 25, the mainsheet didn't have to sheet to a track that ran right thru the middle of that cockpit. Plus I added a circular track such that there was not a lot of changing of the mainsheet length as I beared off for a beam reach.

    Reefing the main was more problematic...what to do with all that loose sail at the foot when reefed. I was working on some new ideas on this when we ran into production and money problems with the project.
     

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  10. motorbike
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    motorbike Senior Member

    I have a loose footed main with sheeting 2/3 back. its easy to control sail shape, easy to get the main off if neccessary, less weight marginally in track and slides, looks cool etc, the biggest downside is the lack of babe appeal, you simply cant get them to relax in the same way along a loose footed main. But then you cant have everything.
     
  11. sharpii2
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    sharpii2 Senior Member

    OK. Prove it.
     
  12. sharpii2
    Joined: May 2004
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    sharpii2 Senior Member

    I agree. But it is not always convenient to sheet from the end of the boom.

    If the turning block, on deck, is inboard of the Boom sheeting point more compression will be put on the boom. If it ever goes out of column, watch out!

    The camber of the sail will increase, putting more compression on the already out of column spar, as the deeper camber sail will develop more lift.

    A watchful crew could prevent disaster by quickly letting the sail luff. But, if no one watching...

    I would go with a really good safety factor, with both the boom and sail, if I were to go loose footed.
     
  13. gggGuest
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    gggGuest ...

    Rig up any half decently cut sail with a reasonable amount of main/kicker/vang tension, but don't set it with wind in it and press your finger into the sail cloth above the actual foot area. You'll be able to press your finger into the cloth and demonstrate that its carrying no significant vertical load. If it were carrying vertical load it couldn't take up a shape. By contrast if you do the same thing at the leech you won't be able to press your finger in and distort the cloth because of the load.

    It is of course possible for a sail to be cut board flat and shapeless so that the middle of the foot is taking up significant load on the boom, but no decent sailmaker would cut such a dreadful rag.
     
  14. powerabout
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    powerabout Senior Member

    IMHO loose foot is modern fast the rest are for 4ktsb
    or
    dacron needed more control because it stretches and most modern cloths dont.
     

  15. powerabout
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    powerabout Senior Member

    if the boom is end sheeted straight to the clew ( modern) you can have a very light boom as it just carrys the outhaul load especialy on a multi where you may not have a vang
     
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