Old Maricat owners with radical cut racing sails please help me

[knobblyoldjimbo]

AHA!  so if you're using one of the old stripy sails and also raking the mast with 5.5m and 5. forestays and shrouds then you'll need to get a D ring sewn into the sail just above the clew - I think it needs to be about six inches.

Then you'll have enough space to properly pull the sail in.

[Pete]

As an aside, the reason for moving the tripple block on the boom back some 100mm was to increase mast bend rather than to stop us sheeting block to block. This was in 1978 and I was way lighter back then. This season I may move that block back to its original position.

[Krissy]

No doubt about it I love sailing with the racing sail but I cant put them up unfortunately. Thats a good idea knobbly or I could just move my mast back even though I do love the rake as I can get closer to the wind. Ohhh such decisions. I actually moved my block back before I sailed last time and it was shocking. The tiler kept hitting the block. So I have moved it forward and I will see how that goes.

[knobblyoldjimbo]

Krissy, I was talking with Rodney over the weekend.  He says the sail you were having trouble with was an Eastwind sail. 

Rodney says that there were four blokes pulling on the halyard - I think that's your problem.

With mine, I can get the sail in up to about the third batten easily - it's a matter of feeding it into the slot with one hand (usually my palm - it just needs to be guided in).

From there it's a bit harder.  You need to guide the bolt rope in - put a palm on either side and guide it up then take up the tension on the halyard.  Rinse and repeat.  I do it in two to four inch lengths and eventually the whole bolt rope is in the slot.  Then you can give it a good pull and get the lock into the slot at the top.  Make sure the bolt rope is inside the slot and isn't catching, very easy to do.

Darcy also suggested that you get the mast vertical, I've not tried this but the theory is that the sail will go up easily if the back of the boat is higher up.

The halyard definitely needs to be running freely over the two rollers at the top of the mast - mine got jammed at the weekend and it's a case of turn the boat on its side and release the jam.

Definitely well done if you can buy it at a good price because they are excellent.  My Eastwind is one of the original 'new' sails.  Must be about ten years old now.  I did have to cut the bolt rope free - if you look carefully at the stitching on the foot of the sail - where it goes on the front of the boom you'll see there are some that 'trap' the boltrope.  Over the years, even with a little used sail the rope becomes a bit stiff so needs to be released.  I just goes a bit further up the sail and doesn't jam or anything.

At this stage (a recount has been requested) my old sail got me 2nd at the NSW States this weekend.  It still cracks like a rifle and is smooth as a baby's bum.

 

James