Loose-footed main for a Typhoon

[pjust]

A friend who sails a Dolphin 24 needs a new main and was advised by a local sailmaker to go loose-footed. "Try it, you'll never go back." she told him. If you din't like it I can always put in the slugs later." This is most definitely the last season for the mainsail on my Typhoon. As I contemplate acquiring a new sail I've been thinking of going with one that's loose-footed.

Does anyone have experience with such a sail on a Typhoon? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a loose-footed sail? I can see where it might have a better shape on a reach, but will it do as well close-hauled? Are loose-footed sails any harder to reef?

I await the wisdom of this splendid group.

[Chrisa006]

I don't have have a typhoon but the advantages of a loose foot is in the sail shape. You can put more or less camber in the sail for the conditions. In higher wind you tighten the outhaul and in light air or to power through chop loosen it.

[wikakaru]

I have a Typhoon and I switched from the original (38-year-old) slug-footed main to a loose-footed main in 2018. I find the loose foot gives me more control over the shape of the sail via the outhaul. I have been perfectly happy with it.

The only reason I can think of to keep a slug-footed mainsail is if you want to use the original Typhoon roller-boom furling. If you are the kind of person who is satisfied with the terrible sail shape that results from roller-boom furling, then you are not going to care about the better sail shape a loose foot gives you. Otherwise, I'd go with the loose-footed mainsail.

Smooth sailing,

Jim

[Dick Villamil]

Timely question - I am also contemplating a new main with a loose-footed design. I had one on a larger boat but it had easier outhaul controls. Once you set up the outhaul at the mooring it should only take a little tweaking while underway. I really liked the loose footed main - made it MUCH easier to bend on the sail in spring and remove it in the fall. As for reefing or flaking at the end of the day it posed no problem on the other boat I had since the outhaul would be tight and it keeps the sail on the boom.

[Megunticook]

My TySenior has a loose-footed main. I think it works well, as others have said you can use the outhaul to control the sail shape. Reefing is easy.

[keneasley]

I had the main on my former boat, a Sea Sprite 23 weekender converted to a loose foot.
It was an improvement.

One advantage of loose foot for reefing is that you can tie up the small reef lines in the sail more easily.

Instead of having to tie them around the bottom of the boom you can tie them so as to contain the foot of the sail neatly above the boom and without putting stress on the small reef points on the sail.

[hinmo]

I have some sails for sale

[pjust]

Thanks for the advice. I talked it over with Doug Pope, the Rockland ME sailmaker, who pointed out that "there's no downside to a loose-footed sail. If you don't want to be making adjustments you can always just set the outhaul where you'd usually have the clew and leave it alone." He told me that an adjustment of even a few inches can make a big difference. I've ordered the sail and will be putting a cam cleat on the boom to make adjusting the tension on the outhaul easy. I look forward to experimenting with the rig.