cd 30 Mainsail foot length, boom length.

[Fred P.]

Hello.

I'm starting to try and get organized about ordering a new mainsail. Now, on my boat, a cd 30 cutter, the clew stops a good foot or so short of the outhaul fitting at the end of the boom. Always has. I believe that it is the original sail, so it seems to me that Cape Dory intended it that way.

However, the sailmaker I'm talking with seems to think this odd, and thinks the clew ought to come all the way out to the outhaul. This obviously would make for a larger sail.

So my question, to all you other 30 cutter-ers, is how far down the boom does your mainsail go? Should I trust my sailmaker, or trust my original sail, which has done pretty well for 25 years?

Thanks for any forthcoming info.

[Glen]

If your sailmaker is a racer (not a cruiser) then be wary of his suggestions as his orientation will be towards bigger, lighter sails to make you go faster.

I had a new main and staysail made for my CD30c by Doyle (St. Petersburg, FL) and I couldn't get it thru the freak's mindset that my staysail was for high wind conditions and that I didn't need the absolute largest sail that would fit...and it is so big that it just barely fits. I finally settled for a compromise of having a reef point added to the staysail (they would have had to totally remake the sail as recutting would not have worked without leaving lots of little needle holes in my new sail). Needless to say, they will not get any more of my business...and I still need a storm trysail and a new yankee. However, it was a learning experience on buying new sails...an expensive one though! You really need to know what you want and tell them instead of asking them what you they think you want...kinda like going to the barber.

My main stops, as you said, about a foot short of the end of the boom. I went with a loose footed sail and love it in light airs as you can really open the belly and get some driving force. At least they did a fairly good job on the main although I had to argue (once again) with him for heavier cloth...jeez, it just didn't get thru that I was setting my boat up to do some blue water cruising.

[Jay Kanavos]

Fred,

My CD30's mainsail also stops about a foot from the clew. In fact, it stops just above the cleat that secures the outhaul. My mainsail is about 5 yrs old (also a Doyle) and performs very well. In fact, the owners manual shows (on page 113) this arrangement (granted it is for the CD26 and 28) but nonetheless I find it similar to what I have.

Jay