Sail trim with full batten main

[Bob B]

I have recently aquired a CD 25D with a full batten main. I am much more accustomed to a short batten and looking at the luff of the main to make sure that it is properly trimmed. When the luff is not filled then I bear off or sheet in. With the full batten main, the luff is always taught. Are there main telltales that can be placed at the luff similar to the ones placed on a headsail to make sure that the main is trimmed properly or is there another way to check for mains'l trim?

Thanks for the information.

Bob



BundyR@aol.com

[Warren Kaplan]

I have recently aquired a CD 25D with a full batten main. I am much more accustomed to a short batten and looking at the luff of the main to make sure that it is properly trimmed. When the luff is not filled then I bear off or sheet in. With the full batten main, the luff is always taught. Are there main telltales that can be placed at the luff similar to the ones placed on a headsail to make sure that the main is trimmed properly or is there another way to check for mains'l trim?

Thanks for the information.

Bob

Bob,
Just a point of clarification. On the mainsail you said luff telltales as opposed to leach telltales. I don't have a full battened main, and never did, but every other mainsail I've had, had telltales along the leach. Amongst other things I'd look at for trimming the main, stuff like using or not using a cunningham or vang, I'd always try and get those leach tails streaming. I don't recall ever having luff tails on any of my mains. I too would be interested in knowing if anyone does and how they use them.

Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27



Setsail728@aol.com

[Al Levesque]

I have recently aquired a CD 25D with a full batten main

We have full battens on our CD33 and I do see luffing between the battens. I admit that the sail is not nearly as sensitive as with short battens but I also use the leech telltales to supplement.

I wonder if the effect of the mast would require luff telltales to be quite far aft.



albertlevesque@cove.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Captain,

As Warren has noted, leach tell-tails are more common, but telltails about 1/3 of the way aft on the main can be used to check the laminar flow over the "WING" of the sail. Usually they are red and green tapes, on opposite sides of the main.

From what you describe with the full battens, these type of tell tails may be a help in obtaining proper mains'l trim.

Dave Stump

[Bob]

Thanks for the information. I will work on getting leech teltales in place and probably put some along the main about 1/3 down from the mast. I didn't think of the distubance that the mast would cause along the flow of the sail.

Bob B.



BundyR@aol.com

[Jack Chamberlain]

Bob, We have just completed a season with a new full-batten main on our CD 33, "Maggie Rose." It is great(compared to our tired, old short-batten main). We can still tell when the luff luffs. But we also have four tell tails on the leach, one at each batten, which helps us with the trim.



jchamber@crosslink.net