Headsails

[mrgnstrn]

I'll take what Ed says about sailing as the god's own truth. Everyskipper wants his boat to sail as fast and efficiently as possible. If deck sweepers are more efficient and speedy sails then I'm listening. Soon Little Gull will have to get her new suit of sails.

Mainly, the reason for high clew staysails is for vision forward, right?. Especially shorthanded, the ability to see where you're going is comforting.


Is it possible to 'scandalize' a staysail by reefing the clew? That is, reducing the decksweeping action of the sail by folding or rolling the sail UP to a higher clew point?

And conversely, after leaving crowded waters, the clew could be shaken out and the sail returned to its more effective shape.

Has this been done? Does the sail need to be cut differently, or can this actually be done casually? Be nice to have the option.

Ebb,

Not sure I understand your question, so let me play out two possibilities:

1. It is possible to attach the jib sheets to a higher clew position, but leave the tack alone? My guess is that the sail shape would suffer, and not only that, but the loads on the sail would tend to stretch it across the bias, not how the stretch was intended. (PS, I got "Sailrites" manual of jib sail design and construction----> VERY Good even if you don't plan on building a sail. It goes through where to put shape into a sail, how and why, then shows you how to align the fabric to achieve minimum stretch. ever notice how all hte panels are perpendicular to the leech.... "to achieve minimum stretch" is why)

2. is it possible to have a set of reef points on a jib just like on a mainsail. YES! I even inherited a sail that looks like this. There is a second Tack and Second Clew a few feet up from the regular clew and tack. This requires you to lower the halyard just like a mainsail. good because you can keep a sail up and still reef (no need to go bareheaded). Not as good because likely the sail is too full for the conditions that require you to reef. But good as a first reefing step.

-Keith

ps, glad to see my spreadsheet going to use. You can hide "extraneous" sails on the graph by just plugging in "0" for the luff, leech, and foot.

[Commander227]

I just Acquired a new roller furling headsail cut for a Catalina 25 tall rig:
Luff= 30'
leech= 28.4'
Foot= 16.9'
The dimensions are nearly identical to the Commander's #1 genoa;
luff = 30'6"
leech= 30'3"
Foot= 17'
The shorter luff allows for the luff lost to the furling unit and the shorter leech brings the clew up to where you do not need to move your block when under shortened sail
The sheeting angle is perfect and the boat sails very well under it. Visibility is also excellent with the raised clew.