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PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:10 am 
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Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:10 pm
Posts: 58
Location: Rio Vista, CA
It took only one broad reach to realize that the AI's sail was not designed to go downwind. When we ordered our boats I also bought some hardware to construct an outhaul to try and improve the sail shape off the wind. No biggie. Lots of guys here have done the same. If you're doing any long reaches it improves progress considerably.

Well yesterday, with heavy winds on the river, we spent the the whole time reefed down to about 1/3 of the sail. With the clew moved that far forward and the wind-induced mast bend I had some real sail shape issues going to weather. Sheeted in as tight as posible to pinch the foot was a straight line and the leach was flagging hard. Since the clew was right at my head I reached up and pulled down on the main sheet to try and tighten the leach. From my position I couldn't get much of a purchase but what little I could do seemed to help.

That got me thinking: I already have a 2" ring around the sheet that faciltates the outhaul. What if I run a third line through it and down to the rear crossbar with a single block and cam cleat. This would give me a two-to-one purchase leach tensioner line (is there more nautical term for this? Cuningham?).

Has anybody else tried this?


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:35 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:45 pm
Posts: 20
Location: Las Vegas Nevada
Rio Dan,

I have not had the AI out in any really good wind to comment, however if youdo this set up post some pictures of how it was done. Good Luck


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:14 am 
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:58 pm
Posts: 9
Location: LaPorte, Texas
What you are talking about would actually be a vang. A vang pulls down on the boom to control the twist in the leech of the sail. They can also be used to bend the mast and depower the sail. Since the AI doesn't have a boom, no vang.

Generally speaking, once a sail is furled beyond 15% the shape is terrible. It tends to make the sails very full in the middle and tight on the foot, which is the worst possible shape for big wind.

Remember, when its windy to pull on lots of downhaul. This will bend the mast and open the top of the sail. With a square top main and no boom, you should try to trim to the top and middle of the sail and not worry as much about the bottom otherwise you will close the head and stall the flow at the top of the sail creating a ton of drag.

Good luck with your rigging. You should post up the results of your experiments, I'd be interested in hearing how it worked.

Jay
KO Sailing

_________________
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.


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