Leech Line Adjustment

[RDW]

I had some stitching go bad on the leach of a relatively new foresail. I honestly never paid much attention to the tension of the leach line. The loft that repaired my sail commented that the damage or wear was from not having the leach line tensioned properly. How many of you all pay much attention to this. What are your keys to adjustment.
RDW

[BMWshoe]

I tension mine to the narrow range where there is no or minimum flutter of the leech and where there is no cupping of the leech.

The cupping is inefficient and the flutter is destructive over time.

[Sailmonkey]

I adjust the leech almost any time I set the sail. Different wind requires different leech tension, as does the amount of sail unfurled.
I'm also the type to move the cars fore and aft when changing course.

[Acushla]

Have the leach line tension as slack as possible to allow you to sail with no leach flutter. As wind strength increases then the leach tension will need to be increased (more so on the wind) to to prevent flutter. Slacken it off again when you have finished sailing or wind strength lessons again.
Leach line tension is a fine tuning requirement that needs adjustment for all relative wind strengths.

[steve77]

Our headsail is high cut, for a lot of good reasons. One disadvantage is it is not possible to adjust leech line tension while underway. Maybe if I was 3 feet taller and had two extra arms to hold onto the boat while hanging out over the side...

I adjusted ours to prevent flutter on a close reach and have not touched it since.

[Blue Stocking]

Good article on this subject in current "Good Old Boat" mag.

[jackdale]

I adjust leech with my thumb and forefinger - very little tension. Just enough to take out any remaining flutter AFTER all other sail / track adjustments have been made.

[hellosailor]

Leechline flutter is simply flogging the sail, on a smaller scale. I would comment that sometimes the little plastic jaw to secure a leechline slips all the time, so if yours is not working politely, it may not be your imagination, it may need to be changed.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Good article on this subject in current "Good Old Boat" mag.

Yup, pages 16/17, reading it right now......

[NRosenthal]

I also have a high cut jib. Have the leach line routed to the tack instead of the clew and adjustment can be made on any point of sail, and height restrictions are never a problem. (for sail adjustment any way). BTW I have the leach line for the main also set up this way, keeps the crew inboard on a reach!