Shorten mainsail - Foot or Top?

[andreas.mehlin]

I have been looking into maybe move up my goose neck a little bit to avoid accidents. Would it be possible to shorten it at the top and make it into a fat-head? Pros & cons? It's for a performance/cruising trimaran.

[thinwater]

How much are you planning to raise the tack? 6 inches or 2-3 feet? Assuming it is the former, that's a considerable undertaking. In fact, you probably only need to raise the clew.

[Boatsie]

Pros. Light winds. Cruising head space.

Cons. Heavy winds. Reefing ease.

When we cruise (noting cruises are short compared to many here) we do opposite and race prep her (besides guard rails). Eg bring forces that will torque her to a minimal (besides sails propulsion which we usually reef early too).
Ie. Ballast being the easy one.

Although you're aware that you'll be reefing earlier, having the boom higher on a monohull is where I'm thinking from.. It'd be a pain in the arse trying to reef something up higher and maintain some form of stance strength.
A sail maker might be able to determine where the strains would become with the alternative shapes to choose from.

Well wishes. Nathan

[andreas.mehlin]

Will raise it maybe 10 inches.

[Bean Counter]

What about putting in a second goose neck fitting 10" above the original (or install a sliding track for the goose neck) and insert reefing points on the sail to suit. Then instead of cutting the sail you can always go back to original set up which may assist re-sale.

[Training Wheels]

Would moving the clew up, thereby raising the aft end of the boom, give you the clearance you desire? Would be a much easier fix.

[Boatsie]

Originally Posted by Bean Counter

What about putting in a second goose neck fitting 10" above the original (or install a sliding track for the goose neck) and insert reefing points on the sail to suit. Then instead of cutting the sail you can always go back to original set up which may assist re-sale.

That's a brilliant idea. Been so long dry. Can't remember if it's the race boat or the cruiser or both that has a sliding goose neck. Bean Counter, thanx.

Not trying to be an idiot.. That little loose flap at tack could be used to visually sight flutter (when goose neck down conditions) eg stored wind fuel in concave of main). I've been knocked out more times than any man whom reads this and I cannot explain!

[Empty Pockets]

Originally Posted by Training Wheels

Would moving the clew up, thereby raising the aft end of the boom, give you the clearance you desire? Would be a much easier fix.

Might solve the original problem, but then he’d need to modify all his reef crinkles to accommodate the new geometry?
I’m with adding a new boom mount location and a set of crinkles to go with it.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Empty Pockets

Might solve the original problem, but then he’d need to modify all his reef crinkles to accommodate the new geometry?
I’m with adding a new boom mount location and a set of crinkles to go with it.

I've done this (raised clew 8 inches). Given that it is almost certainly full battened and loose foot (performance tri), the exact cringle location is a minor matter, so long as you can get the strings through. In fact, with loose footed, full batten sails and lazy jacks, most often you don't even bother to tie up the bunt. It isn't needed.

[Cheechako]

I doubt the reef cringles etc are a problem. The other thing you can do is have a "flattening reef" installed with more take up on the clew end.. Same as raising the clew really. You can just leave that reef in all the time but have the option of letting it out for light air etc.

[roland stockham]

You mention that the boat is a 'performance' tri. Doing this will have a significant impact on performance if you take area off the bottom of the sail. You don't mention the boat size but just as an example taking 10" off the bottom of a 15ft sail looses 12.5sqft, that could be about 5%. Just as important trimming the bottom of a main will flatten it considerably taking out light airs drive. I would look at adding cringles to give an extra reef line rather than cutting the sail. That way you can run with a small reef tucked in when you want boom clearance but get the power back when you need it in light weather. Having a small reef like that used to be a fairly common way to de-power the main on race boat.
As a general safety point having a boom between the height shoulders and top of head for crew standing in the cockpit is the danger zone but adding marker tape to make it more eye catching reduces the danger, that and clearly calling tacks and jibes!

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Bean Counter

What about putting in a second goose neck fitting 10" above the original (or install a sliding track for the goose neck) and insert reefing points on the sail to suit. Then instead of cutting the sail you can always go back to original set up which may assist re-sale.

That's a clever idea. You could even make it removable and held with sturdy pins.

[Boatsie]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

You mention that the boat is a 'performance' tri. Doing this will have a significant impact on performance if you take area off the bottom of the sail. You don't mention the boat size but just as an example taking 10" off the bottom of a 15ft sail looses 12.5sqft, that could be about 5%. Just as important trimming the bottom of a main will flatten it considerably taking out light airs drive. I would look at adding cringles to give an extra reef line rather than cutting the sail. That way you can run with a small reef tucked in when you want boom clearance but get the power back when you need it in light weather. Having a small reef like that used to be a fairly common way to de-power the main on race boat.
As a general safety point having a boom between the height shoulders and top of head for crew standing in the cockpit is the danger zone but adding marker tape to make it more eye catching reduces the danger, that and clearly calling tacks and jibes!

That's brilliant too.
You don't have the heel of a monohull but you will experience greater strains rig than many monohulls.

Would tack to slightly up trailing point sail reef holes to raise clew have adverse effects on sail wear?

Saves heaps of effort reshaping head.

The boats I was thinking of were designed well to utilize adjustable goose necks heights.
The bigger girl was not reefable, main halyard was hoisted from bilge and had 2 or 3 heights to attach at. She was then hauled down to suit conditions.
The Legg's hauled to head but we always sail low unless brain failure again.

[joesail]

Just had this done on my 42' cat. Met with the sail maker to come up with a plan. We found that taking from the top to be best. Reshaping the top yielded the least amount of sail loss for my particular sail. Also meant that the the reefing points and pocket shaping tapes (maybe the wrong name) wouldn't have to be moved. Taking from the leech would have been the most intrusive and expensive option. Taking from the top only required removing one batten and resewing. less shaping at the top I think.

[Boatsie]

Just to second second again. The point of cruising.. To get as high as you can maintain with all colours up.. Or safety.. Can't remember.
If spar breaks there's no stink boat to chase hence the safety aspect of raising the sails.
It's only 10inch but from the leverage length it is a considerable amount of a percentage increase in heel torque (or rig stain per a flat rigid skiff; a performance trimaran).
If front is of a sudden burst wind speed type front, could you drop goose neck effective and swift? Cutting a new foot, eg Lifting clew along leech will loose some area but retain a critical safety aspect of cruising.
Or reef?

To avoid a hazard might create a critical error.