Who uses an outhaul?

[Cheechako]

I've always had a an outhaul. Don't use it that much, but it's nice to ease it off in light air and help gets some more shape to the sail. It's probably less important with full battens I suppose.

[out42]

I think the majority here are in favour of using the outhaul and I'm with them.
Slack it off when hoisting and then set it for the wind angle you will be sailing. It is closely analogous to the sheeting of the headsail but just less obvious. You wouldn't sail a reach with the headsail pinned in flat so why do the same with the main?
Getting it right for the point of sail just makes the boat's job much easier, and the benefits transfer directly to you, and all the more so if you are crossing an ocean.
Get the outhaul and the cunningham (yes, that's worth using as well) right and you will notice the difference.

[Alika]

If you are not prepared to trim your sails, buy a trawler.

[roland stockham]

The purpose of an out-haul (and halyards on roller furlers etc.) is to allow you to release the tension on the sail when it is not in use, prevents creep and loss of shape so maintains sail performance for longer.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

The purpose of an out-haul (and halyards on roller furlers etc.) is to allow you to release the tension on the sail when it is not in use, prevents creep and loss of shape so maintains sail performance for longer.

That's a benefit, but is not the primary purpose. Primary purpose of the out haul is to shape the sail, primary purpose of the halyard is to raise the sail, with the added benefit of being able to move the draft with tension.


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[12BCruzn]

I agree wholeheartedly with what Factor had to say.. . .in theory. In practice, I was always a little too lazy to mess with the outhaul. I always just left it tight. As far as arriving at your anchorage before dark, we always just budgeted about 6 knots average and left at the appropriate time. Good wind and we were early, bad wind and we turned on the engines

Having said that, I have enormous respect for the "trim nazis".

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by Factor

I respectfully disagree, if a cruiser can get half a Knot and point a degree or two higher over the course of a days cruising up the coast, it can make the difference between arriving at the anchorage in daylight not dark. Good sail control is important to a cruising boat

I always plan my anchorage distance using a boat speed of 5.5 kts. Never have a problem with arriving late,but have had to wait outside for a tide or on long multi day legs hove too waiting for daylight.

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[Blue Stocking]

I'm laughing here . Fiddle with tension on 2 corners of a tri-angle, but 3 rd corner is not important ??

[Factor]

I am amazed that multihull manufacturers would build a boat without an outhaul. It says something about the purpose of the boat and what they consider their intended market.

Spend 8 hours - 18 hours - 180 hours whatever, its like you haven't got time to adjust the outhaul once an hour.

[Training Wheels]

It seems to me that few boats are rigged with 3 reefing lines on the boom. I wonder if the OP is using the intended outhaul line as a reefing line?


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[KJThomas]

My question would be. "Who doesn't use an outhaul"?

I have mine, and the reefing lines, run back through the boom, and back to the cockpit. It is the most often used adjustment, after the traveller.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

The purpose of an out-haul (and halyards on roller furlers etc.) is to allow you to release the tension on the sail when it is not in use, prevents creep and loss of shape so maintains sail performance for longer.

Nope, the purpose of an outhaul is to control the shape of the foot and bottom third of the main sail.

Geeze, even wikipedia knows that.

[CGirvan]

Just wondering how much you sailors are adjusting your outhaul, and if you are loose footed or in the groove.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by CGirvan

Just wondering how much you sailors are adjusting your outhaul, and if you are loose footed or in the groove.

Ours are both (main & mizzen) in the groove if you will. Bay sailing I jack with them all the time depending on point of sail and wind strength. Offshore, maybe once or twice a day, unless I'm restless.


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[Stumble]

The only boat I don't play the outhaul on in my A-Cat, but that's because the boom is on an angle so the tighter the sheet the tighter the outhaul gets automatically. It's like the sail designer cut the sail specifically to reduce the workload by knowing how much tension would be needed at a given boom angle....

Otherwise not using an outhaul is like not setting the halyard tension properly. Sure the boat will move with it set wrong, but it will be some combination of slower, heel more, wear out the sail faster, and look ridiculous.