Shorten mainsail - Foot or Top?

[MoorOrLess]

The “flattening reef” point on the leech of the sail as Cheechako suggests sounds like the best option to me. It will lift the outer end of the boom, simple modification to the sail, and reversible in minutes. Goosenecks need to take a fair bit of abuse, it will need to be a decent size track to handle the loads if you go down that path. Have not seen adjustable goosenecks used on larger boats. Most race boats will have black bands painted on the spars to mark the extremities of the P & E according to the boat’s measurement certificate or class rule.

[Mike Banks]

I do not know the size of your vessel, but you need to keep the centre of effort of your sail approximately in the same place as it now is if you want the same mast position and the same balance with the keel and rudder. Taking a little from the top seems a more intelligent approach to me--and having a square topped mains'l as a result.

Moving the boom up a few inches does not lose as much power as one might imagine. The air moves more constantly the further from the deck and wave-tops it is.

[Boatsie]

I do knot know the size of your vessel!
Although I was just ballast.

Your goose neck is what I learnt as foot of sail. Others know terminology as tack.
She flutters her fuel and dances her crew. They have a clew.
But she kicks like a mule!! A big stallion.

Moving that up will increase power often.. But if I was on a 40 by 40 foot skiff I'd rather adverse weather survival even if such weather is never planned nor event.
Like my not mate suggested.. I'm a little girl, moving my stance is easy. You're a 40*40skiff brother.
Reefing to line of point(leech) looks a way better option.
You want mild physics? 6 inch variant on an old girl equals 1 bent mast at 35 knot.
10 inch variant on your girl is close to unknown. It'll handle not that well and being a big rig she'll be difficult to lower into a heavy wind.
The tall ships visited us. Running into harbour on a light breeze, starboard quarter stern. We approached her stern and proceeded to overtake. I quarrelled our skipper. " you're passing her on windward. "
He replied to have a look. Her low of low sail near equal to our cock.
I congratulated the skipper, " well done old man, she's a gorgeous blocker, if she calls up windward boat we have agility and we're on starboard. "
Sail starboard. Stink boat grumbled having pointed out no iron.

Tri's are beautiful man. I think she'd prefer the goose neck there. Adverse weather happens.

[Boatsie]

I wasn't trying to be rude master Banks, I thought it funny; retarded me.
From the belief system we live on the place called, " BelongtoMik, " and that extends as our ocean beds.

Sir Andre, which ever way you go, safety is often the way of faster learning. Some teachers had started to teach us down here via watch and learn how too catapiller the foot between tack and clew. I have know idea yet just an average sailor.
If ducking boom a problem then at least out with less you have the option to sail low boom.
Will Vang be efficient at an angle?

I'm out of pros /cons.. Pros of twin goose neck.. Party boat.
Cons. Expensive, manageability.
Pros of reef angled. Party boat.
Cons. Vang? Watching the catapiller? Untidy? Cloth wear?

Goodnight

[andreas.mehlin]

Thanks for all input!

Boat is 46 ft. Mast about 50ft, Boom 17 ft.

[Boatsie]

Andreas, others,
I don't intend to waste your read, if you read this then please do so if you wish to do so.

I'm 45, I visited my grandma today, she was released from intensive care and is recovering with clear reflexes yet an aged machine. We both hope people start to take interest and help increase with habits to clean our planet: a host of life. If you wish too collect 1 more piece of rubbish more than you dispose of each day such becomes an easier task with all.
I am Nathan, my grandmas family were the 2nd carriage to church every Sunday during the founding of Melbourne and then.. I look at history and there is trash and indecency upon the local natives whom were already here.
I survived a masters class. I've seen videos of 3+ tonne wooden logs used on a pendulum with blokes on an opposing pendulum head butting them. I've stood near a 2 tonne gantry suspending a v8 Transtar Road Train engine block and cut chassis rails which caught a guide and toppled onto my head. An edge of about 3-5mm thick steel H channel knocked me out yet return to conscious was with stars circling my sight; I had remained at stance. This is fair dinkum.
Although I was brilliant with languages such as physics, my English language usage and my belief that many think I'm a liar about these facts of I make me wonder if our childrens children will enjoy a fresh playground.
I'm hopeless with my girlfriend. I'll see her soon. She gets seasick and I love boats. Maybe I'll be trailer sailing, I have use of a gorgeous RobLegg24. Currently studying rigging. Unknown. Maybe basic rebuild, maybe trapezes.
I do not doubt the possibility of remaining single. I am looking at liveaboards.

Tri's look nice. Does windward float spray onto deck on broad reach?
Do they dance on anchor?

I like long keels too. They're gorgeous.

I ain't fixed on anything.. If it's in the price range and big enough to comfort my habits it's worth a consideration.

I guess you've sailed your tri a bit.. I believe you will notice a loss of performance in well felt winds if the foot is raised.

I haven't much sailing experience. Approx 6 months worth of day/night cruising and some racing keel boats. Some dinghy days too.

Every day I collect more rubbish than I contribute and this habit starts friendship formation with some considerably intelligent machines.
BTW when I was knocked out by the gantry worth about 500-1000kg, I didn't bruise and yet I took the impact. That is true. I love the reflexes sailing allows use of. Catching lengths to reduce torques on fulcrums and pump them ponies.
Thank you reading.
I'm just a normal man enjoying life too. I didn't lie.

Nathan

[Chris777]

We took out a wedge 0 at the mast to 12” at the end of the boom to fit a Bimini. No noticeable side effects.

[Jim Cate]

I agree that while raising the outboard end of the boom is the easiest means of getting the needed clearance, the idea of converting to a flat top sail is intriguing. Well beyond an amateur's judgement call as to practicality, so have you considered just asking a real live sailmaker about the feasibility?

My guess is that unless the whole sail is designed with that in mind it won't work well, but a more skilled opinion would sure be interesting!

Jim

[Boatsie]

Eye tell you Watt, I'm starting to get normal memory again, pretty sure dad used high goose neck cruising to allow across deck crawl.
You wouldn't be bothered by too much being a wide skiff with a shipload of sail Watt ability.

Rig wear will increase. We managed about 60 weeks of cruising plus more than a few overnighters (5years) to a need to rerig.
I'd argued with him about this.. Works well. We reef early where as safety in my eyes is available throttle.
Glad some of you guys like recycling.
Same Ol' ship.

Nathan

[Boatsie]

A 7:1 advantage block pulley system.

The traditional system is pictured.
A system some use nowadays is drawn.

Both have the same advantage, the drawing when constructed using the same materials as the traditional system offers a reduced torque hoist.

Much like the throttle along the foot of main. A better stance to kick a dance in case romance allows a lower boom.
Top is my vote both knowing I'm ignorant of your vessel.

Love Boatsie.

[mowerandy]

Excuse me if this has already been said, or if I am missing your point somehow, but do beware of chopping the top off a main, only to then realise that the fatter roach at the top now no longer clears the backstay - that is a pain in the but (from experience)...
Much easier (I reckon anyway) to put in a new clew and tack at the bottom, than to have to resew the leach and batten pocket ends owing to the top of the sail now being too wide.

One lazy trick I have used is to cut the foot off parallel to the boom, slide the cut-off foot up over the cut edge of the sail to the desired height and simply sew it back on. This saves you installing new tack and clew eyes, but can result in a bit of a step in the leach if the sail is well tapered, and/or the shortening has been substantial.

[Boatsie]

I understand I'm side tacked easy. Lol.
Just in case interested. (Not knowing your main sheet advantage system neither. )
Lots of people screw it up. Eg traditional pulley system.
Here's a 6:1 hoist; twin triple pulley blocks; 1 block with eye and cleat: Could advantage 7:1 but being a side pull system to clear hoisted item reduces advantage.
The blocks pull at 90 degrees to each other compared to traditional systems which vary their blocks degrees of pull due to torque(or energy loss in the system).
No offense intended(you might use greater than 6:1, 7:1 with your main sheet, others might find use).

Wishing you many joy rides

[44'cruisingcat]

Have you checked how much free halyard you have at the head of the sail at full hoist?

It's possible you might be able to add a strop at the tack effectively raising the clew.