Mainsail question

[aloha28]

Hi everyone. Relatively new to sailing and hoping someone can help with a question I have related to an old Aloha 28 sailboat I recently bought..

I have this Genco main sail, which was manufactured in the mid 70s, has a line that extends ~ 12 feet from the foot of the sail to this point (below):












Is anyone able to please help explain how this line (tied off in picture above) is to work? The second grommet is for Cunningham, which I believe should be a separate line.

Thanks for reading!
Brad

[Don C L]

Welcome aboard Aloha28!
It's known as a "jack line" used to allow the sail to fall away from the mast when you pull it down to reef at the first cringle. This way all the cars or slugs don't make the sail all bunched up under the cringle and you can easily and neatly roll up the sail along the foot. (And/or you don't have to remove cars/slugs from track/slot when reefing.) It can be confusing because there are other lines on a boat that are also be called jack lines, like the ones you clip a tether to. Sorry I can't attach it but if you google "mainsail jackline" you'll see a bunch of stuff about them.

By the way, the main should be hoisted higher so the luff is taught with no wrinkles in that sailing shot.

Edit, on second look at your photos I see you don't have a stopper in your slot so the slugs will fall out when you reef. That might be a nice thing to get next time you go to the chandlery. Nothing wrong with letting it fall out, it's just a hassle to slide them back in when it's time to hoist the main back up.

[aloha28]

Thanks so much for your response

Follow up question, are you able to please explain how and where the Jackline gets tided off? I searched online and found mention of mainsail Jacklines but can’t seem to find anything that describes how this line is tided off and managed.

Is it as simple as tying off the Jack line taut at the tack and leaving it? I should mention that I’d like to rig up a single slab reefing line as next step.

Thanks again!
Brad

[psk125]

When the sail is hoisted the mainsail jackline is snugged up and simply tied off to the gooseneck and perhaps back on itself, to take up the line. If you don't reef the sail, it won't need further adjusting, so you can raise & lower the main without having to undo it. If you do reef, it should be loosened to allow the sail to drop nicely down, as DonL says.

[aloha28]

Hi again.. This seems to be as tight as I am able to get mainsail with jacklines pulled as tight as can be, also pulling main halyard as tight as I can with vang/top lift loosened. Is there a technique I can perhaps employ to lessen slack near tack/foot of the sail?

Thanks again
Brad

[JPA Cate]

With the mainsail jackline eased, and the mainsail sheet eased, and no involvement with the vang at all--totally off--hoist the sail as tight as ever you can. Then set the m/s jackline, then sheet in, and then use the vang as needed.

Honestly, that sail looks pretty baggy. Any idea how old it is? Also, does it feel crisp or soft?

Ann

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

With the mainsail jackline eased, and the mainsail sheet eased, and no involvement with the vang at all--totally off--hoist the sail as tight as ever you can. Then set the m/s jackline, then sheet in, and then use the vang as needed.

Honestly, that sail looks pretty baggy. Any idea how old it is? Also, does it feel crisp or soft?

Ann

In the original post he says the sail was "made in the 70s" I figure it is about 3 or 4 decades past any reasonable expiration date...

[Don C L]

The jackline should be slack with no tension on it. It is not supposed to be under tension. Release the vang and mainsheet when raising the main. Also, check the head of the sail. Is it getting hung up on anything up there at the top?