What kind of sail is this and what is it for?

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by theglo

The PO bought this boat new in 1983 but when replacing sails he bought all used ones and then tailored them to fit his needs. There are a number of random sails on board but none are ones that I believe just took up space. He sailed the boat far and wide and I imagine he had a use for all of them.

If it's a mizzen staysail, it might be original - they don't get pulled out that much, and usually in lighter wind conditions. Have you measured it and compared it to the table in Gordmay's post?

[Packman]

Is your boat a yawl? Racers with a yawl used to “cheat” within the rules and use the mizzen mast to fly a similar sail between the mizzen mast and main mast. I will try to load a picture.

[theglo]

It's hard taking pics of this while on the boat... now that I type this I guess I could have dinghy'ed away a bit and shot a better photo.

I pulled this up my mizzen mast in what I would imagine is somewhere close to how a mizzen stay sail would be raised. It looks interesting, is no where close to as tall as my mast. Next time I take the boat out I'll see if this sail makes any difference in different arrangements, either attached to the mizzen in some way like these photos, or as a second headsail.

I doubt it is original to the boat. I looked at the Dufour 12000 CT linked pages. I know the PO used it because the eyes and associated hardware are all sewn up and rigged in a similar fashion to the other sails I have on board. They are not sailmaker work, they are PO work - which is fantastic but also identifiable.

THanks again to all.

Photos:

[Breaking Waves]

^^ the sail panels should almost certainly be horizontal, not vertical as in the way you hoisted it.

Which is the longest edge - that should probably be the front edge (tack to halyard).

[theglo]

Originally Posted by Breaking Waves

^^ the sail panels should almost certainly be horizontal, not vertical as in the way you hoisted it.

Attachment 204501

Thanks, I'll take note of that next time out.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by theglo

. I looked at the Dufour 12000 CT linked pages.

Have you measured this sail?


From the picture, it looks like you hoisted it by the tack.

[theglo]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Have you measured this sail?


From the picture, it looks like you hoisted it by the tack.

No, I haven't yet.

[Lodesman]

Also, this might seem counterintuitive, but it should overlap the main. Tack on port, clew to stbd and vice versa. Are there any fittings along the top of your pilothouse. Again, take the measurements and see what it matches in the table of sails.

[mercater]

It looks to me to be a stay sail and it’s hoisted the wrong way. Where you have the halyard attached is either the clew or tack.

[oscarkramer]

Sun-shade. Great for the beach.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by theglo

I'm finally getting to the extra sails that came with my boat.

This one is triangular and has an eye on each corner. There are no other attachments on it. I know it was used by the prior owner but not sure in what capacity. It only extends about 1/2 way up my forestay when I pull it up there. It's likely not rigged correctly, I just wanted to see it up.

Any ideas on how this may have been used? It's light fabric and I have a note on a bag it was in that says, CHUTE, but the bag may have been used for something else.

I have a Ketch and if you swung that sail around , it would be a fisherman, set between the mizzen and main to run down wind. Not sure of the use on a Sloop, but I would guess it may be helpful to run dual head sails?

[clakiep]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Trysail?

Is it a kind of working jib upside down, or a staysail, to be used between main -and mizzen mast on a ketch -or yawl rigged boat ?

[lo2jones]

Agreed. It looks like a bolt rope on what is now the leach so that would go in the slide on the mast for the trisail. So the head is actually the tack, the tack is the clue and the clue is really the head of the sail...if we are correct...is that what you were thinking?

[Beagle]

Without knowing the weight of the material I would say it's a Drifter.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by JBsurfin

I have a Ketch and if you swung that sail around , it would be a fisherman, set between the mizzen and main to run down wind. Not sure of the use on a Sloop, but I would guess it may be helpful to run dual head sails?

Thats my next guess, esp since OP said it was light material.