Working with the Top Tell Tale on Mainsail

[darsunt]

Yesterday we had difficulty getting the top telltale on the mainsail to flow while sailing close hauled (port tack). Eventually we had to let the main sheet out a lot, and bring the traveller over all the way to the windward side to center the boom, and finally the top telltale came to life.
But on the starboard tack, we had the traveller close to center, shortened the main sheet to center the boom, and the top tell tale was flying well. On this tack we didn't have to let out the main sheet. Why the difference?

Thanks

[giant]

could be your rig needs some serious adjustment.

[Weyalan]

When going to windward close-hauled, you wouldn't necessarily want nor expect your top tell-tail on the main to flow all the time. As a rule of thumb, try to get the top tell-tale to flick between flowing out straight and folding back behind the main so that it is flowing about half of the time and folding about half of the time.

The above advice is generic and results may vary for a given boat, wind speed, mainsail shape, tell-tail position relative tot he top of the sail, etc. I merely wish to point out that when close hauled you don't necessarily want / need your top tell-tail to flow all the time.

If in doubt, talk to your sail maker.

[Factor]

I would have thought a rig tune is in order if things are different one tack to another

[mrohr]

Same effect at different wind speeds?

[Hydra]

Sometimes, the wind direction at sea level isn't exactly the same as at the mast top. In that case, the difference in apparent wind angle between the deck and the mast head isn't the same on both tacks.

Alain

[JPA Cate]

...and sometimes the wind-point is not pointing exactly forward, something else to check.

Ann

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by darsunt

Yesterday we had difficulty getting the top telltale on the mainsail to flow while sailing close hauled (port tack). Eventually we had to let the main sheet out a lot, and bring the traveller over all the way to the windward side to center the boom, and finally the top telltale came to life.
But on the starboard tack, we had the traveller close to center, shortened the main sheet to center the boom, and the top tell tale was flying well. On this tack we didn't have to let out the main sheet. Why the difference?

Thanks

Did you have the jibsheet leads in the same place and the jib pulled in the same on both tacks??

[darsunt]

I believe the wind speed was at least similar on both tacks, but I am not certain. It was a pretty good wind, 17-20 knots.
The jib was close hauled both times. Since the traveller was almost centered on the second tack, the jib sheet must have been pulled in much tighter.
Thanks for the responses.