Displaying items by tag: UK Sailmakers Ireland
Mainsail Handling Systems; Which is Best for Your Boat?
Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland explains which system is best for various situations
There are times in your boat-owning life when you need to step back and evaluate your vessel's set-up. With an eye towards optimising the boat for the way you sail it, you can opt for different sails, winches, running rigging, nav systems, and even headstay options. Finding the right combinations of these options can be a daunting task, and it helps to do your homework before putting a credit card on the counter of the nearest marine supplier.
In recent articles here, I've covered a number of boat set-up options ranging from sail selection to headstay set-ups and roller furlers. This article address what may be a simple but critical matter – the best way to attach the luff of the mainsail to the mast. Here's a look at the primary mainsail attachment/handling systems with some perspective on each. I hope this helps you to set-up your boat to meet your needs.
Let me start by describing the three basic methods or systems to attach the luff of a mainsail to a mast. The first is external luff cars that slide on a track attached to the aft side of the mast. The second uses slides, or slugs, attached to the luff that slides up and down in an internal track on the back of the mast. The final one is inserting into the mast groove a bolt rope sewn onto the luff of the sail. Each has its pros and cons, as you'll read.
Overview of decision-making criteria
There are five basic factors to consider when selecting a mainsail handling system:
- Cost – this is always a factor.
- Control of the sail as it is raised and lowered – is the luff "captured" or not. Non-captured systems require more hands to raise and lower to prevent the sail from ripping or blowing away – it's the same differences with raising and lowering a headsail that has hanks vs one that fits into a luff foil.
- Ease of raising and lowering the sail.
- For captured systems, the height of the stack when it is lowered. This can be a factor when it comes to attaching/removing the halyard and putting on the sail cover.
- How critical is the aerodynamic factor?
Luff Cars
Luff cars are one of the two methods of "captured" luff attachment, and luff cars are the preferred systems for offshore cruising and doublehanded sailing. In all these systems, cars are permanently attached to the luff of the mainsail, and they get mounted onto a track, which is attached to the aft side of the mast. These cars can be either simple slides or with captured ball bearings, and the configuration of the actual slides will vary if your sail has any full-length battens. The cars for the forward end of full-length battens are heavier and, in some cases, incorporate internal batten tension systems.
Harken, Antal, and Ronstan all make quality car systems that all do the same job but in different ways. Each has a track mounted to the exterior face of the mast. Harken and Antal produce a combo racing track that takes slides and luff tape. These are the preferred option for boats racing inshore and offshore. Most boats go with Antal slide as it's the less expensive and easier option (no ball bearings).
Antal uses metal and Teflon slides put on a track making it hard to lose them. With Antal, the stack height on the mast is low. For Ronstan and Harken, the cars use ball bearing, which, at times, can be problematic. If one of the cars breaks, you can lose the bearings. Harken now has captive ball bearing cars which are easy to take off the mast. Both have relatively higher stack heights.
Most sailmakers prefer not to use headboard and carriages as they add weight and drag aloft. Headboards and carriages reduce the sail area while increasing the stack height. We normally now just web the sail onto the head car to make it easier and simpler while reducing the stack height considerably. All these systems need their own track to be fitted to the mast.
Another interesting luff car system is the Strong Track manufactured by Tides Marine. Rather than having to screw/bolt an external track onto the mast, the forward side of the Strong Track is a continuous protrusion that you can slide into the luff groove in the back of your mast and sets there permanently. The track itself is a one-piece UKMW insert with matching slides and batten receptacles designed for smooth, long-lasting operation. These cars slide up and down so smoothly.
The advantages of luff car systems are that they capture and control the sail, and they make it simple to hoist and drop the sail. Theoretically, both evolutions can be done from the cockpit with no one forward. Also, when reefing, you never lose the luff out of the mast. The disadvantages are that it takes more time to install/take off the main; every slide must be taken off individually.
PRO TIP: When lowering a mainsail with cars, have someone at the mast alternating the luff folds of the luff port and starboard. This will make flaking the sail much easier, will lower the stack height, and will make putting on the cover easier. For larger boats, it can be easier and faster if a crew member uses a climbing harness to flake the sail from a higher position as it is lowered.
Here, I'm talking about plastic slides attached to the luff that are inserted into the slot on the back of the mast. These are a good option for coastal cruisers and one-designs. They're also the most common system used and are very cost-effective. When using slides, you don't need to add an external track, they are light, and the stack height is really low.
There have been some cool developments with plastic slides over the years, including All slip low friction slides and, perhaps the best option, Rutgerson slides. The Rutgerson slides actually have wheels on them, making them the slide with the least friction – a good thing when raising and lowering sails. They do increase the stack height a bit, but they are worth the price for their ease of use. Both the All slip and Rutgerson slides can be added to an existing system. This is relatively affordable to do and will make your cruising life a lot easier.
There is also an internal slide wheel car system from Selden, but you may need to change the mast making that car system expensive.
The advantages of luff slides are that they are quick and simple to install and replace; they are the most cost-effective mast attachment system. The disadvantages are that they can break under load and can stick inside the mast when hoisting and dropping the sail if they are too loose inside the groove.
PRO TIP: Always have a bunch of spare luff slides on-hand to replace one should it break.
Luff tapes
in this video from onboard Jelik in Samui, Thailand, you can see how hard it is for a Maxi to hoist a luff tape mainsail. They need to get the mainsail into a halyard lock, with eight grinders hoisting the 160 sqm Uni Titanium mainsail.
Most racing boats use a system where a luff tape/bolt rope, ranging from 7 – 12 mm, is inserted into the groove on the mast. It's the most common system used currently. Due to the elimination of the gap between the mast and the luff of the sail itself, aerodynamically, this is the best set- up. In IRC, you lose nothing on the foot length of the sail as you do with mainsail cars. That said, this is the most difficult way to hoist and drop a sail as 1) you have to hoist the whole sail into to a tight groove in the mast, usually requiring someone to feed the sail into the mast and another on the halyard, and 2) when you lower it, you need someone to control the sail, so it doesn't get blown over the side (the opposite of a captured system).
You also can have an external slot/track on the mast to accommodate bolt rope. Harken and Antal tracks mounted on the back of the mast work best, making it easier to hoist and drop the sail. But they add weight to the mast.
The advantages if this non-slide system is that its lightweight, very cost-effective, and it's the best aerodynamical set-up. The disadvantages are that it's easy to tear the luff rope.
Hoisting, you need to control the loose sail as it's lowered, and there is the possibility that the luff tape can pull out of the groove easily if it's not the correct size.
Talk to us about which system is best for your boat. Just because you have one set-up currently installed, it may not be the best option for you and changing systems is done routinely. Regardless, sail safely and sail with confidence.
Headsail Handling Systems: Which is Best for Your Boat?
Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland explains which system is best for various situations
There are times in your boat-owning life when you need to step back and evaluate your vessel's set-up with an eye towards optimizing the boat for the way you sail it. Because each boat is unique in its own way, you can opt for different sails, winches, running rigging, nav systems, and even headstay options. This article reviews the primary headstay alternatives (furlers, foils, and hanks) providing perspective on each to help you make sure your boat is set-up in the best way to meet your needs.
Furlers (club racers/offshore)
Headstay furlers are a highly attractive option for many sailors, especially cruisers, but are also fixtures of many one-design boats. They make setting and dousing the headsail very simple, but there are some drawbacks, too.
The two best furlers currently on the market are the Harken MKIV furler and the Fracnor low deck furler. They both sit as low to the deck as possible, making it easy for the sail designer to have a standard IRC foot round (7 % of LP) on the sail, so the endplate effect isn't compromised. Both these furlers are convenient to use and you can have a great racing headsail shape with them.
The key with both systems is that they make it easy for spinnaker sets and drops. It's a simple furl and unfurl from the cockpit, reducing the chances of a mix-up with halyards and so on. These furlers can make the spinnaker drop and set super quick.
With these furlers, you can easily have instant reefing, too. Most sail designers can design vertical reefs into the headsails which makes moving to a J2 or J3 headsail just a simple furl. Note, however, the sail's shape can get distorted if you don't have a foam pad built into the luff for big overlapping headsail. But most non-overlapping headsails use a Cunningham webbing at the reef point which they can snug up making the luff smooth.
With furlers, one tends to set the halyard tension and walk away; but the easy way to keep an eye on that is to have a mark on the forestay and luff of the sail when you're happy with the shape (see the mark on the forestay in the photo below in the J109 Outrajeous). When you hoist the sail the next time, raise the halyard until the two marks align and you're all set.
Sail changes can be slower with a furler as you have to unscrew shackles at both the top and bottom of the sail rather than just open halyard and tack shackles. Harken makes a head and tack high-load shackle which makes this disconnecting simple and fast.
While furlers have all these advantages, there are some disadvantages, too:
When furling, you can get halyards wrapped into the furl if you're not careful. This can be prevented with a strop between the head of the sail and the head unit of the furler. This lifts the furler up to the correct height so you won't get halyard wrap.
Also, racing sails left up on a furler while not racing will get UV damage unless you add a UV cover. These covers now come in many forms including a paint that lasts a long time and comes in many colours to match you sail.
Hanks (soft and piston), offshore and one-design
Hanks are a must nowadays for offshore or shorthanded sailing, they make sail handling easier as you have full control of the sail. Because the hanks constrain the luff and prevent the sail from falling over the side when in the lowered position, you always have control of the luff of the sail setting or dousing. You also don't need to be on the bow to drop the headsail. You can open the halyard and drop it, so no one has to go forward at a spinnaker hoist. You can sort out the headsail after the kite is set and running.
Soft shackles are the most used racing hank as they are light and easy to replace, but they can be hard to open when wet, cold hands, particularly with gloves on. The next option for hanks is the high load alloy carabiner. Both the soft shackle and carabiners come in small and large sizes for different size sails and ease of use. However, the traditional piston hank is the most widely used.
Pro tip: It's always good to have extra soft hanks and carabiners onboard just in case.
The disadvantages of hanks include:
It takes longer to change a headsail as you have to manually disconnect the old hanks and then reconnect the new ones. Theoretically, you can hank on the new jib below the first hank of the old sail, before lowering the old one, but may be difficult if the jib halyard is very tight. Most sail designers make the hanks on headsails with more carbon so they last a bit longer. Also, piston hanks need regular attention (lubrication) and they are heavier than soft shackles.
Headsail foils (racing)
Tuff luff and Harken Carbo headstay foils are the most common systems on the race track. Headsail changes are easy and fast. If you're not sure which headsail you want to use at the start, you can plug both into the feeder pre-start and pick which one to use as you go into a sequence. Foils make for fast sets/drops. You can open the halyard just as your setting the spinnaker so the airflow fills the kite early. Upwind, you can do tack changes, making a midrace sail change simple.
Setting your pre feeder to the right height and making sure it is working perfectly is critical to the system. You also can get foil protectors that go over the foil to protect it when running gennaker sheets over it.
The disadvantages of headstay foils are:
They are more expensive than a simple rod forestay and hanks. Also, the top of the luff tape can get frayed over time, making it harder to get the sail into the feeder. Cutting the luff tape at 45 degrees and melting the tape seals it making it easy to insert into the foil again.
The foil also can get damaged from halyard shackles near the head of the sail allowing the head of the sail to come out of the foil mid-hoist. Drilling a 7mm hole in the aft side of the foil (luff tapes are 6mm) allows you to get the sail out without needing a screwdriver! Finally, your bow person needs to anticipate potential sail changes and then determine which halyard/groove you're going to use when hoisting. This prevents halyard from getting twisted as well.
In conclusion:
You need to select the headstay system for your boat based on the type of sailing you do and the type of sails you have. Headstay foils are is best for inshore club racing and advanced level racing. Conversely, furlers are best for offshore/club racers and cruisers who don't need headsail changes all the time and can take the slight shape hit for easy of handling.
Soft shackles and hanks are best for offshore and one-design as you normally are staying with one headsail for a long time and you only change if you really have to.
If you have questions on what style of headstay system is best for your boat, contact your nearest UK Sailmaker loft to get your answer.
The IRC New Flying Headsail: What's the Buzz?
Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland (in conjunction with Jenny Howells of the RORC Rating Office) explains the main difference between a flying Jib and an IRC flying headsail
The main difference between a flying Jib and an IRC flying headsail is the flying Jib is non-overlapping and measures in as a headsail (Headsail Area HSA). The flying headsail (flying sail area FSA) is a small, flat and overlapping code zero which is a new sail type in IRC.
The flying headsail is a code zero development and has very little to do with a headsail as it's measured as a spinnaker/genoa. As big boats and double handed boats developed their offshore sails over the past few years, particularly now that there are more foiling boats, a hybrid sail was developed with the code zero as the starting point. The new sail measures somewhere between a code zero and a genoa. This sail didn't fit in any rating rule and was rated as a headsail if under 75% mid girth so was heavily penalised. IRC now has moved to include it in their measurement rule. So boats can use the sail offshore and have it rated.
You can see from the above photo the size of the sail in basic area.
The flying headsail is flatter than a code zero, more or less the shape of an overlapping genoa 1. The sail has a positive roach and the luff also projects forward a little off the straight line, but the clew is below the boom level. When you're reaching, you can ease the boom down without it running into the flying headsail sheet. It's normally sheeted behind the keel, but not on the stern of the boat. Normally, the best spot is next to the genoa winch. It must be tacked forward of the forestay and it's always a top-down furling sail as you need to furl the roach away and get a tight furl. It's also normally left on the bowsprit furled up so it need a clew strop and Velcro clew patch to keep it furled.
The measurement rule for the sail is complex. This adds a lot of new measurements to the IRC rule. Below you can see the different measurements needed to calculate the area of the sail. You need to measure it both as a genoa to determine area and as a spinnaker to determine the mid girth ratio, under the rule so the measurements are clear to IRC and they will know how the sail is set. Notably, the sail is set forward of the forestay, it's overlapping the rig, and has between 62.5 and 74.9% mid girth.
Headsails and Flying Headsails
21.7.1 Headsail area (HSA & FSA) shall be calculated from:
- HSA = 0.0625*HLU*(4*HLP + 6*HHW + 3*HTW + 2*HUW + 0.09)
- FSA = 0.0625*FLU*(4*FLP + 6*FHW + 3*FTW + 2*FUW + 0.09)
The sail is mainly used between 65 and 125 degrees AWA, so it doesn't go upwind or downwind. It is mainly used for reaching. Moreover, it's excellent on foiling boats with reaching struts or whisker poles who can sheet the sail outboard away from the mainsail. This really opens the slot between the main and the flying headsail. As the boat speed increases, this sail just gets faster and faster as your AWA comes forward. Like a blast reaching genoa in old money.
For most IRC racing boats, this sail is a considerable rating hit and would not give you bang for your buck. The points increase would not be worth it. If you're foiling, sail in a lot of apparent wind or have reaching struts, however, then this sail is worth it as it overlaps the rig and is only slightly smaller than your code zero. So, for boats like Fast 40s and Open 40s, it's an excellent option because they can get their AWA forward quickly and build on that with this sail.
For most IRC boats the flying jib (non-overlapping) is still the best option as it's the same size as your headsail and can be flown off the bowsprit. It's still "free" on IRC and can give you an extra knot plus upwind or reaching. The flying jib is still the way to go for most IRC boats being flat, easy to furl and you can leave it on the bowsprit.
In this photo, you can see the shape difference in the three sails: flying jib, flying headsail, and code zero. You also can see how flat the flying headsail is compared to the code zero. This flat sail would not give most IRC cruiser racers the power needed working upwind in light air which the code zero totally does. Also, the same applies to the flying Jib. It's a lot flatter and doesn't overpower the boat upwind over 10 kts., allowing you to sail at high angles.
In conclusion, if you're racing ISORA or in the bay, stick with your IRC flying Jib and code zero. But if you're a fast or foiling boat, or perhaps doing a long offshore race including a lot of reaching, the flying headsail is probably worth the money!
IRC rules 2021 and related advice is here
Happy Christmas from UK Sailmakers Ireland
We would like to wish all our customer a very happy Christmas and a prosperous 2021.
In such a hard year, we would like to thank everyone for all the support and most of all the staff and people who helped with all the PPE over the summer.
We are busy in the loft servicing all your winter service sails and all the new sail orders you ordered over the autumn/winter.
We are really looking forward to seeing the new projects on the water 2021, with some new ideas and designs.
We are stunned to see the huge support for our newly designed holdall and tote bags.
We were delighted to see how much people are ordering the new designs, and it's certainly been keeping us busy over the winter months!
From everyone at UK sailmakers Ireland Happy Christmas.
Small fathead mainsails, where the roach of the sail is increased due to a considerably wider head of the sail, are starting to pop-up on the racecourse and they are proving to be a winner. Getting extra sail area on your boat can be really hard without taking a big rating hit, but increasing your crane size will give you that extra bit needed without too much out-of-pocket cost or dramatically affecting your rating.
Some yacht designers are already doing this in their new designs like the J/70 and J/88, for example. These are a great example of a boat getting extra area without having a very tall mast. To get the same amount of power while also reducing tipping weight and decreasing drag aloft.
Ratings
The extra area gained is only from the top quarter of the mainsail, in the photo below you can see the pink line.
This means that the only rating change is on the MUW measurement which only moves out a tiny bit. Your headboard increases from 0.15 m out to 0.45 m or larger depending on the crane size you can add. This is a very big increase in sail area which is almost free at the top of the sail from a rating perspective.
Design
The extra area makes a marginal speed increase upwind but it does reduce drag a fair amount. In the photo above, you can see the drag off the pin head main which is considerable compared to a slightly fatter head main. Importantly, the airflow sticks to the top of the sail longer creating less drag and generating more lift.
This bigger mainsail really comes into its own downwind and reaching. Off the wind is where the fathead main can be of most effective! The draft at the head of the sail will move slightly aft as you twist off the sail. But it also allows you to open and close the leech of the main quickly—letting you power up the boat or dump more quickly as the sail twists more. See the photo below.
Mast
Normally, increasing the crane size from 0.15 of a metre to 0.4 is a big structural job. You will need to check with your mast builder to see if it can be done. The primary area to consider is the mast's bend characteristics, which will change, making the luff curve of the main slightly different. As the crane increases and applies more load on the top of the mast, it bends more while also applying a lot more load above the forestay. You will need to confirm your forestay can take the additional load. The side plates of the crane will move further down the sidewall of the mast to try and take this extra load, but it's best to check with your mast builder to ensure you don't break the crane off.
Halyard
With a fathead mainsail, it's important to add a 2:1 halyard. This allows the head of the sail to articulate and not point load on the sheave. It also balances the main going from a beat to a run as the very top corner of the mainsail luff tape is pulled away from the mast on a beat. The 2:1 halyard will take this load and balance it out so there is no point loading, pulling the head of the main into the mast at all times. The mainsail designer will move the head ring aft to allow for this.
Conclusion
Adding extra area to the top of your mainsail will give you extra power, less drag, and a more efficient mainsail. However, it's totally dependent on your mast builder saying it is possible and practical. Trust me, it works really well on most modern yachts.
So, if you need some power and you're all maxed out, look up the answer is in front of you.
UK Sailmakers on How to Optimise a J/109 for IRC Rating
Racing a J/109 in IRC has its compromises because you're sailing with asymmetrics, you're limited to certain angles and only so much boat speed is generated both up-wind and down. While living in Hong Kong, I raced the J/109 Whiskey Jack in class 2. This is an extremely completive class dominated by three A35s and other boats such as Sunfast 3600s, an X-35 and a 34.7. We had to sail our arses off to do as well as we did.
The owner of Whiskey Jack wanted to see how he could improve his J/109 to be more competitive. Realising he probably would have to leave some of the boat's one-design components in the rear-view mirror, he contacted UK Sailmakers Ireland having seen what we had done with J/109 ratings in Ireland. To get an overall evaluation of the entire boat (including sails, rig, set-up, etc.) I got onto Kevin Dibley who I have worked with a lot at Dibley Marine. Over more than a few cups of tea, we checked out all aspects of the boat to see where we could improve upwind and down.
We set for ourselves three objectives: 1) increase her upwind boat speed, 2) improving her pointing ability and 3) to reduce her IRC rating. Not a small assignment!
We started by considering how to improve her upwind VMG. We set out to reduce the wetted surface area of the boat while maintaining the waterline as much as we could. To achieve this, we looked at reducing the internal weight in the boat; but we also looked at the external weight and what could be done there.
To get the internal weight out, we replaced as much of the loose furniture as we could with lightweight carbon foam boards from ZLXC. The carbon boards were cut down to match the floorboards and painted in white non-skid. Next, we went to work on the exterior of the boat. We started by replacing the original aluminium mast with one made of carbon manufactured by Axxon. Swapping out for a lighter mast saves us a lot of weight and, importantly, the reduction in tipping weight would keep the boat upright. The set-up of this mast would be exactly the same as a standard J/109 mast apart from one small aspect…the material from which it was made and the masthead crane.
Having reduced the hull and mast weight by a significant 200 kg, we set out to optimise her upwind performance. We started by focusing on a power-to-weight ratio so that the boat would perform at her optimum rating at 8-12 kts, the typical wind speeds in HK. Reducing the 140 % overlapping genoa to nonoverlapping headsails gave a big reduction in her rating, but we then had to make sure she could still perform. The worst thing we could have done was to create a scenario where we left the boat terribly underpowered. But using the "twist" designed headsail that we developed in 2019, we found we were able to achieve the optimum pointing angle and balance upwind. That met one of our objectives. We then added UK Sailmakers carabiners on the headsail luff to make the hoist and drops faster to get the asymmetric to set quicker and stay up longer.
We had made major strides at this point, but we weren't done yet. We worked further on the balance of the boat while focusing on getting the maximum drive out of the mainsail roach. We ended up increasing the crane width on the mast so we could align the girths on the mainsail. The mainsail maintained its luff curve but increased the J/109 girths, and the head of the mainsail became a lot wider (0.4 m), made possible by the larger masthead crane of the new mast. This was key to reducing drag and increasing the power at the top of the rig. We were able to do this while maintaining the balance of the boat and its increasing pointing ability by adjusting the rake of the mast.
Given the lighter airs in HK, we designed a deeper running asymmetric with an area of 111m², slightly larger than the J109 Class standard. The new kite, combined with the reduced wetted surface area and a new fat head main, allowed Whiskey Jack to sail deeper and more square than the other asymmetric boats. She was able to creep away downwind at a lower and faster angle than her opposition. With the reduction in rating from 1.028 down to 1.019, the boat now enjoyed a massive reduction in rating while increasing her boat speed upwind and down. Whiskey Jack went on to clean up at this year's China Coast Regatta in HK.
The owner went on to say after his victory: "The most significant differences in my view were the change to the carbon mast, the new Titanium sails from UK Sailmakers and a well-tuned rig with an appropriate mast rake. The boat now is superbly balanced and sails higher and faster than she ever did and she does not heel as much – i.e., I can sail the boat flatter than before – that gives the extra height and speed in my view.
Once again, UK Sailmakers put together a team of experts to make a boat faster, easier to sail, and a better experience for the owner. What more could anyone ask for?
UK Sailmakers Ireland Remain Open During Lockdown
UK Sailmakers Ireland in Cork Harbour say they remain open during the Covid-19 Level 5 restrictions as the Crosshaven sail loft is treated as a manufacturing facility and a full production loft.
As they continue to repair, service and produce sails, loft manager Barry Hayes says customers can come to the door of the loft but not inside, given the latest restrictions. "They just need to call 021 483 1505 and we will come out to them", he adds.
The video clip below shows the loft sail plotter working away this week as observed by faithful Layla. As Afloat reported back in April during the last COVID lockdown, UK Sailmakers was to the fore then in the manufacture of scrubs and other PPE equipment for front line workers.
Brexit Makes Your Winter Sails Service An Urgent Matter
What has Brexit got to do with your winter sails service this year? Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland, explains the situation and why it’s such an urgent matter.
Dear customers, I want to let you know it’s really urgent if you need your sails washed and laundered to get them into us ASAP. The issue is Brexit, and specifically tariffs that will apply in the New Year without a trade deal in place.
If you need your sails washed, they need to go to Tiptop in England who are the only people who wash sails properly to UK Sailmakers’ standards. To get them washed and cleaned and back to Ireland before the Brexit tariffs will be applied after 1 January, time is now running out.
I know the season has been short and your sails haven’t been used much. But the service team at UK Sailmakers Ireland have the space and knowledge to get them serviced correctly and at the right price. Our team at the loft check every detail of your sail, making sure it’s ready for the new season.
Being mindful of the delayed season start with COVID-19 and associated restrictions, now as we get to the end of the season it’s more urgent than ever to get your sails in for service. Doing so now gives you the best option to be in early for the next season and make the most of 2021.
We are the most experienced people in the business at servicing your sails and have been doing so for more than 50 years, getting your every detail right so you can enjoy your coming season sailing. We have the space to stretch out your sail, fully hang it up to repair and replace a full UV cover, giving your sail the greatest longevity possible.
Contact UK Sails service manager [email protected]
To Reef or Not to Reef, That's the Question!
Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland with tips on the dos and don'ts of reefing a sail for racing and cruising
Times have changed, and this season we have moved to more ISORA short course, offshore sailing. This trend will probably continue into next season. With these shorter courses, having the optimal sail set-up at all times is critical. Knowing when to reef your mainsail to achieve the right balance for the boat is key to your upwind, heavy air performance. This is particularly the case as we head into winter club racing when the colder air is denser.
When to reef: racing
It is always a challenge to decide if you are better off depowering the boat with a reefed mainsail (and going through the "process" of reefing/unreefing") or waiting for the wind to lighten when your full main would be more effective. One determining factor is the size and abilities of your crew (can they quickly throw in a reef and release it when necessary) and how much weight you have on the rail (effecting how overpowered you are). The decision of when to reef is more complex than that.
If your sailing doublehanded or shorthanded, you will want to reef early. A good benchmark is reefing at 20 kts; the boat will still be relatively easy to handle and it reefing at a lower wind strength dramatically reduces the workload. If your fully crewed, your benchmark is more in the 25 kts range.
With those benchmarks in mind, every boat is a little different and when to reef has to do with the balance of the boat and how light it is. A First 34.7, for example, will go faster upwind with a reef in the main and full headsail in 20+ kts then with a full main because the s a light boat and quite tippy so you may want to reef sooner than later. For a high stability boat, like and XP 44, it's going to be into the 28 kts range before you put in a reef.
If you get a 20 – 25 kts day and you're out sailing, it's worth practising with and without a reef and seeing the difference in boat handling and boat speed. You might find it's easier to get around the course not being loaded-up and being fully under control at the marks. But again, each boat and team is different, so practice makes perfect.
How to do a racing reef quickly
When you are putting in a reef, prepare the main halyard so it's ready to go and then hoisted quickly and cleanly. It's all in the pit person's hands, so it's critical to have enough halyard ready to ease (figure a minimum of four metres for the first reef or four long arms full of slack). Usually, there is a snap shackle at the gooseneck of the mast that you clip into a soft shackle (see the photo (C) below - we use these to save weight on the sail) or ring on the luff of the sail. Then, get the halyard back up tight before you start trimming the line to get the clew locked in. We mainly use thimbles on racing sails which are lightweight and don't put excessive loads the sail's reefing line.
Most racing boats don't bone the foot of the sail when reefing, this keeps a little shape in the foot and avoids stretching out the foot of the sail. Leaving a few inches of camber in the foot really makes a difference to the longevity of the sail.
Most racing mainsails designed for reefing come with webbing between the normal clew and the reefing clew (see the attached photos (D) below. This webbing creates a natural fold in the leach when you reef, helping protect the sail material. This also lifts the "skirt" of the main up onto the boom so it is out of the way. Additionally, this webbing massively helps reduce the amount of water that collects in the sail in heavy seas. With this webbing, you rarely need to use the reef diamonds along the reef line to tidy the sail away, making it easier set and release a reef while racing.
When to reef: cruising
If the breeze is up, a white sail cruising reef is typically set well in advance of the passage. Making sure it's set up right in calm waters is dramatically more manageable and safer than trying to do it at sea. For slab reefing, follow the same steps as a racing reef. Get the reef tack on and then raise the halyard slightly more than snug to allow for some movement in the halyard. Then tighten the clew reef line, so it's close to the boom without crushing the sail.
I don't use the eyes under the boom to attach the reefing line as they are never in the right positions. Every time you reef, the tension is different, so the sheeting angle on the clew is always wrong with the eyes under the boom. Just take the line around the boom and back onto the reef line itself with a bowline or a timber hitch. This will give you a good clean reef every time, and a knot that can be "broken" after the pressure is taken off it.
If you're using single line reefing, then make sure all the lines are working correctly and are free to move. Setting the reefing line and marking it is key to clean single line reefing. It also lets you know your reef is set at the correct point before you raise the halyard. If you aren't sure where to mark your setting, remember that it's better to have them a little looser then tighter.
I normally have the single line reefs about 3 inches above the boom to allow space. This prevents point loading the reefing lines or causing chafe. Having a lazy cradle makes it much harder to see where your reefing lines are, so having marks on the line and the mast is recommended. Most of today's lazy cradles will roll away onto the boom and not cause any issue when reefing.
In conclusion, if you believe your boat will be overpowered, out of balance, and harder to sail with a full main, you are better reefing. Practice this evolution, then, when it's time to do it for real, talk through what each person's role will be, what potential problems to anticipate (knots in the lines?), and confirm everyone on board is ready to execute their job before saying "go." Remember, if you're reefing it's because the boat is healing excessively, so make sure your crewmembers scurrying around the deck are wearing their PFDs and/or are tethered to the boat.
Winter Sails Discount 2020 – UK Sailmakers Ireland
Next Thursday week (September 8th) is the last evening race in the 2020 Dublin Bay Sailing Club season writes Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland.
As the summer season draws to a close, it is time to consider what we can do to improve your 2021 season.
Take advantage of the autumn sailing season to assess your sail wardrobe needs and where you can improve.
Bolster your sail wardrobe for maximum performance
New sails make a big difference to your boat's performance both on and off the race track. Getting the right sail for your boat is key to planning your new season on the right foot.
And there is no better time to buy than during the autumn period with up to 15% off retail pricing. Make the most of your autumn sailing.
It's also a great time to take advantage of the new VAT rate of 21% on top of your winter discount.
Contact any of us for advice, guidance, and a quote today. See contact details below.