New Sails Adventure

[leefrankpierce]

I have gained much from others discussing their journeys, I thought I would put in mine.
After years of using the sails that came with my boat, and numerous discussions about sails, I have finally pulled the trigger on new canvas.
I sail on an inland Texas lake with many fingers where I usually have 10 mph, with dips of 5, and highs of 15 based on how the land is channeling the air.
My aftermarket bmini is a bit higher than standard causing extra conflict with the boom, this and that I am usually reefed has convinced me to raise the boom to just above the sail slot and thus requiring a smaller than normal mainsail.
This took me out of the "standard off the shelf" range of mainsails.
I decided to go for broke and called Precision Sails for custom "fit to boat" experience.
So far this has required me to do a large number of measurements and photos of the boat and the old sails.
What we learned after consultation:
My forsail was as big as the previous owner could fit on the boat, thus I could never get good shape using the factory tracks. Sheeting to a block on the the back safety stanchions gave some shape, but was never "right"
My main sail was also way bigger than normal, causing. the boom to sag into the cockpit and interference with the backstay.
With the go for broke in mind I chose the Tri-radial cut sails. Precision sails determined I should have a 100% foresail, with built in sun protection and foam luff.
The main sail will have four full battons requiring a tides marine track system and I am adding a stackpack/lazy jack system for ease of use. It is my hope that the full battons with the track and stackpack will make sail stowage a breeze. Also hoping the shape advantages of the shorter fully battoned tri-radial coupled with the much smaller tri-radial foresail will make dealing with the puffs much easier.
At the moment, I have measured my mast track for the tides system and they are sending me two samples to test before shipping the track. The sails are in production.
The mast was taken down in prep for installing the track (not nessessary but easier) and adding the lazy jack lines.

I will come back to update the forum as my journey progresses.

[Jimmyt]

Looking forward to seeing how this turns out! Sounds like a great project/upgrade!

[NiceAft]

I will come back to update the forum as my journey progresses.

And post some good close up photos.

[leefrankpierce]

So far I only have the picts of measuring the boat, however the ones for measuring the mainsail track might be interesting.
They send you a kit to determine your slot width and depth.





And a profile of the boat rigged with the boom higher, but no sails.

[NiceAft]

Mast higher, or boom higher

[leefrankpierce]

Mast higher, or boom higher

Sorry, boom, I edited to fix.

[leefrankpierce]

As a warning to others gaining in age. I figured to drop my mast without my baby stays and lowering pole/crank.
When I first bought the boat, I tried putting the mast up by hand, so figured I could let it down by hand.
Lost control of it and hit my neighbors boat.
With apologies to my neighbor and great appreciation to the two other sailers who saw my mistake and hopped over to help me right the situation.
Unless you are actually young and studdley, or even if you are, use your baby stays and gear.
No damage done except to my ego.
Golden rules:
Think first.
Ask your wife.
Think again.
Listen to your wife.
Think a third time.
Take the safest way to a result, or back off and go at it another day.

[leefrankpierce]

Future Referance:
My X mast takes Tides Track profile = C-13

[C Buchs]

For reference, can you let us know what year you is?

Jeff

[leefrankpierce]

For reference, can you let us know what year you is?

Jeff

2000

[Stickinthemud57]

...Lost control of it and hit my neighbors boat.

There but for the grace of God go I. (Went I?). Anyway, I had to lower my mast in the slip and in the last few feet I ran out of rope, but I managed somehow to get the mast into the crutch. Don't want to experience that again.

[LordElsinore]

and I am adding a stackpack/lazy jack system for ease of use.

I have been pleasantly surprised by how much I have loved the sail stack pack I brought a couple of years ago from BWY when I bought new Rolly Tasker sails from them. It has made (almost) everything so much easier! In addition to managing the sail, it has also been great being able to throw the loose end of things like lazy jack lines, topping lift, reefing lines, etc in the bottom of it as well out of the way when sailing.

The only thing I don't love about it is that the lazy jack lines sometimes get in the way of the battens when raising the main, but if I raise while going into the wind it's not bad.

Thanks for sharing! I can't imagine trying to lower the mast without the MRS. Glad nothing/noone got hurt!

[leefrankpierce]

Tides track came in, now just need to decide when I can deal with the Texas heat and install it.

[OverEasy]

It’s not hot. That’s just a normal day in Texas… right?

[leefrankpierce]

Updates:
Installed the new track, left the mast up and it slid on just like the instructions.
Somehow the length was just right. There was a presumption that trimming would be need. Glad I told them my track was a foot or two longer than i needed.
Sails came in. Loft was in China.
Headsail:

EDIT: Looking at what I measured my old sail at, and the measurements they gave me when they were about to make the sail, I should have adjusted the numbers. I kind of just presumed they were taking care of the sizes per my requests. (old sail = too big, and I gave them my old sail measurements.

Thankfully I had them make the headsail luft short so I had room to adjust the sail up and down. In the lowest position, the sail just clears the cabin top. Moving the sail up the luft about 4 inches up gives me enough room to actually have some room over the sheet car and have a good sheeting angle with the rear most sheet car position. Note: moving the sail up top luft also brings it back some.
I suspect the height difference between the height of the furler and the cabin top may have been calculated wrong.
About 4 inches shorter leach would have been perfect, about 4 inches shorter foot would have been what I was expecting.
I am also not thrilled about how they stopped the boltrope about a foot from the bottom of the sail, I guess a larger furler would need that, but in this case, it is prompting me to tie the clue to the furler.
I think it will work great, just that even after my attempts to get a much smaller sail, I seem to have the largest that could be properly fit to the boat.
Question, should I be annoyed that it is touching the lower shroud? Ordered plastic covers hoping it will not damage the sail.
Guess I could lower the luft just a bit and have about 2" room from the car to the sail, that might allow the sail to clear the shroud.
Still annoying after all that measuring and talking. 1" more in any direction and the sail would have to go back for alterations.

Mainsail:
NOTE: I moved my boom to above the track slot opening to gain headroom/bimini clearance in the cockpit
Had to mount all the "cars" for the Tides Marine track system, including the reinforcing plastic pockets for the full length battons.
So far the mainsail fits exactly like I hoped, about 5 inches from the top with the clue bolted into position so I can pull halyard tension.
Glad I fudged on the foot demensions, had I told them the truth, the foot would have been too long. (simular to the foresail luft)
At least it does not hit my backstay like the old sail.
I still have to actually take the boat out and try the sails.
So far, letting go of the halyard produces a dropping mainsail, however until I get my lazyjacks re-set up, I am resorting to the old fashoned, drop a few feet, put a sail tie on, drop a few more.

On the whole, even with my annoyance at the foresail, I believe the sailing experience will be much improved.
Will update again on how the mainsail track works with my new lazy-jack + stackpack and my attempts to single hand sail. (meaning drop the main without going up on deck.)