POSSIBLE SAIL WEAR.

[bastonjock]

Your friend is also calibrated to the world of sails costing 10000 USD or more. Remember a set of sails for the Mac run only a few hundred for the ??Doyle OEM?? or a bit more for some upgraded stuff (shameless plug for us) so you dont have to panic everytime your sail touches the rigging.

i have the jib and soon will have the mid range sail rom KH,im hoping for improoved performance over the pot bellied Doyle sail

[puggsy]

Hi to " as time goes by"...welcome to the forum...A "newby" maybe?
I will be interested in the views of all the others regarding reducing the spreaders...That would make a difference when the mast is lowered...It may even allow the mast to be lower without straining the safety lines...I have still to measure the distance, but it would be good if the maximum width of the spreaders fitted INSIDE the safety lines...just guessing at the moment. Puggsy

[Night Sailor]

I'm no engineer, so always trust the engineering skills of the rigging designer and leave their design and placement alone. They balance many factors in their choice of rigging components for strenght, safety, weight, windage, etc.
A much simpler fix for any kind of hardware that is rubbing and can't be repositioned effectively is either a lubricant, or a sacrifice element.
In the case of sails, if baggly wrinkle, boots or rollers don't adequately prevent wear on a sail the simplest, cheapest, easily made and easily replaceable solution is a sacrifice patch of sailcloth sewn over the spot so that takes the friction and wear, not the sail itself. You can match the sail material in color but nake it a heavier weight, or you can design your own personal insignia, number, whatever and use it as a sacrifice element.

[Highlander]

If you reduce the spreader length your setting yourself up for a mast failure & it will not take long on an with no backstay

J

[as time goes by]

Hi Pugsy,No we are not newbies, relatively speaking. We purchased our M in 4/07 and have had lots of fun with it. We have cruised up the Queensland coast extensively,making best use of weather conditions and have brought her home to cruise in Tassie waters .I have been around boats all my life, Boat builder and yacht rigger in that time. Like everyone on this forum,I'm interested in getting the best out of our boat and have made a few changes to try and improve the boat to suit us. The shortened spreaders are Ok. The shrouds are a long way aft,and at this length still apply a load to the mast through the spreader.There have been lots of threads on this and I have yet to see any failures. The rig looks heaps better,the mast is stiffer,and even though the spreaders don't fit inside the safety rails ,they make a huge difference in moving the mast on the deck.
We fitted the hyfield lever to the forestay when we bought the boat and beefed the forestay up to the same size as the shrouds. Even though the 3mm forestay supplied with the boat is strong enough ,there have been failures with it. And shock horror,we stopped the mast rotating as well .When it rotated ,it was spasmodic ,quite often rotated the wrong way,but even when it rotated correctly ,the top of the mast would bend to windward. Which tends to overpower the rig.
Anyway these are just my thoughts ,but the boat in my opinion looks heaps better and sails better.
Cheers for now
As time goes by

[pokerrick1]

If you reduce the spreader length your setting yourself up for a mast failure & it will not take long on an with no backstay

J

That's what I thought when I read above that spreaders were being shortened.

Rick

Edited for spelling (of course)

[as time goes by]

Hi Rick, There are plenty of boats without backstays, Most Hunters,dinghies of all desciptions. Most racing boats with swept back spreaders , just use the backstay to help bend the mast or not as a control,not necessarily to support the mast ,unless they were using a masthead spinnaker,which would require some mast support.I,m sure that my mast is safe in normal use.
As time goes by

[Highlander]

unless they were using a masthead spinnaker,which would require some mast support. "Yep custom gennaker" or M/H cutter rigged " . I,m sure that my mast is safe in normal use. :
As time goes by

"Normal use" Whats that ! :wink

The foresail sags enough can only think it would sag even more with shortened spreaders & less support will defently not hold up too excessive shock loads which will happen in storm conditions or area's with high wind gusts, now add a new muslce mainsail you could be pushing the limit ! . When the first came out without a backstay it had 40" spreaders & further aft chainplates the spreaders where later changed to 44" I'd have to think that Roger would have a good reason for doing that as he is not known for blowing money out the window

J

[pokerrick1]

as time goes by;

We're talking about an , not other boats. Just watch for the possibiity - - - Highlander was just promoted to Admiral (congrats), and usually knows about what he is explaining

Rick

[Highlander]

pokerrick1

Thx Rick but this does not mean I will stop you cause Lords knows you'd be a lonely Cabin Boy

See Ya J