MacGregorSailors.com

I have read on the MacGregor web site between 12 and 15 deg heal is recomended by Roger but that is with brand new flat sails. With sails where they have used an echomical bolt rope in the sail construction ( like some of the posted photographs of the new Musclehead sail and stock sails like we now need to replace) the rope has shrunk while the sail material has streached and all you have left is a baggy sail like our stock Mac sails, you will heal 5 degs or more over the 12 to 15 degs to make you heal 17 to 20 degs. I have been learning a lot about echnomical sails and better sails and sail material. Our sails have streached and at the same time the rope on the mast and boom edges have shrunk enough to totally mess up the sail shape completely unless sailing down wind. Cutting corners on sail materials including the sewn in rope is a bad problem within the first summer ( summer heat causes rope shrinkage ) so bolt ropes could be shrinking when you first get your new sails ( check them carefully ).

You can clip the anchor stitching on the bolt ropes and the sail will regain it's original foot and luff lengths. There will still be some bag left, but not nearly as much as you see now. Also. it very hard to judge the quality of a manufacturer's material, from pics of someone's rigging.

~Rich

You can clip the anchor stitching on the bolt ropes. ?? Novice question, what is anchor stitching. Thanx Steve

Look at the bolt ropes, near the tack. You will find a series of stitches through the sail sleeve and the bolt rope. You can safely cut these threads, as the stress on the sail at these points, is perpendicular to the rope and with a shrunken rope, it is preventing the luff and foot from being stretched to their original lengths. Be very careful and do not cut the sail that surrounds the rope, as it will fail there.

~Rich

I did this:


It was before I had an inclinometer. I had to pull the sheets tight but it sure was a lot of fun!!! Was probably only 11 or 12 degrees but felt like 82!

Thanks I will try cutting the threads and letting the sail unbag. Do you need to re stich the rope when you cut the threads ?

No, you do not need to restitch, as there is no pulling force along the length of the rope, only at right angles to it. From the info that you posted in another thread though, I suspect that your bolt rope is OK, because you say that there is no more room on the boom for the outhaul to stretch the foot of the sail. If the bolt rope had shrunk, there would be more room.

~Rich

Scott wrote:If they cant see the top of your keel its not really showin' off is it?

During last year's Florida 120 event there was a videographer on a nearby boat shooting my Wind Song. So I decided to show off a bit and heeled her hard over. He says he's got video showing my keel out of the water and it wigged him out. He never sent it to me though even though I've asked several times.

Matt19020 wrote:I have had it to 50 degrees so far.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b5oCk8Lgsg

That's scarry!

It is exhilarating, and not the time to start wondering "did I check to see if the ballast was full?"

Ray

I'm so paranoid about ballast tank. That's always step ONE after she comes off the trailer.

NiceAft wrote:It is exhilarating, and not the time to start wondering "did I check to see if the ballast was full?"

Ray

I peg mine at 45 deg quite often; not because I want to but a gust will do that. The admiral and I had the boat out for the first time this season on Lake Francis Case. It was a steady 20+ knots and gusting to 30 knots and 4 foot swells. We couldn't figure out why we couldn't handle the boat. It just kept rounding up even with a double reefed main. Finally after about 10 minutes she said, "did you put the ballast in?" I admitted to being a bozo and we dropped the sails and flooded the ballast. The boat would only heel so far and then round up. I guess I'm not a very safe person but even with no ballast there things didn't appear unsafe: just a big pain.

baldbaby2000 wrote:I peg mine at 45 deg quite often; not because I want to but a gust will do that. The admiral and I had the boat out for the first time this season on Lake Francis Case. It was a steady 20+ knots and gusting to 30 knots and 4 foot swells. We couldn't figure out why we couldn't handle the boat. It just kept rounding up even with a double reefed main. Finally after about 10 minutes she said, "did you put the ballast in?" I admitted to being a bozo and we dropped the sails and flooded the ballast. The boat would only heel so far and then round up. I guess I'm not a very safe person but even with no ballast there things didn't appear unsafe: just a big pain.

I remember a post here a year ago when dingy got caught in the rig of empty-ballasted Mac in windy conditions and the boat capsized. It is amazing that you went in 20+ knots winds, 4 ft swells under sails (even reefed) heeling the boat to 45 degrees with no ballast without capsizing.

Remember the has resin ballast even with no water in - the does not.

Catigale wrote:Remember the has resin ballast even with no water in - the does not.

Yes 300# pernament ballast

J