Small Mainsails

[Ri14chard]

Hi,
I was blown away at the week end and had to come in under jib. The i14 canvas was to much for the wind. Has any one any experience of cutting down old mainsails to make a windy day rag or using other class sails.
The big problem is getting a sail to fit the character of the mast but how can you tell if the are compatible?
Thanks

[FUP 14]

Hi,

I don't have any experience of sail work myself but here's some things that you probably have allready considered but just incase...

I would say try to keep with specific sails to the 14, as it has an individual mast height I am not sure there are other useable sails from other classes with the same luff length. Then, I say individual, it will depend on the particular mast and sail combo you are using! Obviously you will need to keep the full length of the sail (main) to keep the gust responsiveness of the top section of the mast, all the more important in the windy weather.

It will also depend on money! We have a 14 with a 'flat' main and a 'full' main and jib sets, from sail manufacturers. but perhapse other ways to go about it would be to use and older dacron sail which will be more forgiving or even reducing from a fully battened main to having half lengthish battens to make the sail more forgiving.

Also if you do start reducing main size without altering the jib the boat will not handle well, ie centre of effort moving forward to the jib causing the boat to constantly want to bear off when trying to sail upwind in turn causing the use of more rudder- very slow!

And finally, work up to winds that you can handle, the 14 will keep going when most other boats are struggling, so once you do master her you'll want to through that 'small' sail away again! Its no fun spending a windy day in the water when you could be having a lot more fun in an 'easier' boat, but its something we all go through, stick at it over winter and you'll be in for some of the best sails of your life!

Hope this helps a little, but hopefully there will be someone who can give you a lot more usefull information on the forum.

Stay safe!

[olly_love]

i found that raking the rig alot helped. and just play the main. in those conditions you will need less kicker and loads of cuningham. i have a few smalled jibs that i use but that is about it would never consider a smaler main

[Ri14chard]

Thanks for your comments.

I think the way forwards is for a smaller balanced sail plan with gust response. (After you are blown away fully raked)

I think the way backwards is to not sail when it gets windy!

The 12 and 18ft skiff boys’ probably have a good understanding of changing down sail areas when it blows. Has anyone any experience from there classes to pass on?

Remember. “Sticks and stones can break my bones but force 8 gales excite me.”

PS Does anyone know the source of this quote?

[Findlay]

Hi

I am new to skiff sailing (this season started in a laser5000).
We had some really hairy sortees (F5-6+) this season.

Had mast very raked and sail very flat..... does help. but...

the L5000 wasn't easy to re-right when capsized in windy weather. and trying to trapeeze, helm, and control the fairly heavy main; wasn't easiest when anticipating a F6+ squall approaching rapidly!

So, I have bought an old ISO mainsail (was looking for a L4000 main) for windy weather sailing. (we're not racing at the moment). It's 2/3rd the size of the 5000 main, so will make a difference.

My feeling is, esp. on the 5000 (not sure about the I14), is that there so much main, in those winds we're very depowered, and then dumping most of it anyhow, most of the time ... no need for the full 15m2 of main!

unfortunately the boat's packed up for the winter, so it won't be till the spring till I will have an opportunity to "test" my storm-mainsail.


Still reefing's fairly standard practice on Yachts etc, so the same principles should hold true for dinghies.

Cheers
Fin.


PS - added benefit - having a 2nd smaller sail will also ensure your normal sail won't get wrecked(stretched) so fast. It 'll also be at less risk of the crew falling through it.

[FUP 14]

The 12s and 18s use entirely different rigs for, usually anything past 17, 18 knots depending on crew weights, the 12s may have even more than two rigs. So they are keeping the sails matched to the masts which they are on, each mast specifically designed to bend as respond to the power in the matched sails.
I feel that decreasing sail size without putting them on an appropriate mast will cause more problems than helping your sailing.
We sail the 14 in winds probably around a force 6 gusting 7, and it is hard, with the boat fully depowered- dagerboard up 3 inches upwind, and sails with full cunningham and lots of vang and outhaul on the main and the jib flattened as much as poss. we will be sailing with the main flogging quite often but off the wind a few degrees to keep the speed on and decreese the pressure in the rig. its not pretty but it does the job, and with some aggresive helming is quite safe. Realsitically you won't start a class race in any more than a 6 anyway, and although these conditions seem the most extreme, you'll find the boat is actually quicker in less wind. And the racing will generally be between who can keep the boat upright rather than who is fastest!! And you'll be struggling to keep the boat horizontal downwind by then anyway, hehe.