Just a suggestion but proper sail trim increases the longevity of your sails significantly. That flapping leech destroys fibers and a pulsating luff isn’t much better. We’re not talking racing/speed performance but rather sailing qualities. Of course the best advice would be to use your sail covers, that UV is a killer. Have fun.
Horses for courses comes to mind. There are very simple sails that are surprisingly effective in the right hands; Mik Storer and his Goat Island Skiff exemplify that end of the spectrum. No doubt at all that there are racers who cherish every little tweaking line and the minutia involved, but I suspect the majority lean more to the set it and forget it crowd.
I on the other hand wander around in the "let's try something different this time" field. AYRS (aka Bolger) rig, crab claws, wing sails, boomed staysail and now some cambered panel staysails have provided an interesting journey so far.
As a non-racer, I too put myself as a rank amature when it comes to the finer points of sail tuning. I have the vaguest idea of what a cunningham can do and do not even have a vang on my boat. Honestly, I do not care either.
I go out for a fine time on the water, my boat is balanced as she is, and I know when to reef and how. Getting that last tiny percentage of efficiency out of my boats rig holds no interest to me, and likely never will.
When the Whitehall is completed, the rig will be a square headed main which I have recut from a spritsail and an Egyptian cotton jib from a sailing canoe. The jib may be older than I am. A mixture of old and new styles.
I decided to alter the main because I got tired of ducking around the full diagonal sprit when I reduced sail. The jib has been waiting for the right boat to come along. I don't know how long it will survive but the leeboard position can be altered, as there will still be more than enough sail area from the main alone.
As far as sail trim goes, people used to sneer at my gaff schooner until I passed their racing hotshots in moderate breezes. It's all in the helm, the trim and the placement of the live ballast.
There are slow boats but there are more slow skippers.
While racing isn't for everyone, it is probably the fastest way to really learn sail control. Committing to a season of racing, going out in all conditions and comparing yourself to other similar boars is a great teacher.
While it is fun to learn how to sail fast I think the most valuable sail control lesson I got from racing is how to sail in tight and crowded spaces. Because I spent years racing I can stop, back up, slide sideways, spin around, sail fast or slow. This is an invaluable skill set when anchoring, docking, navigating a crowded anchorage or in sailing in the small bays and creeks that are wonderful to explore in a small boat.
I would encourage anyone for find a low key buoy racing group to hang out with for a summer or two.
Totally agree! I cruised for years and thought I knew how to sail. Once I got into racing… oh my what hack sailor I was! Especially one design fleets. Pretty much doesn’t matter what the boat is, the learning curve is steep and rewarding.
set it and forget it works for me. No interest in racing my sailboat or my car or motorcycle for that matter. I am out to enjoy the sights and sounds not in the pursuit of maximum speed. Just the way it is with me!
I chose expert but have to admit a caveat. Though I sailed my then sloop wind and tide and oars for ten years in and out of every situation, moorage, anchorage, etc with my boatload of sails that were reefable, light air to fifty mph.....the finer points of all the hardware racing boat have to maximize speed, etc. is lost on me.
I'm a cruiser with boat (a Sparrow 16) that doesn't have much in the way of all the "bells and whistles" for sail trimming as the racing boats do, but I do try my best to keep my sail trim optimized as best I can.
I mostly sail on inland lakes where I find the wind so changeable I likely would not have enough tie to fully optimize my sails before it changed! However, during those times of steady wind and when I'm doing my inland coastal sailing, I do now and then I wish I had more tools in my sail-trim toolbox.
To that end, the next addition for me will be to install a traveler for my main-sheet.
A nice aspect of sail trim is that when starting out, it is fine to keep it simple, but as you get better, you can try to "up your game" by learning about sail trim and playing with how to optimize it on your boat.
My main takeaway is that it's important to match skill level and equipment setup. A mess of strings that can achieve perfection in the hands of an expert is great if you're an expert, or can make your life revolve around becoming one. If you have a job, family, and other competing requirements and interests; aren't crossing oceans, racing, or stuck with a dire wind / tide / channel situation, a "set it and forget it" rig may be just what you need.
I chose expert because I’m beyond intermediate. But because I still learn stuff about trim, sail shape, weather…. I know that there is much more to know!
Just a suggestion but proper sail trim increases the longevity of your sails significantly. That flapping leech destroys fibers and a pulsating luff isn’t much better. We’re not talking racing/speed performance but rather sailing qualities. Of course the best advice would be to use your sail covers, that UV is a killer. Have fun.
Horses for courses comes to mind. There are very simple sails that are surprisingly effective in the right hands; Mik Storer and his Goat Island Skiff exemplify that end of the spectrum. No doubt at all that there are racers who cherish every little tweaking line and the minutia involved, but I suspect the majority lean more to the set it and forget it crowd.
I on the other hand wander around in the "let's try something different this time" field. AYRS (aka Bolger) rig, crab claws, wing sails, boomed staysail and now some cambered panel staysails have provided an interesting journey so far.
To each their own.
As a non-racer, I too put myself as a rank amature when it comes to the finer points of sail tuning. I have the vaguest idea of what a cunningham can do and do not even have a vang on my boat. Honestly, I do not care either.
I go out for a fine time on the water, my boat is balanced as she is, and I know when to reef and how. Getting that last tiny percentage of efficiency out of my boats rig holds no interest to me, and likely never will.
When the Whitehall is completed, the rig will be a square headed main which I have recut from a spritsail and an Egyptian cotton jib from a sailing canoe. The jib may be older than I am. A mixture of old and new styles.
I decided to alter the main because I got tired of ducking around the full diagonal sprit when I reduced sail. The jib has been waiting for the right boat to come along. I don't know how long it will survive but the leeboard position can be altered, as there will still be more than enough sail area from the main alone.
As far as sail trim goes, people used to sneer at my gaff schooner until I passed their racing hotshots in moderate breezes. It's all in the helm, the trim and the placement of the live ballast.
There are slow boats but there are more slow skippers.
While racing isn't for everyone, it is probably the fastest way to really learn sail control. Committing to a season of racing, going out in all conditions and comparing yourself to other similar boars is a great teacher.
While it is fun to learn how to sail fast I think the most valuable sail control lesson I got from racing is how to sail in tight and crowded spaces. Because I spent years racing I can stop, back up, slide sideways, spin around, sail fast or slow. This is an invaluable skill set when anchoring, docking, navigating a crowded anchorage or in sailing in the small bays and creeks that are wonderful to explore in a small boat.
I would encourage anyone for find a low key buoy racing group to hang out with for a summer or two.
Totally agree! I cruised for years and thought I knew how to sail. Once I got into racing… oh my what hack sailor I was! Especially one design fleets. Pretty much doesn’t matter what the boat is, the learning curve is steep and rewarding.
set it and forget it works for me. No interest in racing my sailboat or my car or motorcycle for that matter. I am out to enjoy the sights and sounds not in the pursuit of maximum speed. Just the way it is with me!
A little obsessed. Two words: Scamp Spinnaker
It's part of how your legend was established!
I believe I am an expert in reefing the various sails I have used, but otherwise pretty much a novice...
I chose expert but have to admit a caveat. Though I sailed my then sloop wind and tide and oars for ten years in and out of every situation, moorage, anchorage, etc with my boatload of sails that were reefable, light air to fifty mph.....the finer points of all the hardware racing boat have to maximize speed, etc. is lost on me.
I'm a cruiser with boat (a Sparrow 16) that doesn't have much in the way of all the "bells and whistles" for sail trimming as the racing boats do, but I do try my best to keep my sail trim optimized as best I can.
I mostly sail on inland lakes where I find the wind so changeable I likely would not have enough tie to fully optimize my sails before it changed! However, during those times of steady wind and when I'm doing my inland coastal sailing, I do now and then I wish I had more tools in my sail-trim toolbox.
To that end, the next addition for me will be to install a traveler for my main-sheet.
A nice aspect of sail trim is that when starting out, it is fine to keep it simple, but as you get better, you can try to "up your game" by learning about sail trim and playing with how to optimize it on your boat.
My main takeaway is that it's important to match skill level and equipment setup. A mess of strings that can achieve perfection in the hands of an expert is great if you're an expert, or can make your life revolve around becoming one. If you have a job, family, and other competing requirements and interests; aren't crossing oceans, racing, or stuck with a dire wind / tide / channel situation, a "set it and forget it" rig may be just what you need.
I chose expert because I’m beyond intermediate. But because I still learn stuff about trim, sail shape, weather…. I know that there is much more to know!
I agree. The pleasure of sailing for me is partially derived by its lifelong learning process.
I clicked 'novice' but I love the little experiments I can do with the sails backed up by some good reading driven by curiosity. Thanks for the post..
Anyone still making or using cotton sails?