What an ignorant putz you are becoming in your dotage,
old boy! Hauling down on the Cunningham cringle does
not reduce sail area; it merely flattens the belly of the sail
somewhat and draws it forward toward the luff. Any extra
material forms a bit of a fold below the cringle.

The use of a Cunningham serves only to cheat the rule that
defines the allowed size of a sail. A sail can be made full and
then stretched downward with a Cunningham to make it more
efficient while beating. Without a Cunningham to flatten the
sail would require the boom to be pulled down on a sliding
gooseneck or the head of the sail to be pulled upwards via
the halyard. Either method results in a sail the no longer fits
into the prescribed triangle which is marked by prominent
black lines. It follows that by cheating with a Cunningham
which, btw, is less efficient than a sliding gooseneck where
the entire boom is drawn down is a ******-rig where a sail
can be flattened and stretched beyond allowed dimensions.

Only in racing is this nonsense and cheating encouraged and
allowed. We cruisers have no need for such subterfuge.


"Thomas Stewart" wrote in message ...
Simpleton,

I just returned from UK Rec AND again I find you "Full of S--t"

Your reasoning about the Cunningham making the sail Bigger flies in the
face of logic. When you set the Cunningham the sail is reduced in size.
Period. Reduced in size.

If you ever used a Cunningham G You would know this. When you apply
the Cunningham a fold forms behind the mast in the lower half of the
sail. A seconded folds above the boom in the forward portion. This
happens without changing halyard tension, downhaul or outhaul. This
excess comes from the draft of the sail. The DRAFT IS REDUCED. Reduced.
Shortened, made to be less.

Ths is not cheating. It is an adjustment. the same as a backstay
adjuster, just as a bending mast, jack stays, flattenning reefs,
barbarhauls, etc.

The Cunningham makes the sail smaller, by making it flatter. It changes
the shape of the sail. That's what it was designed to do. It wasn't
designed to make the sail larger!!!

By the way, If you would use a Cunningham on that old, blown out main
of yours "Banana Boat" would sail a helluva lot better.

AND; "I'LL DRINK TO THAT!"