"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in message
anews.com...

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
What's the best way to tack when yer flying two headsails without
someone on the fore deck feeding the forward forsail around the aft
forsail stay?

Ya follow me? Say a 100% on both forestays.

Joe


Joe, please excuse the amateur advice from the Bozo roll-up crowd.
They're not sailors in the conventional sense. Last time I looked at
pics of your boat it has sensible hank-on sails.

The procedure for tacking a cutter has nothing to do with roll up
sails. Here's how it's done. And, please note the correct terminology.
It just kills me that you don't know it. I expect ignorance out of
Katy and Ganz but I thought you were a sailor...

1) tacking a cutter rig requires patience. The topsail must squeeze
through the narrow space between the forestay and the staysail.

2) you may wish to install a tacking line to help the foot of the
topsail along.

3) tacking a cutter rig well is simply a matter of adopting a
systematic approach. The smaller staysail should be tacked first, the
topsail goes last, after the mainsail. Because the topsail is backed
at this point, "it goes through fast with a pop once the weather sheet
is released. Take care to pay out the weather sheet fast but smoothly
so as not to have it knot itself and possibly snag on the hanks of the
foresail. If the sail is recalictrant, try an application of silicone
spray. Also it is very important to have no sharp edges on the
staysail hanks. They should be sprayed with silicone as well to reduce
chafe.

I hope this helps.

Wilbur Hubbard

Excuse me, I was in a hurry and just noticed I made a boo-boo. The last
paragraph should have read:

3) tacking a cutter rig well is simply a matter of adopting a
systematic approach. The smaller staysail should be tacked first, the
topsail goes last, after the mainsail. Because the topsail is backed at
this point, "it goes through fast with a pop once the weather sheet is
released. Take care to pay out the weather sheet fast but smoothly so as
not to have it knot itself and possibly snag on the hanks of the
topsail. If the sail is recalcitrant, try an application of silicone
spray. Also it is very important to have no sharp edges on the staysail
hanks. They should be sprayed with silicone as well to reduce chafe.

WH