newbie has a stupid question.
 

Measure your bolt rope OD. You can call Sailrite and they
will help you out.



"sandy" wrote in message
oups.com..
..
Thanks for all your help! Sounds like slugs and shackles
is the way to
go. (What do I measure to get the correct size slugs?)

"Gusto" is a 1978 boat and is in pretty good condition for
her age.
We're having a ball with her! Just made a makeshift
"awning" that goes
over the boom (under the loosefooted main) and is secured
to the
shrouds forward and cleats sternward. I put in 2 long
batten pockets
and put in pvc for stiffeners. (We live 50 miles away from
the nearest
building supply/hardware store so we've turned into pretty
good
improvisers) We've even had it up under sail and it
works pretty
good. Nice to have a little patch of shade.

Our mainsail probably never has gotten hoisted all the way
as it looks
pretty loose and sloppy near the boom. (I have put a rope
topping lift
on the boom and used the downhaul as best I can). I'm
hoping that the
slugs on the main will help here. We are definately NOT
racers. Just
love to sail and pretend to fish (we figure if we don't
catch
anything....Great! Then we don't have any fish to
clean!).

Thanks for all your help!

Sandy

newbie has a stupid question.
 

Actually, I agree with you. Mine was not an ideal setup at all. It worked,
but just barely.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Edgar" wrote in message
...
I have sailed many different types of dinghy with luff rope grooves in wood
and metal masts and have never seen one with enough excess space to even
begin to do that.
Sounds like a recipe for major jam-ups, quite apart from weakening the
mast
in fore and aft bending mode.
Many dinghies have masts which are considerably adjustable in bending and
your scheme would allow the slot to gape open and let the luff rope come
out.
Edgar

"Bob Crantz" wrote in message
. ..
It is very possible if the channel behind the slot for the rope luff is
larger in diameter than the rope.



"Edgar" wrote in message
...
Jon. if you hoist a sail where the luff rope is held in a groove in the
mast
there is nowhere for the luff rope to go except out of the groove when
you
lower the sail.
Maybe you had a track with slides and with that you can certainly flake
the
sail, leaving the slides bunched together on the track.
This is how it works on a larger boat but on a dinghy with a mast
grooved
for the luff rope you cannot lower the sail with the rope still held in
the
groove,-unless, of course, you are just talking about leaving the head
board
and the top foot or so of the sail in the groove while you flake the
rest
that has come out.
Edgar


"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
Edgar, I didn't have to remove my main when I had that kind of luff. I
flaked the sail on the boom without a problem. All you have to do is
pull
the sail slightly aft as you lower and flake it.

newbie has a stupid question.
 

"Edgar" wrote in message
...
I have sailed many different types of dinghy with luff rope grooves in wood
and metal masts and have never seen one with enough excess space to even
begin to do that.

Lookie he

http://www.dwyermast.com/families.as...cat1Name=Masts

Note the various amounts of space within the rope luff grooves.

Sounds like a recipe for major jam-ups, quite apart from weakening the
mast
in fore and aft bending mode.

The strength of the mast is determined by its moment of inertia. If the luff
rope groove space can weaken a mast, just think of what the hollow main
section of the mast should do. But it doesn't.


Many dinghies have masts which are considerably adjustable in bending and
your scheme would allow the slot to gape open and let the luff rope come
out.

The volume behind the slot has no effect on the slot width as a function of
bending. The slot must hold the rope luff no matter what. You could design a
mast extrusion that performs as you say, but who would use it?


Edgar

"Bob Crantz" wrote in message
. ..
It is very possible if the channel behind the slot for the rope luff is
larger in diameter than the rope.



"Edgar" wrote in message
...
Jon. if you hoist a sail where the luff rope is held in a groove in the
mast
there is nowhere for the luff rope to go except out of the groove when
you
lower the sail.
Maybe you had a track with slides and with that you can certainly flake
the
sail, leaving the slides bunched together on the track.
This is how it works on a larger boat but on a dinghy with a mast
grooved
for the luff rope you cannot lower the sail with the rope still held in
the
groove,-unless, of course, you are just talking about leaving the head
board
and the top foot or so of the sail in the groove while you flake the
rest
that has come out.
Edgar


"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
Edgar, I didn't have to remove my main when I had that kind of luff. I
flaked the sail on the boom without a problem. All you have to do is
pull
the sail slightly aft as you lower and flake it.

newbie has a stupid question.
 

"sandy" wrote in message
oups.com...


Our mainsail probably never has gotten hoisted all the way as it looks
pretty loose and sloppy near the boom. (I have put a rope topping lift
on the boom and used the downhaul as best I can). I'm hoping that the
slugs on the main will help here.

The slugs won't help with the loose and sloppy, but help with loading and
hoisting the sail. Try moving the outhaul pulley further out on the boom and
install a vang. The foot of the sail will always droop below the boom. To me
it seems odd.

Do you have that "pencil type" goose neck attachment on the boom? It's the
one that slides in and out of the boom and is pencil thin.

For some reason I think the boom is too short for the sail and the sail is
not cut right at the bottom. If you are brave you could try cutting the
bottom of the sail off.

Good luck.

Amen!

newbie has a stupid question.
 

Bob Crantz wrote:-
"
Lookie he

http://www.dwyermast.com/families.as...cat1Name=Masts

Note the various amounts of space within the rope luff grooves.

None of those sections has sufficient room for the luff rope to flake down
on itself, which was your original suggestion. Moreover all of them have a
solid wall backing up the groove. This is essential for strength reasons and
to stop the groove gaping open when the mast bends

The strength of the mast is determined by its moment of inertia. If the
luff
rope groove space can weaken a mast, just think of what the hollow main
section of the mast should do. But it doesn't.

No, of course it does not. The hollow space is on the neutral axis of the
section and the strength of the section derives from the fact that the load
carrying material is as far as possible from the neutral axis. That is why
hollow masts are much stronger weight for weight than solid ones.



The volume behind the slot has no effect on the slot width as a function
of
bending.

That is not true. Move the solid wall at the back of the slot further
towards the neutral axis and then see what happens...

The slot must hold the rope luff no matter what. You could design a
mast extrusion that performs as you say, but who would use it?

I know. That is why you cannot have both a luff rope groove _and_
sufficient space behind it to gather up the luff rope.

Edgar

newbie has a stupid question.
 

"Edgar" wrote in message
...
Bob Crantz wrote:-
"
Lookie he

http://www.dwyermast.com/families.as...cat1Name=Masts

Note the various amounts of space within the rope luff grooves.

None of those sections has sufficient room for the luff rope to flake down
on itself, which was your original suggestion. Moreover all of them have a
solid wall backing up the groove. This is essential for strength reasons
and
to stop the groove gaping open when the mast bends


Then by what you have said, is it impossible to reef a rope luff sail?

newbie has a stupid question.
 

"Bob Crantz" wrote in message
...
and
to stop the groove gaping open when the mast bends


Then by what you have said, is it impossible to reef a
rope luff sail?


Of course knot. Why are you pretending to be so stupid? The
reefed bolt rope will be out of the groove, below the feeder
opening..

SBV.

newbie has a stupid question.
 

Roller reefing is OK. Been there, done that. Cannot see any reason why you
could not use a slab reef either. Remember the sail slot ends some way
above the boom gooseneck so once the sail is out of the slot there is room
to flake it.
Having said that however, I have found in dinghy racing that if the wind is
such that you have to reef some other guy much heavier than you will still
be able to sit his boat upright with full sail and therefore he will win
:-(
Edgar

"Bob Crantz" wrote in message
...

"Edgar" wrote in message
...
Bob Crantz wrote:-
"
Lookie he

http://www.dwyermast.com/families.as...cat1Name=Masts

Note the various amounts of space within the rope luff grooves.

None of those sections has sufficient room for the luff rope to flake
down
on itself, which was your original suggestion. Moreover all of them have
a
solid wall backing up the groove. This is essential for strength reasons
and
to stop the groove gaping open when the mast bends


Then by what you have said, is it impossible to reef a rope luff sail?

newbie has a stupid question.
 

"Scotty" wrote in message
. ..

"Bob Crantz" wrote in message
...
and
to stop the groove gaping open when the mast bends


Then by what you have said, is it impossible to reef a
rope luff sail?


Of course knot. Why are you pretending to be so stupid? The
reefed bolt rope will be out of the groove, below the feeder
opening..

SBV.

I'm not pretending to be stupid. If I am stupid, I assure you it is genuine!

You realize that the feeder opening is below the boom on some boats. I'm not
kidding.

Do you think on that type of arrangement the sail is not supposed to be
hauled all the way up?

Glory!

newbie has a stupid question.
 

Edgar,

You'll have to make allowance for Jon. His solution are often not
related to the question. Give him a little time. He'll soon alter the
question to suit his solution (g)