We used our drifter sail yesterday on our 22 foot sloop,
which we hadn't tried for several years. The conditions
on Lake Michigan were light 6-8 knots and it pulled the
boat nicely on a beam reach. It does even better on a
run, when we used it previously with a whisker pole.
A drifter, for those who don't know, is kind of a
cruiser's spinnaker, but much less complicated and
usable for points of sail, other than a run. Like the
spinnaker, it is very light weight and useful in light
airs, which we don't get often on Lake Michigan.

Problem I noticed is that with the drifter run all the way
up the forestay, there was still slack in the luff of the
sail. This is a hanked on sail. The sail came with a
built in wire lead at the tack, about 18 inches long.

Should I simply shorten this wire lead to solve this problem?


Sherwin

sherwin dubren wrote:
We used our drifter sail yesterday ... I noticed ... that with the drifter
run all the way up the forestay, there was still slack in the luff ...
sail. This is a hanked on sail. The sail came with a
built in wire lead at the tack, about 18 inches long.

Should I simply shorten this wire lead to solve this problem?

Was this sail built specifically for this boat? If that's the case then
the sailmaker (or a previous owner) just didn't set it up correctly. If
bought used, then that explains the issue. You can safely either shorten or
eliminate the wire pennant with no ill effects. Just note that this will
also require that you adjust the jib sheet lead for best trim.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare

Armond Perretta wrote:
sherwin dubren wrote:
We used our drifter sail yesterday ... I noticed ... that with the drifter
run all the way up the forestay, there was still slack in the luff ...
sail. This is a hanked on sail. The sail came with a
built in wire lead at the tack, about 18 inches long.

Should I simply shorten this wire lead to solve this problem?

Was this sail built specifically for this boat? If that's the case then
the sailmaker (or a previous owner) just didn't set it up correctly. If
bought used, then that explains the issue. You can safely either shorten or
eliminate the wire pennant with no ill effects. Just note that this will
also require that you adjust the jib sheet lead for best trim.
I assume you mean moving the lead forward or back in it's track.

This sail was made specifically for us by Oakum Bay in Marblehead, MA.

I recollect sending them a copy of the original sail plan from
Westerly Marine, so it should have fit the boat. Maybe they were
trying to create more of a 'belly' to the sail, but I think they just
made this wire lead too long.

We are also using a small diameter line for jib sheets so as to not
add too much weight to the sail in very light airs. Problem is that
this line tends to ride down the winch and get caught in the base.
I have no ideas on how to fix that one. The jib sheet lead may be
pulling it down, but the lead is at the extreme front of the track
for the best sail shape creating this downward pull.

Sherwin

On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:31:05 -0500, sherwin dubren
wrote:

I recollect sending them a copy of the original sail plan from
Westerly Marine, so it should have fit the boat.

It is almost impossible to make a sail that fits exactly without
taking actual measurements. Have you tried raking your mast further
aft by lengthening the headstay and tightening the backstay? If you
have dual lower shrouds you will need to adjust them also. Many boats
actually sail better with a little aft rake, and it may make your sail
fit properly. Racing boats frequently rake the mast aft for light
air and bring it back forward when the wind is blowing harder.

Wayne.B wrote:
On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:31:05 -0500, sherwin dubren
wrote:

I recollect sending them a copy of the original sail plan from
Westerly Marine, so it should have fit the boat.

It is almost impossible to make a sail that fits exactly without
taking actual measurements. Have you tried raking your mast further
aft by lengthening the headstay and tightening the backstay? If you
have dual lower shrouds you will need to adjust them also. Many boats
actually sail better with a little aft rake, and it may make your sail
fit properly. Racing boats frequently rake the mast aft for light
air and bring it back forward when the wind is blowing harder.


I am not a racer, so raking the mast has no advantage for me.

This sail maker was sent a sail plan. What is also strange is that
about the same time frame, we ordered a new main sail from Ratsey
in England. At that time, they had access to the sail plans of
all the Westerly Boats, but that sail also was cut too big. We
had to take it into a sail maker in Islamorada to have it cut down.

Do I detect a pattern here?

Sherwin

On Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:35:27 -0500, sherwin dubren
wrote:

I am not a racer, so raking the mast has no advantage for me.


Not necessarily true if you are interested in light air performance.

This sail maker was sent a sail plan. What is also strange is that
about the same time frame, we ordered a new main sail from Ratsey
in England. At that time, they had access to the sail plans of
all the Westerly Boats, but that sail also was cut too big. We
had to take it into a sail maker in Islamorada to have it cut down.

Do I detect a pattern here?

It's possible that your rig is different in someway from the original
plans. Why not get a steel tape and measure it ?

On Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:35:27 -0500, sherwin dubren
wrote:

Wayne.B wrote:
On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:31:05 -0500, sherwin dubren
wrote:

I recollect sending them a copy of the original sail plan from
Westerly Marine, so it should have fit the boat.

It is almost impossible to make a sail that fits exactly without
taking actual measurements. Have you tried raking your mast further
aft by lengthening the headstay and tightening the backstay? If you
have dual lower shrouds you will need to adjust them also. Many boats
actually sail better with a little aft rake, and it may make your sail
fit properly. Racing boats frequently rake the mast aft for light
air and bring it back forward when the wind is blowing harder.


I am not a racer, so raking the mast has no advantage for me.

This sail maker was sent a sail plan. What is also strange is that
about the same time frame, we ordered a new main sail from Ratsey
in England. At that time, they had access to the sail plans of
all the Westerly Boats, but that sail also was cut too big. We
had to take it into a sail maker in Islamorada to have it cut down.

Do I detect a pattern here?

Sherwin

Perhaps your rig has been altered by a previous owner? That's not so
unusual. It's always recommended to take actual and careful
measurements of the particular boat, before making sails.

In any case, proper rake is not for racers only. It can make a big
difference in the handling and performance of any boat, yours
included. Just like you don't have to drive a race car to get a
benefit from a front end alignment and proper tire pressures.