Attaching main to boom

dwhewitson · Post by **dwhewitson** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:04 am

I am having a challenge trying to figure out how to attach the main to the boom on my telstar. I have attached plenty of mains before but this one has me stumped.
Rounded sail, straight boom, line inside main to small to hold in channel even if it was straight, # on sail is my hull number?

Thanks for any help

Don
Hull #319

dcsailing1 · Post by **dcsailing1** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:44 am

On ours, the slug goes in the boom slot and the outhaul is then tied on and holds the slug/sail back. I think the term is “loose footed” main. Had a similar setup on another boat in the past. The rounded part of the main just kind of hangs where it wants to on the boom till the wind pipes up. Don’t forget the reef lines like I have been known to do when the wind is light and I’m in a hurry.

Post by **Ron** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 12:03 pm

A "loose footed" main is actually a good thing to have. Besides being a lot easier to slide one slug on the clew back than a long bolt rope, it can usually get you a little more speed as well. The sail is allowed to keep it's shape all of the way down to and even past the boom, as opposed to having the foot bring it in flat. The part of the foot that is hanging down below the booms upper track keeps the air flowing there.

Use the outhaul to get the best shape for the conditions. In lighter air I sometimes let the center of the foot fly out about 4 to 6 inches from the boom. You can't really do as much with sail shape when the entire foot is tied to the boom. You've got maybe 1 inch of room to play with as opposed to the entire length of the foot (not that I'd let the clue slide all of the way up there).

dwhewitson · Post by **dwhewitson** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:47 pm

Well thank you both for the quick reply - I guess I am not such a retard after all.

Don

tricruiser · Post by **tricruiser** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:20 pm

hello Ron,

Yes, I was also wondering why the main sail was so long on the foot side! when the sail is fully up there is still at least 20" of fold on the center of the foot!
Also on the mast side, looks like the best way to attach the sail is to hook the big eyelet to the reefing hook??? Otherwise the sail cannot be tensioned.
Does anybody has a picture of that part of the sail hook up?

Also, my outhaul line has disappeared in the boom !and I wonder how I can retrieve it ! looks like a nightmare! The stop knot must have got undone and catastrophe!
Any suggestions?

Post by **Ron** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:35 am

I've got Bierig's kevlar sails but they are probably similar to the dacron versions.

The lower aft end of the main sail is held to the boom with the slug attached to the clew. Don't even try to run any bolt rope on the foot thru the boom's sail track - it's a loose footed main. The cringle at the tack (forward corner) is attached to the gooseneck with a shackle, and NOT the reefing hook. The reefing hook is designed to hold either reefing cringle in the luff and nothing else. There are actually 4 cringles in the luff - the lowest (at the tack) is used for the gooseneck shackle, the next one up (perhaps 2 to 3 feet) is for a cunningham, and the last two are for the two reefs. I don't have any decent pictures now, but I can take one in about 2 or 3 days when I get the boat off of the lift. I don't usually leave it in the water for more than about 7 days at a time. Pulled it on Thursday because of the weather forecast down here (thunder storms and high winds).

You may have to remove the boom's end cap to replace the outhaul, but I would try to snake a heavier wire or a fish thru the boom first. Try doing it from both ends. You may get lucky. Any line going thru the mast or boom should always have a stopper at the end.

tricruiser · Post by **tricruiser** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:50 pm

Hi, Ron,

Thanks for the precisions. Yes I though a shackle should be used but it looked OK with the cringle in the gooseneck. I agree with you.
And I know that all those internal ropes should be terminated and I have no idea why it was not!
Will attend to it this week.
Fred

Post by **Ron** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:52 pm

Here's the photo of the main's tack. Notice the sail is held by a shackle, and not by the reef hooks. The foot hangs down to about the bottom of the boom. This is the kevlar main, the dacron sail might look a little different. Also, my boat has a different type of gooseneck. The horizontal swivel is at the mast, the vertical is at the end of that 6 inch flat bar in the picture. Tony was experimenting with getting a way to raise the boom and/or lower the mast with the main on. The bar gives more clearance for the folded stacked main.

seicam · Post by **seicam** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 5:47 pm

Fred,
You may try a "fishing tape" - it is a metal tape used to pull wires behind drywall in home installations. It should go straight through the boom and come out on the other end. You can tape the outhaul to it and pull it back through the boom.

Regards,
Maciek

tricruiser · Post by **tricruiser** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:46 pm

Hello to all,

Thank you for your contributions,

Ron, thanks for the picture. Yes, very different than on my boat. I HAVE A DACRON SAIL.and do not have the boom extension.
My sail attach the same way but I cannot get it though enough with the main halyard.(may be the sail has stretched) I have just install a Cunningham line with pulleys and shackle and that seem OK.

I also had a very full boom with a lot of birds nests and had to open the boom! Big job to remove the rivets, clear all the mess, have the rivets replaced by a rigger and manufacture a plate to close the boom! That gave me an opportunity to check all the lines and shorten all the 1" screws fixing the eyes under the boom. they were interfering with the lines. All is now Ok.

Tricruiser.

International Telstar Owners Association