Flaking Main for Trailering

[slode]

I have a quick question for all you trailer sailors.  I've had more than a couple occurrences of my leech tell tails getting damaged/ripping off, when trailering.  I always flake my main nicely, tie the sail to the boom with 3 ties, and put on the sail cover.  But my sail cover just uses side release clips every few feet to secure along the bottom, and they don't snug up very tight.  So inevitably there are areas where the sail is exposed.  If a tell tail ends up positioned low it gets blown out and flaps around until it's gone. 

Is there a better way to secure things so this doesn't happen?

I've considered sewing in a zipper along the bottom of my sail cover, or adding more clips and shortening the straps they are on, but wanted to get other ideas before I spend the time on that.

[brackish]

On a 23 the boom has to be detached to lower the mast, so I never leave the sail, covered or not out for trailering.  It is either bagged or it stays on the boom and the boom goes into cabin.  I know what your are talking about with the sail cover being loose and I would be afraid of it filling with air and lifting.

[bruce]

Not the most elegant solution, but for the occasional high speed run I'll tie a line with a series of chain hitches (lots of aliases, marling hitches, etc.) over the sail cover, tightening the bundle, and tucking any errant lines or telltales in.
https://www.seasources.net/common_knots.htm#chain%20hitch

[slode]

Not the most elegant solution, but for the occasional high speed run I'll tie a line with a series of chain hitches (lots of aliases, marling hitches, etc.) over the sail cover, tightening the bundle, and tucking any errant lines or telltales in.
https://www.seasources.net/common_knots.htm#chain%20hitch

I do that for longer trips, but to just make a run out to the local lakes for a day sail it's not something I really want to spend the time doing.  And it only takes a few miles for an errant tell tail to get tore up pretty good at 55mph.

[bruce]

Understood. We're lucky our primary ramp is close by.