pros and cons of loose footed main?

[Shawn]

Nice use of the snap shackle! Let me know how well that works when you try reefing in higher winds. I think I have a few of them in my spares box too, might give that a try just to see it too.

I was using a slug like that last year when loose footed and it held up, it did concern me a little though. Getting rid of the rear reefing lines is nice!

Shawn

[Salty19]

I'll let you know about how hard it is to reef with this setup.  Just reefing at the dock in light wind definitely was not "proof" to me that it works well, only that the parts are compatible.
I think the line I'll rig from the main (unreefed) clew to the boom, to hold the sail from flogging wildly when unshackling the clew, will pay dividends.  Time will tell...I'll report back once I've given the setup a good workout in strong winds. 

[Salty19]

Had a nice strong wind this week and the shackle got a workout pushing the boat to 5.6 knots--about as quick as I've made this boat go without a motor.

I didn't reef the main-probably should have, though unreefed this worked really well.  Easy to adjust and I love not having the reefing lines crowding the boom.

-The slide moved easily to and fro. Easier than the velcro strap provided by national Sails.
-Nothing bent or broke.
-The 3:1 outhaul is way easier than the 2:1.  Granular adjustments are easier.
-Camcleat on the outhaul is a dream...so quick and easy to adjust I kick myself for not doing this earlier. Beats untying the line from a cleat, adjusting and retying for each adjustment.

Once I get to reef in real sailing conditions vs. the dock I'll know if this setup will work for all conditions.  If it does, I'll probably stick with it.

[brackish]

While I'm not ready now, I know the next replacement/upgrade sail for my boat will be the main, so I put my existing bolt rope main up loose footed to see if I could discern a performance difference.  I've always had a foiled rudder, and most would say that would be the first step in eliminating excess weather helm with a loose footed main being the next step.  With the foiled rudder I don't experience an excessive amount of weather helm to start with, so that was not an issue.  I tried to go out with an open mind, not being influenced by those that have gone before me on this matter.  After all, any impressions would certainly be subjective in nature.  I sailed up lake wing and wing for about three miles, and on that point of sail I didn't notice any real difference and concluded if there was one, it would have to be measured objectively and no way to do that.  I then turned to go down lake which put me on a beat.  I was single handed so was tacking by myself.  Here there was a discernable difference.  With the sail set up as a closed foot I often fight every tack with the boat oversteering or understeering through the tack when I drop the tiller to set the jib.  With the sail set up with a loose foot, it tended to stay on the intended course as I dropped the tiller for the period of time it took me to properly sheet the jib.  It made the trip back enjoyable instead of a fight to make sure the boat doesn't backwind out of the tack usually close to the lake bank.  Subjective of course but so noticeable that I'm now a believer in the loose footed main.

[Bob23]

   I guess great minds think alike! I was just thinking about calling my sailmaker (John Eggers, NJ) about converting my main to a loose-footed main. These sails are only 2 seasons old and they work great but there's always room for improvement, right? He may try to talk me out of it and for the most part, recognizing that he's probably forgotten more about sailmaking than I'll ever know, I may just do it.
   Thanks for your input!
bob23

[Glenn Basore]

Hi All,

I sailed a Hunter 170 loose footed by design and it really sailed great in light air.

I had read a few post here before about sailing loose foot and thought I would try it on my Eclipse.

Although I think I had better sail shape being loose footed I had a problem with the boom striking the arch support everything I tacked or jibed.

I could have added a topping line to the boom to keep it high enough to clear the arch but I just didn't want to do that,

I'm back using the original design set up.

I think if I had some extra money to spend on a loose footed sail i would do so.

Glenn B.

[skip1930]

I honestly don't know if this loose footed business is going to help. I had it on the Penquin with a short batten going up and down in the middle of the sail starting at the boom. Not sideways above the boom. I'm not sure what the designer Phil Rhodes had in mind.

What are we trying to do here? We want an aeroplane wing that is standing on it's nose. We want the airfoil shape as close to the mast as we can get it to lift the boat 'sideways' and move it along in the water. What's below the water counters this sideways lifting tendency. It's a balance 'tween the two. An air foil shape far astern does no good, does it? unless what we are sailing is a down wind square rigger.

skip.

[Tim Gardner]

Personally, I have arch envy.  The arch proves a place to put the main sheet Up, Up and Away. But it also provides a head banger.  But, being a go slow  fast kind of guy,  remember I drive an AH Sprite (0-60 in three afternoons head jerking speed), I appreciate handling over, well, I don't know what.

But that forward rake just looks fast - and cool.  Yep! Arch envy.


tg

[Pete H]

Hi guys,

Just my two cent's worth.

My 2012 Legacy is factory fitted with a loose footed main, Hutchins must have a particular reason for doing this.

Perhaps some one could ask them their thinking on the pros and cons of the loose footed main.

Cheers,

Pete H

[skip1930]

I'm of the mind to suggest that the 'airfoil' that creates lift necessary to move the boat forword is moved away from the mast toward the end of the boom when the main is loose footed. I mean what controls the curve? Just the outhaul?
Is this good? Or maybe it does not matter. Apparently the boat still moves forward. Are we going faster? Are we exceeding hull speed? It's not really Hutchins but rather the boat designer. Who designed the Legacy? Now bare in mind Philip Rhodes made the Penquin, a cat boat, a loose footed main with a vertical batton.

Note the seams in the sail, and the battons in both these two pictures. I don't know what I'm looking for but I'm seeing something.



skip.

[Shawn]

"I'm of the mind to suggest that the 'airfoil' that creates lift necessary to move the boat forword is moved away from the mast toward the end of the boom when the main is loose footed."

Not really, just that you have more control over the shape of the airfoil when loose footed. You can add more belly to the sail if desired when loose footed. The position of the belly doesn't really change. The other difference is the airfoil shape stays the entire length of the sail, it doesn't flatten out at the bottom as it does with a bolt rope.

"I mean what controls the curve? Just the outhaul?"

Outhaul mostly, you can also influence the shape with halyard tension, downhaul and/or cunningham and a vang.

"Are we exceeding hull speed?"

Of course not. The difference IME is you can get to hull speed in a little less air.

Shawn