Graham Cox wrote: Thanks Paul, my sailmaker friend, Russell Streckfuss, of Storm bay Sails in Tasmania,is familiar with Odyssey 111 and enthusiastic about using it, so that is one decison made.  He is also enthusiastic about making me a cambered sail and has a good software program to develop the optimal panel shapes, so that is another one, with many thanks to the JRA members who have given me the benefit of their experience while developing my ideas.  I'd love to just dive into the project immediately but there are logistical reasons why I cannot.  However, I should be conducting sailing trials next August  or September, and I am sure I will have a lot more questions to ask about setting up the rig later on.

My pleasure Graham, good to hear that things are coming together for you. Don't know how much you (or your friend Russel) know about cambered junk sails but if prompt your friend with "shelf foot" he will probably understand. Each panel is essentially a rectangular panel with a shelf on the top and on the bottom.

Graham Cox wrote: Oddysey 111 sounds interesting.  What is its chafe resistance like, compared say to Condender cloth or conventional dacron?  I remember David used acrylic on Tystie's big red sail. as he called it, the junk sail he had before going to a soft wingsail.  I remember he had some chafe issues with it.  I'd like to ask him about his experiences with that sail, his views on the best sail material to use (Odyssey 111?), and some other issues.  I remember he had a vang on the boom to haul the sail across the mast when before the wind.  How did that work in practice?  Did it make a significant difference to the balance of the helm?  My sail, at about 350 sq feet, won't be quite as large but it is still a big sail on a 24 foot boat. (You can see photos of my boat on Bruce Roberts Website on the Tom Thumb 24 page.)  I also seem to remember, from photos I saw in PBO shortly after Tystie's launch, that he did not have fixed batten or yard parrels.  I would have thought they are essential to control the sail when hoisting ot lowering.  Perhaps I missed something. What were the significant factors in the decision to change the rig, and what other advice would you give to sailors contemplating relatively large, low aspect ratio single sails?

Graham,

Oddysey 111 sounds interesting.  What is its chafe resistance like, compared say to Condender cloth or conventional dacron?  I remember David used acrylic on Tystie's big red sail. as he called it, the junk sail he had before going to a soft wingsail.  I remember he had some chafe issues with it.  I'd like to ask him about his experiences with that sail, his views on the best sail material to use (Odyssey 111?), and some other issues.  I remember he had a vang on the boom to haul the sail across the mast when before the wind.  How did that work in practice?  Did it make a significant difference to the balance of the helm?  My sail, at about 350 sq feet, won't be quite as large but it is still a big sail on a 24 foot boat. (You can see photos of my boat on Bruce Roberts Website on the Tom Thumb 24 page.)  I also seem to remember, from photos I saw in PBO shortly after Tystie's launch, that he did not have fixed batten or yard parrels.  I would have thought they are essential to control the sail when hoisting ot lowering.  Perhaps I missed something. What were the significant factors in the decision to change the rig, and what other advice would you give to sailors contemplating relatively large, low aspect ratio single sails?

Graham Cox wrote:

Paul Thompson wrote:

Graham Cox wrote: With cambered sails, what are your latest thoughts about the best material to use?  Some friends have used cheap poly-cotton for their flat sails with success but my sailmaker friend who is going to make my sail is suggesting a tougher material, one suggestion being Contender cloth (the other being Dyeema, if he can fiind some cheap enough!)

Graham, no need for such exotic materials (unless you getting it for free or something of that nature). Use Odyssey III, it works very well. I have made a couple of sails (all with camber) for others as well as my own out of it. I have also just finnished helping Annie make her sail for her new boat Fantail. we used  Odyssey III for that as well. Gary Pick is also using it for his sail.

It's not excessively expensive (much cheaper than the stuff you have mentioned), is very UV resistant and it is very pleasant to cut and sew. Once the sail is made it is also a pleasure to handle.

Thanks, I am not familiar with Oddysey 111 but will look into it.  Is it so UV resistant that one can forget about a sailcover, like acrylic, or is a cover still recommended.  I'd love to be able to just drop the sail and hoist at will, especially since I am usually anchored in open roadsteads and feel a bit uneasy about having the sailcover on.  Also, I frequently get under way, it is rare for me to lie at anchor for more than two or three days.  A week is really stretching it, but happens once in a while.

Hi Graham,

Graham Cox wrote: With cambered sails, what are your latest thoughts about the best material to use?  Some friends have used cheap poly-cotton for their flat sails with success but my sailmaker friend who is going to make my sail is suggesting a tougher material, one suggestion being Contender cloth (the other being Dyeema, if he can fiind some cheap enough!)

Graham, no need for such exotic materials (unless you getting it for free or something of that nature). Use Odyssey III, it works very well. I have made a couple of sails (all with camber) for others as well as my own out of it. I have also just finnished helping Annie make her sail for her new boat Fantail. we used  Odyssey III for that as well. Gary Pick is also using it for his sail.

It's not excessively expensive (much cheaper than the stuff you have mentioned), is very UV resistant and it is very pleasant to cut and sew. Once the sail is made it is also a pleasure to handle.