Anonymous wrote:

Paul Thompson wrote:

Arne wrote:

The matter of keeping any running lines and batten ends from fouling each other could deserve its own topic.
The short version here about Mehitabel is that I would take care to keep the batten ends flush with the leech of the foresail and also keep the them flush with the luff of the mainsail. Avoiding protruding details, in the rig and on deck, is essential.

Running lines will catch anything possible plus a few more, whenever they can. Everyone who sail, learn this, and not least junkies...

Arne

Yes, Arne, that is true  but there is fouling that can be prevented by good design and fouling that one can do nothing about. I doubt that many would argue that my leach batten ends are not flush. However even the small button head bolts can snag and I am now counter sinking the heads, so that they are entirely flush.

Recently I’ve fitted thinner lines on a couple of places. Unfortunately, I’ve found these more prone to catching every imaginable nut or knob. I think it is better now to use thicker lines for sheetlets. At around 8mm, they will be less likely to catch small nuts.

Arne

Arne wrote:

The matter of keeping any running lines and batten ends from fouling each other could deserve its own topic.
The short version here about Mehitabel is that I would take care to keep the batten ends flush with the leech of the foresail and also keep the them flush with the luff of the mainsail. Avoiding protruding details, in the rig and on deck, is essential.

Running lines will catch anything possible plus a few more, whenever they can. Everyone who sail, learn this, and not least junkies...

Arne

TGO wrote:

Arne just asked me, off-forum, about how I would sheet that foresail. I think you can use port and starboard sheeting to the leech, with the deck blocks either side of the forehatch (but I'd do a temporary fix of these, and experiment with the fore and aft position). These are a bit of a pain to use, as the lee side sheet doesn't run out easily, but needs must if there is no room  for a single central sheet. At least these double sheets will help to keep the sail quiet on a run.

I wouldn't attach the sheet spans forward of the leech, this only gives trouble (PJR fig 4.53). I'd use the minimum number of parts in the sheet, as it's a small sail. I wonder whether 5 sheeted battens would be enough? It will help a lot to pull the tack of the mainsail right back to the mast, to reduce the tendency for the fore sheets to foul on it. 

Asmat Downey wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I was chatting to Arne Kverneland yesterday about the possibility of putting a junk schooner rig on Mehitabel.  My criteria were that the sail plan would have 50 sq m of sail, equal to the bermudan rig with 150% genoa flying, in order to maximize light-air performance, but the challenge I posed was that the mainmast had to be in the same position as the bermudan rig, due to structural issues.  It cannot be moved further aft.

To my delight, Arne has come up with a brilliant sail plan.  With full sail hoisted, the CE is a bit behind the main mast position, which will be great in very light winds, giving a little weather helm.  With two panels reefed down, the CE moves back to the mast.  The mainsail will get the first panel reefed down in 12 knots of wind, the second in 15 knots.  At 18 knots, there will be three panels reefed down.  This progressively moves the CE forward, which is what these old IOR designs need.  They sail on their headsails.  In 25 knots, a fourth panel will be reefed and one panel of the foresail.  In 30 knots, there will be five panels of the main reefed and two of the foresail.

No further reefs of the foresail are likely to be needed until the wind reaches 40 knots, as it is the storm sail and the mast and rig will be as stout as the main.  The main will continue to be progressively reefed until just the top two fanned panels are hoisted, and possibly the boat will sail to windward in extreme winds with just the reefed foresail, like many IOR boats.

As soon as the wind shifts aft of the beam, the main will be squared right out, as I did on Arion.  The foresail will be sheeted in tighter, which means the CP will go way forward.  I once crossed the Coral Sea in a bermudan sloop with the main squared out and the jib sheeted flat, Slocum-style, self-steering all the way with our trusty Aries windvane.  As with Arion, the mainsail will be reefed earlier than going to windward due to its power off the wind.

This rig looks very much like the one I made for Branwen. Her mainmast was forced  well forward of midships owing to the presence of her centreboard case. I came to be glad about it. Sailing downwind, that big mainsail provided the grunt, while the foresail played no part in propulsion at all, serving only as a steering sail, helping keep her head off. On a dead run, that little sail would snatch irritatingly from side to side, so I would generally  bring the wind about 20° over the quarter, sailing faster and rolling less. Repeated gybes were needed, but I'd arrive just as quickly and in greater comfort.

I was chatting to Arne Kverneland yesterday about the possibility of putting a junk schooner rig on Mehitabel.  My criteria were that the sail plan would have 50 sq m of sail, equal to the bermudan rig with 150% genoa flying, in order to maximize light-air performance, but the challenge I posed was that the mainmast had to be in the same position as the bermudan rig, due to structural issues.  It cannot be moved further aft.

To my delight, Arne has come up with a brilliant sail plan.  With full sail hoisted, the CE is a bit behind the main mast position, which will be great in very light winds, giving a little weather helm.  With two panels reefed down, the CE moves back to the mast.  The mainsail will get the first panel reefed down in 12 knots of wind, the second in 15 knots.  At 18 knots, there will be three panels reefed down.  This progressively moves the CE forward, which is what these old IOR designs need.  They sail on their headsails.  In 25 knots, a fourth panel will be reefed and one panel of the foresail.  In 30 knots, there will be five panels of the main reefed and two of the foresail.

No further reefs of the foresail are likely to be needed until the wind reaches 40 knots, as it is the storm sail and the mast and rig will be as stout as the main.  The main will continue to be progressively reefed until just the top two fanned panels are hoisted, and possibly the boat will sail to windward in extreme winds with just the reefed foresail, like many IOR boats.

As soon as the wind shifts aft of the beam, the main will be squared right out, as I did on Arion.  The foresail will be sheeted in tighter, which means the CP will go way forward.  I once crossed the Coral Sea in a bermudan sloop with the main squared out and the jib sheeted flat, Slocum-style, self-steering all the way with our trusty Aries windvane.  As with Arion, the mainsail will be reefed earlier than going to windward due to its power off the wind.