Many thanks for responses from Annie, Arne and Graeme. I will tighten up my topping lifts and see if that helps - because they are very slack when the sail is hoisted. Good to know it's not that serious, Annie and I am quite happy with it not being so tidy! 

To answer your question Graeme, I have stuck to my ratchet straps but now made hardwood bridges to go across the back of the tabernacle inside the straps. David Tyler looked at the arrangement and suggested having the second strap as low as possible which makes sense because when sailing down wind there will be quite a bit of leverage -trying to force the base of the mast towards the stern. I will take a picture and share it when I'm next out. I got stainless ratchets and ordered a 3rd strap/ratchet so always will have a spare on board.

My guess is that your topping lifts are a bit slacker than needed. Personally I like it that way as it makes sure that the topping lifts don’t cut into the sail when it is fully hoisted. I suggest you hoist the sail fully and then shorten the topping lifts until they almost cut into the (hopefully) cambered panels. I like to have a little gap between the lowest reefed batten and the bundle below. That lets me sheet in the sail hard without it touching the bundle. This ensures a taut leech.

Arne

Sailed in a much stronger wind last weekend so I had the pleasure of reefing because I really had to! Lovely to have that easy and instant control but what can I do to make the battens stay parallel to each other when they are lowered? The leech end of the lowered batten is always higher up than the luff end is so I'm sailing along with an extra wedge of sail above the bundle. Does that matter?

Still no photograph of her out on the water but hopefully I'll get one soon. The only picture I know about was taken by a stranger and she failed to email it to me as promised. Luff Parrel still not in place but will be very soon.

First sail today!!

Someone took a picture of the boat but I have not received it yet. Too much lee helm to start with but an adjustment at the tack of the sail seemed to sort that out. I could do with some advice, please, about diagonal creases when on port tack but maybe you would like to came and have a look David as you suggested? I will email you...

I think there will be some tweaking of the sheet spans and perhaps some other bits, but it feels right and able to sail well - close to the wind too. Many thanks to all who have helped and advised over the last few months. I will post pictures when I get them.

Thank you, Phil and David for your interest and comments. At the moment the mast is being held up with a couple of ratchet clamps and now that I have found that there are stainless steel ones it is hard for me to see why anything else would be better. Because the mast sits snug in the tabernacle I would be interested to know why this would not work as a permanent arrangement? The only issue I can see is if the considerable pressure put on the straps could actually crack the wood and presumably the idea of having a saddle would spread the pressure as everything is tightened up. Is there a drawing anywhere of what you suggest, David?