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Flat Sails are Okay - mehitabel

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  • 07 Jan 2011 16:51
    Quote
    Reply # 491115 on 490687
    Deleted user
    Nothing wrong with flat sails in our opinion---  We are still sailing Ron Glas on Jock`s second set of sails--1987-- still going fine. In fact we still have the original 1971 sails on board and short of a bit of restitching they  are OK !! We dont find the sails "slow"-- certainly comfortable but the boat is fast enough-- we are often reefing to keep the speed down below 7knots --- personally I find any faster becomes uncomfortable.The latest sailforms are very interesting and all power to those of you that are pushing new ideas----  when the time comes to replace Ron Glas`s sails we will probably stick to the original flat design!
  • 06 Jan 2011 21:49
    Quote
    Reply # 490707 on 490687
    Anonymous member
    Kurt Jon Ulmer wrote:

    One thing I like about our flat junk sails is that they don't heel the boat nearly as much as the curvaceous Bermudan ones we used to have, (or the cambered junk ones we could have.)
    - At least the top third of the sail looks nicely, suitably curved anyways, when I look up from the deck, and I think it does to the wind also. It's definitely not flat.

    "Moderation in all things" - that's the key, I reckon. A flat sail is comfortable, but not fast. A well-cambered sail of any type is fast but not comfortable. I advocate a mildly cambered sail for offshore and voyaging use, maybe 4% to 6% designed camber. Arne advocates a camber of 8% to 10% for inshore sailing. We're both right.

    The camber that develops in a flat-cut, but fanned, sail is the "fiendishly-clever Chinese" way of getting camber for nothing. That's why I don't think anyone should make a purely Hasler-style sail nowadays, but should look at the later planforms.
  • 06 Jan 2011 21:06
    Quote
    Message # 490687
    Anonymous member
    Let me just toss this out...

    One thing I like about our flat junk sails is that they don't heel the boat nearly as much as the curvaceous Bermudan ones we used to have, (or the cambered junk ones we could have.)

    - We can keep full sail up in more wind, so all our reef-potential is in reserve for balancing (less needed than before) and for even more wind.

    - We live in greater comfort on the boat while it close-reaches someplace, which is usual.

    - At least the top third of the sail looks nicely, suitably curved anyways, when I look up from the deck, and I think it does to the wind also. It's definitely not flat.

    Cheers,
    Kurt

    bit of info:
    12m junk schooner, was cat schooner.
    sails are my variation of Hasler & McLeod's - more on them later - flat cut, 'top gun' material.
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