Today, winds were forecast F4 gusting 5 and presented a good opportunity to try out the new boom with a reef in the main. No pictures were taken, since much thought was being given to the best way to rig the clew connection with the outhaul. Initially, it was difficult to keep the foot of the sail sufficiently close to the boom, and the webbing connection for the mainsheet, which should have been close to the reefed clew, seemed to want to remain at the end of the boom. During gusts, I found it difficult to keep the luff fully tensioned.
Thinking this through whilst hove-to with coffee in hand, I made some modifications to the outhaul which now works like this: an outhaul shackle is now attached to the topside of the mainsheet webbing. The outhaul connects first to this shackle, then to the clew by means of a free-moving snapshackle, then passing back down through the outhaul shackle and on through the pulley at the end of the boom. This change transformed the shape of the sail and enabled a much more successful last few tacks.
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| 9.4nm |
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