Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Yachts and Sail => Topic started by: Steve on July 16, 2012, 06:42:24 pm

Title: Sails
Post by: Steve on July 16, 2012, 06:42:24 pm

Can anyone help, I have been setting my sails on my Robbe Atlantis and wondered when the sails are set at there close hauled position how far should they
be allowed to be let out? is there a specific angle?

Curious    {:-{
Steve C

Title: Re: Sails
Post by: Stavros on July 16, 2012, 07:19:35 pm

All my Yachts are set up in the following way

Sheet in all the way so Main boom is on the centre line of the hull and CAN NOT be moved left or right,jib is allways one finger out of centre,in other words it is set out off the centre line,sail on jib is usually one finger width of a bow in the sail same for the main,this of course is what I start with,obviously you can let more of a bow in the jib and main as necc.

Dave

Title: Re: Sails
Post by: Steve on July 16, 2012, 07:52:03 pm

So how far do the sails go when there let out, e.g. are they at 90 degrees to the centre line, I would imagine less.

Regards
Steve

Title: Re: Sails
Post by: rmaddock on July 16, 2012, 08:15:33 pm

As far as they can. Usually 'till the boom touches the shrouds.

Title: Re: Sails
Post by: Steve on July 16, 2012, 08:22:53 pm

Ahhh thats what I needed to know, so can you tell me what the purpose is of the kicking strap or jackstay not sure which it is.
The rod that is attached to the mast and to the mainsail boom.
As it is this item limits the travel of the main boom so maybe I need to slacken it off.


Regards
Steve

Title: Re: Sails
Post by: Steve on July 16, 2012, 08:31:59 pm

I found a picture of what I was trying to describe,
Which is a kicking strap.

(http://s10.postimage.org/pcmbh31dh/Kickingstrap.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/pcmbh31dh/)

Steve

Title: Re: Sails
Post by: Artistmike on July 16, 2012, 09:10:27 pm

The kicking strap is there to exert a downward force on the boom and to control the shape or 'twist' in the sail, which helps provide the power ..... It shouldn't be so tight that it's stopping the boom from moving freely from side to side and should give a nice curve to the sail, how much will come from experience when sailing the boat.

Title: Re: Sails
Post by: Klunk on July 16, 2012, 09:21:22 pm

on my atlantis i set mine at 15 degrees off centre at close and out to 80 degrees full out. Then depending on wind I then set the form of the sails. Im still learning but it really is trial and error to start with!

Title: Re: Sails
Post by: Stavros on July 16, 2012, 10:16:47 pm

As others have posted the kicking strap has to be firm but NOT so tight it will not let the boom travel from one side of the boat to the other but it is there to stop the boom from lifting,if it is not there the main sail can lift and give you not power.

Klunk if you are referring to the main boom being 15 degrees off centre of thet hull then you DO need to get it parralel to the centre line of hte hull when pulled in,the jib (front sail) can be 15  degrees off centre


Dave

Title: Re: Sails
Post by: Steve on July 18, 2012, 07:46:59 pm

Ok guys thanks for that, next question is,
On the Atlantis there are four sails, the one at the very front being the jib and the one at the rear being the mainsail.
So what angle do i get the other two sails?
Do they need to be hauled right into the centre or set so many degrees off centre?

Regards
Steve.