A question on Tarp sails

[Fintan Murphy]

Another quick question if I may.

Do you use ducktape along all four sides of the mainsail, or do you leave the leech bare? It's not completely obvious from the plans or video and I just wondered what everybody else has done.

Thanks,

[Dave R1]

Fintan, you only need to put the duct tape on the edges you've cut. The factory edges should be fine as they are. Put Steve to work helping you with those sails.

[Fintan Murphy]

Dont think I hadn't thought of it , but I don't think that would go down too well with his wife (or mine for that matter :shock: )

Just to get this straight, if the leech edge is cut (which it has to be, if the luff is the prefinished edge that it lashed to the mast), then it has to have duck tape on it. Of course, I won't be putting grommets on it in any event.

Thanks again,

[Dave R1]

Yes, the leech, if it is an edge you cut, should have tape on it. If it is a factory edge you don't need tape.

I suppose you'd better just be a good host so as not to get in trouble with the ladies. Have fun.

[Fintan Murphy]

Thanks again Dave,

Nearly there, after 4 years on and off.

I mounted the boom last night - it is low and will make a mistake while jibeing an interesting experience.

[Dave R1]

Duck!

It was a good journey and well worth the time. Enjoy your Weekender, Fintan. Can't wait to see some pictures.

Dave

[Johannah]

The telling of the tale matters more than the "point" of it. The journey more than journey's end. How else would you end up with so many odd but endearing friends across the water?

[Dave R1]

Odd? I resemble that remark!

[Frank Hagan]

I mounted the boom last night - it is low and will make a mistake while jibeing an interesting experience.

Yes, you will find out why they call it the "boom".

[Fintan Murphy]

Thanks again everybody.

In the video I noticed the technique used when tacking was to change sides before instigating the tack, and then duck down so the boom comes from behind you. As the sail had filled (backed), it lifted up the boom a bit so it cleared their heads

A different technique than what I am used to, but seems to make good sense with such a low boom.

By the way, I had a good time meeting Steve Downes and his wife Jan (and their sisters in law and husbands). He is an exceptionally nice guy, and probably a bit of a perfectionist. I must admit I ragged him a bit when he told me that he had disassembled part of the boat as he saw that it was 1 inch out of alignment. I told him that by next year, 1" out is more than acceptable. At least it is in my boat

[Dave R1]

Glad you had a good time with Steve, et al.

I've been whacked a few times too many by a boom coming across during a tack. Seems like on some boats, no matter how low I lay in the cockpit that boom makes contact with my brain bucket.

That was one of the reasons I had for raising everything up a bit. I can sit upright in my cockpit and the boom will clear my head. Of course I neglected to consider the mainsheet blocks hanging from it. :roll: