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"Zip up" sleeve luff ??


Garry

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I have a sleeve luff for the sloop rig on my Spindrift 11 with a three piece mast. But it's a bit of a handful to get on and off. I have to leave the sail luffing when I'm not using it. I can't pull it down much because the sleeve bunches up on the mast. It's awkward to pull it on and off the mast because it requires two people and a lot of room. The luff is cut away at the foot to allow it to be reefed.

I'd like to come up with a way to make a slot along the front side of the sleeve that I could close up when its attached and open up to remove the sail. Would a long heavy duty zipper work? How about a series of eyes with catches or even lines to tie it together? I don't think lacing would work as the vertical parts would resist the halyard.

Any ideas?

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Garry

On my Bolger folding schooner I have zippers on the luff socks. The socks are large- based on Wharram's Tiki design- so that the sails can be dropped and the sailcloth just folds without having to undo the zipper. These zippers work very well.

Here's a link to some photos

http://sports.webshots.com/album/548246269VtgyuF

Peter HK

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Some day I would like to change over from the luff sleeve to a track.  As I use my S9N as a tender it would be nice to simply lower the sail at the dinghy dock, or when I am at anchor in my Renegade.  The logistics and expense of building for a 3 piece track mast and sail just hasn't made it to the top of my constantly evolving list of stuff to do to my boats.  I too have tried to dream up a simpler conversion to a hoistable sail like a zipper, but have yet to find a good plan.  I am of the opinion that I will just have to wait 'till conversion of my mast and sail makes it to the top of the list.  But I would like to see some clever idea posted here prove me wrong. 

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Someone on TSBB had an idea that I could cut away parts of the sleeve and leave loops instead of having a full sleeve. I really like this idea. Its simple and does most of what I want. Here is the rest of my response posted on TSBB.

Actually [instead of hemming the cut edges] I could cut the sleeve away with a hot knife (soldering iron?) which would seal the edges. The sleeve is under very little stress so a loop every couple of feet would be fine. The seam where the sleeve attaches to the sail is already heavily reinforced with three layers (two edges of the sleeve and one edge of the sail) and stitched with two rows of zig-zag sail thread. I doubt any additional reinforcement would be necessary.

The sleeve is already cut away at the foot for the reef point. I specifically watched this area while sailing in a stiff breeze without reefing and saw no distortion or luffing.

The head of the sleeve comes to a point at the the forward edge with a grommet and reinforcing for attaching the halyard. I would leave enough material here to make sure the load is evenly transferred to the sail.

I would still have to put the sail on over the mast and could not take it completely off without removing the mast. But I could drop the sail completely when needed. And when I stand the mast into the support, I could have the sail gathered at the bottom instead of fluttering in the breeze.

I think I might do this. I'll post pics.

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On my BRS 15 I used mast hoops.  I usually trailer so I usually breakdown my masts and separately pack the sails.

The hoops allow me the use a halyard to raise and lower the sails.

I will have access to keeping the boat in the water for several day at a time.

I plan to mount a block inside the mast head for a halyard instead of an eye.

Tom D.  BRS 15  Birder II

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Actually [instead of hemming the cut edges] I could cut the sleeve away with a hot knife (soldering iron?) which would seal the edges. The sleeve is under very little stress so a loop every couple of feet would be fine.

I was thinking the same basic concept Garry, but wasn't sure it was a good idea.  My biggest concern would be sail shape, not so much strength.  I wish I had a junk sail to try this out with. 

I would still have to put the sail on over the mast and could not take it completely off without removing the mast. But I could drop the sail completely when needed. And when I stand the mast into the support' date=' I could have the sail gathered at the bottom instead of fluttering in the breeze. [/quote']

Yup, and being able to lower it, even if bunched onto the boom, for short periods of time, is the primary goal for me.  I am looking for convenience while in port for a day or 2 or 3.

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Garry,

When I ordered my Spindrift 10 sail from Graham last week he told me they have a sail with a zipper as an option. Is that what you are interested in? You might talk to Graham.

I chose to stick with the regular reefing sail. Zippers make me nervous. I have had problems with long zippers on tents, which is no fun in the rain. A sail zipper might be different, though.

MARK

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I think Rob Blackburn put zipper-reefing on his Core Sound.  When I get the time I'll try to find the posts about it - it might be a few days because I've got to get the Bahamas pictures sorted out so I can post my trip report :)  I'm very interested in finding out how well that system worked for him because I'd like to do the same to my sails.

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I have done a couple of zipper luffs on a Spindrift but I have not gotten any feed back yet. I cut the sleeve away below the reef and put the zip on the starboard aft edge of the sleeve. To take the strain off the zip I a put a piece of webbing across the bottom of the zip with a snap fastener.

A lot of beach cats use a zip luff on their jibs with good results and they would have higher loads than a Spindrift.

This allows the main to be raised and lowered from on board.

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