Several questions

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Curwen
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Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2015 6:19 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26D
Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Several questions

Post by Curwen »

Hello all,

Not a total newbie, but still lots of questions about sailing and my boat in general. Wondering thoughts on....

1) I have a 26D and access to a loos gauge. What should the tension on the bottom, middle and upper shrouds, forestay and backstay. I can't seem to find a consensus on this and really want to make sure I am properly tensioned. I've seen it best described as not too loose and not too tight, but I don't have the experience to make that judgement.

2) I'm going out tomorrow night and the wind conditions are supposed to be under 15 mph, but it can get gusty. I believe I will be comfortable sailing in those wind conditions. I've seen boats sailing on just their main and other other boats just sailing on their jib. Is there a preference to one over the other for the Mac?

3) When a gust hits, I get a heel and the I start to point into the wind. The boat is squirrelly and a little difficult to control. I do plan on replacing the dagger board and the rudder this winter, but until then, is there any advice on how to maneuver or behave when this happens?

4) This weekend might be a good weekend to practice reefing. I have the gooseneck to hook the tack reef point, but what do I use for the other reef points? Do I thread one line through all the reef points and tie off on the boom or do I lash each reef point individually?

5) Any other tips on sailing with a reefed sail?


Thank you in advance for any ideas or advice,

Curwen
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yukonbob
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Location: Whitehorse Yukon

Re: Several questions

Post by yukonbob »

Throw a reef in your main before you leave the dock. Start5 with your main and add some headsail (furler?) until you’re happy with the balance. If it gets hard to steer reduce headsail until it’s gone, then put in second reef in the main (if you have one). If you’re under powered when you initially get out with the first reef try adding all your headsail. If it’s unbalanced pull the headsail back in and shake the reef out of your main then add a little headsail until it feels good. Also try spilling wind by letting the sheets out a bit. Move your cars around on the headsail (back for more power - Light winds, forward for less- higher winds)
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Curwen
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26D
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Re: Several questions

Post by Curwen »

Yukonbob,

Thank you for the advice. I don't have a rolling furler, just a hank-on jib. I am comfortable in letting it spill wind if starting to overpower me.

As I learn, I want to make sure I am learning sound principles and techniques so I have to unlearn as few bad ones as possible.

I thank you all for the collective knowledge you pass onto us newbies!

Curwen
Retcoastie
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Post by Retcoastie »

I tie each hole in the reef line on the sail individually to the boom. The aft reef hole also gets tied to the end of the boom. I have some small lines, about 30", already made up and looped around the life line near the winch, so they are always handy.
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yukonbob
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Re: Several questions

Post by yukonbob »

Just remember that only the clew and tack reef points are reinforced and should bear all the weight when reefed. The other holes along the boom are only to take up excess sail. As far as hank on sails you can buy more sails of varying sizes or purchase / make a furler and have your existing sail modified. Try and look for used headsails online. They don't even need to be Mac specific sails just sized right. They may not be the best performers but they'll do the job. Or buy a furler and a new headsail $$
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sailboatmike
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Re: Several questions

Post by sailboatmike »

In relation to question 2

Most boats sail ok on jib or foresail alone, not sure about your D, but the X is OK on foresail until the wind gets up, then forget it, you cant tack and pointing at any angle into the wind you just get pushed off.

I see most Macs sail on main alone and seem to be happy about it.

Question 3

When your getting turned into the wind its called rounding up, thats the boats or rigs design to stop it getting over powered and knocked over, when you feel her starting to round up, let the main sail out, if your inexperienced or the wind is up DONT sail with the main cleated in, keep the sheet in your hand and play the gusts, letting it out when and gust comes and bringing it in when the gust lulls
Last edited by sailboatmike on Fri Jul 22, 2016 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Tomfoolery
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Re: Several questions

Post by Tomfoolery »

I have tried the genoa alone, and it's not bad. But being a larger headsail, the center of pressure is farther back than the working jib, which helps. When I tried the main alone, I vaguely remember that raising the swing CB a bit helped with balance, as it's farther back that way. But if I'm going to do the work of unwrapping the main (and wrapping it back up), then I'm going to unfurl the jib, too.

I normally use the jib, as it allows pointing higher than the genoa does, and the X isn't all that great in that department even with the smaller headsail. Maybe some new sails would help; mine are all original, as far as I can tell. :(
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sailboatmike
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Re: Several questions

Post by sailboatmike »

It seems there are plenty of Macs still sailing on the original factory sails, mine is a 1995 so not many X's sailing on older sails.

Just the fact the the boat will still point at all is a bit of a tribute to its sailing characteristics, my poor old sloppy baggy saggy main is just soft like a thin cotton sheet, there is just nothing that could possibly be described as crispness to it. (I think it may of been a hand me down from Noah when the ark ran out of water)
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Herschel
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Re: Several questions

Post by Herschel »

As far as hank on sails you can buy more sails of varying sizes or purchase / make a furler and have your existing sail modified. Try and look for used headsails online. They don't even need to be Mac specific sails just sized right. They may not be the best performers but they'll do the job.
I'll add my 2 cents to this by relating that when I was on a college sailing team (a very many years ago) and we raced larger boats, we always had three choices of head sails to match the wind conditions, I agree that being able to match the right sail area for the conditions before you leave the dock is very wise. Having a collection of headsails or a roller furling jib is important.
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Judy B
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Re: Several questions

Post by Judy B »

Curwen wrote:Hello all,

Not a total newbie, but still lots of questions about sailing and my boat in general. Wondering thoughts on....

1) I have a 26D and access to a loos gauge. What should the tension on the bottom, middle and upper shrouds, forestay and backstay. I can't seem to find a consensus on this and really want to make sure I am properly tensioned. I've seen it best described as not too loose and not too tight, but I don't have the experience to make that judgement.

2) I'm going out tomorrow night and the wind conditions are supposed to be under 15 mph, but it can get gusty. I believe I will be comfortable sailing in those wind conditions. I've seen boats sailing on just their main and other other boats just sailing on their jib. Is there a preference to one over the other for the Mac?

3) When a gust hits, I get a heel and the I start to point into the wind. The boat is squirrelly and a little difficult to control. I do plan on replacing the dagger board and the rudder this winter, but until then, is there any advice on how to maneuver or behave when this happens?

4) This weekend might be a good weekend to practice reefing. I have the gooseneck to hook the tack reef point, but what do I use for the other reef points? Do I thread one line through all the reef points and tie off on the boom or do I lash each reef point individually?

5) Any other tips on sailing with a reefed sail?


Thank you in advance for any ideas or advice,

Curwen
There's a great guide to how to tune a rig, from Selden Mast. Page 32 explains the "folding rule method" of measuring wire tension. You don't need a Loos gauge.

http://www.seldenmast.com/files/1416926 ... -540-E.pdf

Page 45 details the correct procedure for tuning the 26D/S rig, which is a fractional rig with one set of swept spreaders

Judy B
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grady
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Re: Several questions

Post by grady »

Judy B wrote:
http://www.seldenmast.com/files/1416926 ... -540-E.pdf

Page 45 details the correct procedure for tuning the 26D/S rig, which is a fractional rig with one set of swept spreaders

Judy B
That was acually informative. I have mine set good now but may have to use some of that information to tweak on mine to see if I can make any improvements. The major difference of mine now is it seems like my boat just feels better with a lot looser lowers.

Thanks!
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