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Hi All,

I've been pulling hard on the Haylard (into and sightly off the wind) but the Main always stops short about 12 to 18 inches from the top block .... and my Main remains a bit baggy on the boom .... This this normal?
Not sure if I'm looking at a worn out sail or there's something wrong near the top of the mast?

All the best.
Neo

Good question. My X's main seems to stop about 6-12 inches short of the top - and it can't be the age of the sails - they're new.

Neo wrote:Hi All,

I've been pulling hard on the Haylard (into and sightly off the wind) but the Main always stops short about 12 to 18 inches from the top block .... and my Main remains a bit baggy on the boom .... This this normal?
Not sure if I'm looking at a worn out sail or there's something wrong near the top of the mast?

All the best.
Neo

I should add that I the small block is very close to the track but I can see the aft rope (dropping down from the block to the sail) is sloping about 5 or 10 degrees at that point .... it looks like it should go up a bit more.

Is your main sheet putting any tension on the boom? Ease the sheet and if you have a Vang ease that as well. I typically raise the boom a little with the topping lift to be sure the leach doesn't tighten up before the sail is all the way up.

jstyers wrote:Is your main sheet putting any tension on the boom? Ease the sheet and if you have a Vang ease that as well. I typically raise the boom a little with the topping lift to be sure the leach doesn't tighten up before the sail is all the way up.

Hmmm ... I need to check on that..... will try raising the end of the boom too.... Thanks jstyers

Without getting too personal, has your bolt rope shrunk?

Jimmyt wrote:Without getting too personal, has your bolt rope shrunk?

Sorry Jimmy, but you have lost me??

Travis posted a great video on a similar issue, see https://youtu.be/Xs7i5hzeq_s.

If the bolt rope shrinks it can produce a baggy condition.

Also, Judy has given an informative dissertation on the subject in Travis' post http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 10&t=24808

It's probably me that's lost... Sorry if I misunderstood your problem.

- Trouble Raising The Main...
- Bolt Rope Shrinkage

Oh come on Boys -- Get a Laugh [life]

Thanks Gaz, sometimes my sense of humor is only funny to me... Glad you were on deck.

The one that always gets me is the bolt sticking out near the mast head port side. The halyard gets hooked on it and changes the direction of pull and doesn't allow the main to go all the way up. That or baggy old sails to go with ...

Gazmn wrote: - Trouble Raising The Main...
- Bolt Rope Shrinkage

Oh come on Boys -- Get a Laugh [life]

Just remember boys:

Baggy sails is to Saggy balls what limp wind is to shrinkage

Just to confirm... it's normal for the main to be 12 to 18 inches from the top block?

Has anyone been able to improve on that?

All the best.
Neo

Mine was always shy about 10"s.

I got around it by raising my gooseneck 10"s. I didn't do it to fix this, I did it to raise my bimini & not get hit in the head with a gybing boom.
Now it's fully erect
& I'm a lot happier as a move freely about the cockpit.

-The Admiral is too

See also http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 15#p304056. The location of the top of the main, and the "baggy" condition, may, or may not be related. Bolt rope shrinkage can produce these symptoms. If you could post some pics of the situation, I'm sure the smart folks would be able to help you. I can only tell you what I've picked up reading. Some of the members have actually dealt with the issue.

The luff length is the distance along the leading edge of your sale, and it is what it is (as we say), unless the bolt rope shrinks.

Normal would be a tight luff, and a smooth sail, wherever the head of the sail winds up.