I'll answer other posts a bit better tomorrow but I went out in a 30kt odd S yesterday & riigged my 3.3m Sailworks 95 model sail..used my new boom for the first time & it was too long by about 10".I had the sail set really flat & besides being too small for the conditions (25kts - 30..if 30 + it would have been ok) it felt so @## twitchy it was unbelievable! I haven't noticed that before but then I've been sailing with modern sails lately.One second there was no power & then it was twitching all over the place ugh! I was also on my long skinny 95 model waveboard that i hadn't ridden for 18months.. I ended up coming in & switching to modern gear & 4.2m sail which was too much but still easier to control..
Do you think it was pulling the sail too flat or the extra long boom that would have caused the hassles..? I have a custom boom for it but it's so old it has an inhaul that has to be rope tied ..It always comes loose..

^^^^+1 ...... overouthauled makes twitchy

Also having the clew of the sail aways from the end of the boom by more than an inch or so exacerbates the problem

ive had a few older sails from the 90s and they are definately harder to handle than modern sails, especially when the mast and boom dont match the sail. they tended not to twist off of as much either and need just the right conditions.

Slightly off the main topic but what the heck in an 'inhaul'? If it's what I think it is (boom that has to be tied to the mast), seriously, get it, find the nearest bin and throw it in, along with the sail. You won't improve your sailing using crappy old gear, imo.

dude the rope that is on the front end of your boom that hooks on the clamp bit and u tighten with the lever is called the inhaul....

look it up before u go off half cocked.

Agreed

crap booms = pain in the ass.

CJW said...

MavericK040 said...

dude the rope that is on the front end of your boom that hooks on the clamp bit and u tighten with the lever is called the inhaul....

look it up before u go off half cocked.

I did say 'if it is what I think it is' which indicated I wasn't 100% sure. There wasn't an abundance of information on the exact issue, IE do you have to tie the boom on (it doesn't have a clamp), or does the boom clamp not have a cleat etc so you have to manually tie the rope up somehow. etc etc.

End of the day it comes loose for whatever reason and my statement stands, bin it (unless it can somehow be repaired). When you're trying to improve your sailing the last thing you want to be worrying about is your damn boom.

I thought my new boom would fit it..according to the figures it should have but no..I only use it a couple of times a year.I'll just have to be more careful about how I tie it. The problem is its so long between uses I forget how to tie it & spend 15mins on the shore trying to figure it out..[}:)]. I think I may have been wrapping the rope around the mast under the boom & then lowering it when I think it needs to be wrapped around above so when its lowered it keeps tightening..
Anyone got any photos of how to tie one of those old dinosaurs..?

Come on I'm not that rich! Its a 30% carbon..

DavMen said...

Oh... Thats OK then only a 30% chance of breaking.

Way back about 1990, I sailed a 3.2 that I had rigged flat because the wind was extreme. It was very difficult to hold it as it kept bucking back and forth in my hands. In those days, they hadn't really developed sails that twisted off ( that happened about 1997 If I remember right).

I used to sail with the sort of rig you put together and all I will say is - the newer stuff is waaaaaaaay better if the wind is up and down and gusty. If you get the chance to try someone's recent 3.7m rigged on the right mast, you'll be amazed at how much better it is in strong gusty winds.