Larry Ludwig

Which do you use, and which do you prefer... the jack line method or the bolt rope for securing your mainsail to the mast? Would you buy a new mainsail to take advantage of one over the other? What about an airfoil shaped mast? Is that critical to your performance or just a fashion statement?

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

It's difficult to find a bolt rope mast that isn't aluminum. The jack line works for me on a wooden mast but I have one aluminum mast on a Faairwind 900 that uses a bolt rope. The problem is that the design calls for a bolt rope on the main boom. Most Fairwind sailors prefer, as I do, a loose footed main so I made it that way. The wooden mast on my Soling 1M requires a jack line using small cotter pins to keep it close. It is a bit troubling to get the main to lie right on the Soling but it can be done. The downhaul and the outhaul are critical. Most
aluminum masts are two piece, another bad feature in addition to being bendy. I would prefer a one piece fiber mast with a bolt rope and some jumper stays for rigidity. Too many masts require too many shrouds that prevent the boom and jib club from going out a full 90 deg. One bad feature of the Fairwind mast with the bolt rope is that the class does not allow a rotaing mast. It's streamlined but that is apparently to sell boats to the uninitiated.

LarryLudwig

OK... well.. let's see. #1 these masts will be available up to 8' in one length, and are quite stiff. These have been around for almost 25 years.. so they are well tested. As to the rig preventing the boom from travelling the full 90 degrees... The only time that I have truly see this would be on the EC-12 and it was about 82 degrees... almost there. That was caused by the lower stays that were slightly aft of the uppers on their deck placement. You can adjust that some what as you assemble. (some)

We are looking at making either epoxy graphite or carbon fiber slotted masts right now. As usual... cost is going to be the problem. We can make them, but can we make them affordable? After talking with Rod Carr about it... he said he liked the jack line better, and it can be used on the slotted mast as well which was stiffer than the typical round mast. (Which makes sense)

Keep those cards and letters coming!

earthspeedandfire

ypu dotn tneed the boom out 90 degreed on a run u start to spill wind when u do this. you only want it abotu 75 degrees out. this is because the twist towards teh top of teh sail is actualy at about 90 when teh boom is nto so far out. ive been racing j/24 and soem other small dingies and gaurentee that no one ever puts tehre boom out 90 downwind.

pompebled

Hi Larry,

As I'm not familiar with english boat terms: what's a bolt rope, or a jack line, I understand what it does, but what does it (do they) look like?

Regards, Jan.