Help me out? Main Sail rigging

Moderator: GreenLake

Help me out? Main Sail rigging

Postby dpbarry » Mon Jul 01, 2019 9:46 am

Hi all,

I'm new to posting but have enjoyed reading this forum for the past few months. I recently bought an on O'Day Daysailer II and have slowly been figuring out how to rig it. This is my first boat and I don't have much history in sailing. So, I've been teaching myself. I sail on Lake Allatoona northwest of Atlanta.

My problem is that the mainsail won't go all the way to the top of the mast. It catches..... somehow. But it's not a problem with the mast. I have run the mainsail up when the mast is on the ground and there's no issue–it goes right to the top with no interference at all. Somehow I've rigged it wrong and hope you guys can help.

Trying to attach pics.

screenshot.png
The sail stops about 18" short.
screenshot.png (253.24 KiB) Viewed 5627 times
dpbarry
 
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Re: Help me out? Main Sail rigging

Postby dpbarry » Mon Jul 01, 2019 9:54 am

Here's a second pic:
Attachments
screenshot.png
screenshot.png (134.8 KiB) Viewed 5626 times
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Re: Help me out? Main Sail rigging

Postby GreenLake » Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:40 pm

Let's start with the basics.

  • Mainsheet: is it loose?
  • Boom vang (if you have one): is it loose?
  • Anything else (other than gravity) pulling the boom down?
  • Is the outhaul off/slack?
If the boom cannot rise, then you won't be able to raise the main all the way.

Another thing that can prevent the main from going all the way up is if you trap the bolt rope in the mast track. It's not uncommon for this to happen after the sail is partially up the mast: new crew members on my boat usually get it stuck during the last foot or so of hoist; at that point the sail looks like it doesn't need to be fed by hand any more and they stop and it immediately catches (this is something that's more of a problem for certain sails; some seem to never catch).

If nothing works, try raising the sail w/o attaching it to the boom first. If it still doesn't go up, then you have a different problem.

(I don't see reeflines in your pictures, otherwise they could be at issue as well).

Finally, there's no need to insert the boltrope into the sail slot below the opening where you feed the sail. Luff tension will keep this part straight.

When you raise the sail the boom should rise (gooseneck going up). After the sail makes it to the top, you pull down the boom to its stop and tie it off. That tensions the luff of the sail.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Help me out? Main Sail rigging

Postby dpbarry » Tue Jul 02, 2019 1:26 pm

Thanks, GL. Will try these out in the driveway and post updates soon.
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Re: Help me out? Main Sail rigging

Postby GreenLake » Tue Jul 02, 2019 5:23 pm

Cleaning and lubricating the sail slot can't hurt. You can use a wax or dry lube (nothing that would attract dirt).
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Help me out? Main Sail rigging

Postby dpbarry » Tue Sep 03, 2019 1:20 pm

UPDATE:

It was 100% lubrication. I got a dry lube spray and it went up first time, no problem. Thanks for the help, GL.
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Re: Help me out? Main Sail rigging

Postby GreenLake » Tue Sep 03, 2019 4:22 pm

Glad it worked out.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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