[MHml] Boomless mains

[multihulls at steamradio.com]

Greg

We have a boomless setup on our Windrush 600 and generally find it very
good.  We do have a full width traveller and rotating mast.  I will try to
answer each of your questions below (or at least how we do it -right or
wrong):

How do you reef?

Our main has two reef points and has small eyelets along each point with
reinforced clew and tack eyes.  Just about each of the reef points and the
foot is a batten.  To reef, we lower the halyard and place the downhaul in
the new tack eye and tension.  The mainsheet is attached via a snap clip to
the clew and we run a light spectra guide line permanently to the reef
points.  This is used to control the transfer of the snap clip to the new
clew eye.  My wife and I have reefed and unreefed many times in all sorts
of conditions in both racing and cruising situations with never a problem.

How do you make a tight sail for good laminar flow in zephers.

The downhaul and sheet tension seem to be the secrets for sail shape in all
conditions.  I do have a choice of three positions on a clew board which
does slightly effect the bias of pull by the mainsheet, but unless I know
it is going to blow or be light, I always use the middle position.  With
increased sheet, the leach will obviously stand up more, but the battens
(which are stiffish) are forced more into shape.  Without wind pressure to
produce much twist a tight sail is resulting.  If the leach stands up too
much we control this with downhaul.

How do you bag it out in moderately light winds?

With light winds, we setup using increased sheet, little downhaul and
optimum rotation.  Traveller to suit angle of attack.


How do you keep the foot of the main stretched out when broad reaching or
running?


Traveller out to its max and the stiffish bottom batten seems to do an
alright job.  We often sail with apparent far enough around forward for
this to cause no problems, but we have been cruising and happily ran with
no problems.  The set back side stays prevent the sail going out to far
anyways.

Cheers
Steve