I've just started sailing so I watch as much as I can on CZcams to get a better understanding, and I have to say I've learned a lot from you videos! So thank you, keep it up!
Great vids. I sailed when I was a boy and now that I'm about to retire I want to get into sailing. Your vids offer exactly the type of information to get a rusty mind in gear.
Interesting use of the topping lift. I've always been taught to raise the end of the boom with the topping lift when raising the sail so all of the weight is taken on that line. Once the main is up then release the topping lift. There looks like there is a huge amount of friction on that halyard. You should be able to raise a sail that size without using a winch.
I would not understand why you would tension the topping lift while raising the sail, only to release the topping lift after the sail is up? You certainly can do that procedure, or you can just skip it as it has no particular purpose that I can see. Yes there is a lot of friction in the main halyard, which is a function of both the halyard being led aft and the weight of the full batten system. Most any boat I have sailed on that has the main halyard led aft, also has a winch in place to assist in hoisting the mainsail. For example, even the Colgate 26 has a halyard winch which needs to be employed to fully raise its main.
Hi Tom and Ellen. I thought your boat looked familiar. My wife and I just bought our first boat this fall, a Pearson 33. Thank you for the excellent videos!
Thanks for this. I was wondering if or why you don't ease the lazy jacks lines. I have a stack pack and I always ease the jack line considerably before I leave the dock so when I raise the sail it doesn't chafe or push against the jack lines effecting the sail shape. Then I tighten the jack lines just before I drop the sail so it falls directly into the bag.
Tim I personally do not find being attentive to leech and jack lines for the first twenty seconds or so of raising the sail, to be worth the alternative effort to adjust the jacklines before and after. Just not worth the trade-off effort to me. When the sail is fully hoisted, the sail takes the load of the boom and the topping lift and jacklines become loose. So I find the mainsail shape is not affected at all by the loose jacklines. When the sail is dropped, both the topping lift and jacklines again go taut and perform their expected functions. I adjust both only once at the start of the season. Thank you for the comment and for watching. Tom
OK. I have a solid vang which limits to boom dropping too low. However when I hoist my sail it won't lift the boom enough (with vang uncleated) to slack the topping lift and the sail get hung up in the topping lift at the upper battens and the jack lines also chafe the sail. So I ease them both quite a bit before leaving the dock. My topping lift only serves to unload the vang when the boom is stored. I keep my jack lines tight when the sail is stored to keep the bag up so it doesn't flop around.
FWIW the way I set the lengths of my topping lift and lazy jacks, when sheeted hard sailing close-hauled, I ease just a little slack into both. Then when the main is dropped, both become taut and carry the boom. I would love to have a stackpack...maybe with my next boat. Tom
Nice video 👍🏻 I see a lot of different traveller locations. In the front, middle or back of the cockpit. Sometimes in front of the companionway. What is the most desirable position of the traveller on a sailboat? How often is it adjusted? Is it safer to have it in front of the companionway, away from the crew? I know nothing about sailing.
There are different opinions regarding traveller position. I prefer it on the cabintop, ahead of the cockpit. The reason is this keeps the mainsheet out of the cockpit -. With the traveler in our behind the cockpit, during an accidental jibe, the mainsheet may swing across the cockpit with a great deal of force...potential deadly. That's my opinion.
I've just started sailing so I watch as much as I can on CZcams to get a better understanding, and I have to say I've learned a lot from you videos! So thank you, keep it up!
Great vids. I sailed when I was a boy and now that I'm about to retire I want to get into sailing. Your vids offer exactly the type of information to get a rusty mind in gear.
Very clear explanations. thank you.
Great video, thank you. Great for some refreshments..
Super helpful as we are preparing to sail our new big boat, a Tartan 30... Thank you!
That's a wonderful sailboat...good choice...enjoy.
Interesting use of the topping lift. I've always been taught to raise the end of the boom with the topping lift when raising the sail so all of the weight is taken on that line. Once the main is up then release the topping lift.
There looks like there is a huge amount of friction on that halyard. You should be able to raise a sail that size without using a winch.
I would not understand why you would tension the topping lift while raising the sail, only to release the topping lift after the sail is up? You certainly can do that procedure, or you can just skip it as it has no particular purpose that I can see.
Yes there is a lot of friction in the main halyard, which is a function of both the halyard being led aft and the weight of the full batten system. Most any boat I have sailed on that has the main halyard led aft, also has a winch in place to assist in hoisting the mainsail. For example, even the Colgate 26 has a halyard winch which needs to be employed to fully raise its main.
Hi Tom and Ellen. I thought your boat looked familiar. My wife and I just bought our first boat this fall, a Pearson 33. Thank you for the excellent videos!
Just acquired a Pearson 31-2. Can't wait for Spring!
Wonderful!
Thanks for this. I was wondering if or why you don't ease the lazy jacks lines. I have a stack pack and I always ease the jack line considerably before I leave the dock so when I raise the sail it doesn't chafe or push against the jack lines effecting the sail shape. Then I tighten the jack lines just before I drop the sail so it falls directly into the bag.
Tim
I personally do not find being attentive to leech and jack lines for the first twenty seconds or so of raising the sail, to be worth the alternative effort to adjust the jacklines before and after. Just not worth the trade-off effort to me. When the sail is fully hoisted, the sail takes the load of the boom and the topping lift and jacklines become loose. So I find the mainsail shape is not affected at all by the loose jacklines. When the sail is dropped, both the topping lift and jacklines again go taut and perform their expected functions. I adjust both only once at the start of the season.
Thank you for the comment and for watching.
Tom
OK. I have a solid vang which limits to boom dropping too low. However when I hoist my sail it won't lift the boom enough (with vang uncleated) to slack the topping lift and the sail get hung up in the topping lift at the upper battens and the jack lines also chafe the sail. So I ease them both quite a bit before leaving the dock. My topping lift only serves to unload the vang when the boom is stored. I keep my jack lines tight when the sail is stored to keep the bag up so it doesn't flop around.
FWIW the way I set the lengths of my topping lift and lazy jacks, when sheeted hard sailing close-hauled, I ease just a little slack into both. Then when the main is dropped, both become taut and carry the boom.
I would love to have a stackpack...maybe with my next boat.
Tom
Nice video 👍🏻
I see a lot of different traveller locations. In the front, middle or back of the cockpit. Sometimes in front of the companionway. What is the most desirable position of the traveller on a sailboat? How often is it adjusted? Is it safer to have it in front of the companionway, away from the crew?
I know nothing about sailing.
There are different opinions regarding traveller position. I prefer it on the cabintop, ahead of the cockpit. The reason is this keeps the mainsheet out of the cockpit -. With the traveler in our behind the cockpit, during an accidental jibe, the mainsheet may swing across the cockpit with a great deal of force...potential deadly. That's my opinion.
Sail Fanatics That’s what I thought. Thanks for the input.
I think I hear a Maine accent! Where is video shot?