Excited to get some help from folks here... I would like to be able to actively play the downhaul on my Inter 20. It is set up to run smoothly (straight lines, clean track, McLube), but I cannot play it effectively while sailing. I can crank it down in the puffs, but the luff does not loosen when I release it in the lulls. It seems that normal (I can hoist with one hand) friction in the mast track keeps the bolt rope from sliding. When I tack, the luff loosens some. I just can't power back up in the lulls before tacking! Thanks all!
Edited by traphappy on Jun 16, 2020 - 02:03 PM.
Downhaul does not release when sailing
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 01:01 PM
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 03:36 PM
not sure of your platform but on my 5.5 and 6.0 releasing the downhaul does not power me up in a lull
and my tack does not pop up significantly or at all
there has to be enough pressure on the sail to "push" it back out (downhaul and outhaul released)
I have pushed on the belly of my sail to make the outhaul slide in a little .... decided it wasn't worth risking my window and my movement offset any slight gains
i also have manually pushed my sail up the track a bit to induce curve in uber light air - little net gain -
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 03:49 PM
Thanks MN3. Platform is Nacra Inter 20. By lull I mean situations where were are going from double trapped with downhaul cranked and perfectly powered to double trapped with downhaul cranked and slightly underpowered. So there is tons of pressure still on the sail, but we cannot unflatten the sail because the tack does not ride up when the downhaul is blown. Things are better if we McLube the sail and sail track. But doing the latter requires turning boat on its side. It seems the track is good though because it is always easy to raise the sail. Thanks.
Edited by traphappy on Jun 16, 2020 - 04:52 PM. -
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 03:53 PM
You have to ease the main sheet to take the pressure off in order for it to ride back up. -
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 04:21 PM
Thank you -
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 04:23 PM
Bolt ropes shrink overtime due to constant stretch. When they shrink they lose the ability to stretch and make it harder to add downhaul, harder to raise the sail/have it slide in the track, and so on. Chances are your sail is just older and doesn't react like it use to. Any new sail will release instantly. It can be improved if there is an extra piece on the bolt rope to bring into the sail, that's why some sails come with a bit of extra bolt rope on the tack. -
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 05:07 PM
+1 on Todd's comment above on the bolt rope
&
you can always do a good prep job on the track and bolt rope at home prior to sailing - i wrap a track slug with cotton and mclube it up - then run it up and down my track. a little bit of pencil wrapped in cloth works too
Much easier at home but can be done on the beach mast up too (with halyard and return line)
and/or have a crew carefully spray as you raise the sail on the beach
Edited by MN3 on Jun 16, 2020 - 05:10 PM. -
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 05:57 PM
Just a thought, and anyone thinking "yeah, that was suggested once but it's the stupidest thing I ever heard and here's why..." is welcome to speak up, but if this is bothering you enough and you don't mind a little extra hardware on your mast, I suppose you could experiment with the addition of an uphaul.
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 06:18 PM
Thanks for all these comments. I love the idea of running a lubed track slug up the mast. Never heard or thought of that. I know my sail popped nicely upon releasing the downhaul when I sprayed the sail and track. It's a clean track and an 4 year old sail that has not seen that much stretch. Yet, it still does not move freely when downhaul is released. I really appreciate the great tips from everyone!!! -
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Posted: Jun 16, 2020 - 06:27 PM
+1
If both main and downhaul are cranked, then the sail will not want to move up (much) by loosening just the downhaul. When a lull hits, you really need loosen both the downhaul and the sheet anyway. Otherwise you will be oversheeted in the lull.
General progression as a puff hits- head up slightly, sheet in, pull on downhaul, bear off slightly.
Gust subsides - bear off slightly, ease sheet, ease downhaul, look for next gust.
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Posted: Jun 17, 2020 - 05:17 PM
I run a green Scotch Brite pad up and down the track every so often. While the sail is still rolled spray the bolt rope with
McLube. The advice on slacking the mainsheet is right on.Giving the tack a push up might help. I sometimes have to do that to get the Aussie ring to release.
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Posted: Jun 18, 2020 - 09:32 AM
hmmmm
not sure i would ever do this
my 31' has expensive imron paint on one and anodizing on the other - i prefer to keep that on the mast. - ymmv -
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Posted: Jun 18, 2020 - 10:06 AM
A green pad doesn't remove the anodizing on my mast. Imron applicators use green pads to buff out flaws in their paint jobs. If you don't bear down too hard I doubt you would remove the finish. If you can run a bolt rope up and down the track, a pass with a green pad wont hurt.
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Jun 18, 2020 - 01:58 PM
interesting -
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Posted: Jun 18, 2020 - 11:51 PM
Might want to check your math on that. -
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Posted: Jun 19, 2020 - 09:30 AM
Math? Yeah, if you bear down hard you can abrade the anodizing.
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Jun 20, 2020 - 02:22 AM
Imron is bad-ass aircraft paint.
Tough to put on, even tougher to get off.
I'm jealous of your mast.
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