Even a loose footed main needs to be attached to the boom at the clew. The outhaul will allow fore and aft adjustment which will control sail shape but there also should be something to hold the clew down to keep it from "skying." On my new EP main this is accomplished with one heavy duty slug right at the clew. Some boats use several loose wraps of Velcro through the clew grommet and around the boom. Others use a loop of line. Either way it should be loose enough to allow the clew to move fore and aft with outhaul adjustment. The mainsail on my previous boat was not loose footed. It had a full length bolt rope along the foot. The sail was designed with a "shelf foot" which accomplishes nearly the same thing as a loose foot: it allows a very full shape at the bottom of the sail. The flattening reef was used to remove this fullness when desired. I think the advantage of this system is that the shelf prevents air from "escaping" out the bottom, between the foot and the boom. The disadvantage being the more limited adjustment and the extra friction of the bolt rope. Both mainsail foot/boom attachment methods are viable, IMHO. Henry M17 Monita On Tue, Sep 21, 2021, 5:28 PM George Iemmolo <griemmolo2@gmail.com> wrote:
Excuse my delayed comment as I have been on vacation and do not do typing on my phone.
I noticed in your pictures of the loose footed main that it is attached to the boom with sail slugs. I had my sail converted a number of years ago from a bolt rope attachment to the boom to a Main that has its foot completely free of any attachment to the boom. As I understand It is attached only at the tack and gooseneck so as to be able to produce an aerodynamic shape down low on the sail
Can any one speak to the benefits of each type of loose footed Main described above?
George 96 M15 #602 Merry Helen II
"We Can Not Control the Wind But We Can Adjust Our Sails" 😎😎😎
On Sat, Sep 18, 2021 at 1:33 AM John Schinnerer via montgomery_boats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> wrote:
Have these organized now so easy to find and send. Need to get them up on my website some day for even easier reference.
This is on an M17 so might be a bit tighter for space on an M15 boom but then maybe could use smaller cleats, line, etc. also.
Two pics show the outhaul rigged as in the now-gone video I mentioned last post. Bowline loop at end of line. You can just see the tip of the loop between boom and boltrope. Feed free end under & around boom, through bowline loop, through cringle, then to outhaul block. Keeps clew close to boom without any other line or hardware needed.
Other pics show (may not be attached in this order):
Rear of boom with outhaul routing block and first reef block with lines in place.
Clamcleats forward on boom for outhaul and first and second reef.
Boom from rear to clamcleats (big picture view of the setup).
There's no second reef line in place in the pics but you can see the block and clamcleat for it.
Clamcleats are just aft of the vang bail, you can see it forward of them in a couple of the pics.
If anyone wants the full size pics for seeing more detail let me know off list.
HTH, John
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com