[Rhodes22-list] UPS results, sheeting

[Mark Kaynor]

Jay,

We went out again a few days ago and this time I trimmed while Julie drove.
I preferred the set of the UPS using the genoa car blocks over using the
blocks off the aft cleats. Holding the clew down seemed to help the overall
shape considerably. This was in about 2- 5 mph of wind, however, so the
jury's still out. I need to be the trimmer again in a bit more wind before I
decide whether the same holds true then. If you're thinking about buying
snatch blocks, I'd suggest that you sail the UPS a few times using the genoa
blocks first, before spending money on something you may not need.

Hoisting the sail partially and bringing it back to the mast (like an "L" on
it's back) seemed like a better idea than it actually turned out being,
particularly in higher winds. The sail furls nicely, but w/o the halyard
tension, the rope luff allows the top of the sail to unfurl partially,
inflating a few feet of leech and causing drag. And I'm reluctant to put
much tension on the halyard when the sail is tied at the base of the mast
for fear of damaging the sail.

Our current preffered method (and the jury's still out on this, too) when
there's not too much wind and there's no danger of getting the deck awash is
to drop the halyard far enough to allow the entire top half of the sail to
drape over the hatch and down into the cabin. Unfortunately, this isn't that
workable for a single hander who wants to stay in the cockpit - you'd have
to be willing to tie off the tiller and go forward to re-hoist it past the
spreaders. In heavier conditions, I think we'll just pop the furler off the
padeye and stow the whole works belowdecks until needed. But we're still
messing with it and we may yet come with a better mousetrap.

You might try waiting until you're heading downwind to hoist the sail - if
there's sufficient wind to keep it off the spreaders, I bet you could get it
up from the cockpit. We've always done it after we've made our final upwind
tack - this allows us to get the sail up and ready to deploy as soon as we
fall off the wind, so we haven't tried it that way, yet. Maybe Tom Deliberto
can shed some light on the subject.

We've got a non-competition regatta this Sunday - I'll let you know what
else we find to screw up <g>.

Mark


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jay Friedland" <a.jayf at verizon.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2003 10:10 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] UPS results, sheeting


> Mark, Mary Lou, et al,
> I joined the recipients today and anxious to find if others had any
> chance to fly the sail. After Mark's initial response, are the current
> jib cars adequate, or per Michael's purchase of cheek blocks, is stern
> mounting the only way to go? (Michael, I hope Stan found them on his
> desk, and remembered to put them on.) Sailnet has inexpensive snatch
> blocks, made for them by Garhauer, Series 25 and 30, that would seem to
> do the job. Is anyone familiar with these, and is this the way to go
> for quick mounting and then running to the standard winch and clam
> cleat?
>
> Mark, attaching the sail at the dock and strapping it to the mast,
> right now seems the preferred way for single-handing. Has it worked for
> you?
>
> So far the closest I've gotten is the smell of a new sail-hope to set
> it free by the weekend.
> Jay
>
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