[Rhodes22-list] Critical Standard Mainsail Standing RigDimensionsFor Rhod...

[FredkLange at aol.com]

I had one of those rollup booms for reefing the main on my Javelin.  Used it 
for racing because it preserved the shape of the main that minimized heeling 
on a reach so the boat would plane.  But you couldn't use the vang and had to 
use end-boom sheeting, giving a disadvantage on a course with a more upwind 
layout.  

When not racing, the tradeoffs weren't worth figuring out.

Fred

In a message dated 7/7/04 12:12:58 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
lcrowther at cox.net writes:

> 
> Sarjo,
> 
> The boom on my '84 Rhodes is nine feet six inches long and it has that same
> furling feature of pulling it aft (maybe it is then 9'8") to rotate the boom
> and supposedly roll the mainsail around it that you describe.  However, I
> also am able to reef my main to the reefing points with a system consisting
> of two lines that are fed through grommets in the main in line with the
> reefing points, which is the system I use.
> 
> I always felt that the feature of rotating the boom was a pain in the A**
> when I was trying to furl the main on the boom after taking the bolt rope
> out of the mast but since I now have slugs on the mainsail luff ( but not on
> the boom) the mainsail stays attached to the mast and is easy to furl and
> fits much better under my sail cover when I am buttoning up after sailing
> single-handled.
> 
> To those of you who responded to my query about Mainsail slugs last winter,
> thank you.  I had them put back on minus the slug at the headboard and that
> solved the problem.  Incidentally the boss at the sailmaker (previously
> named) told me I (you-all) was (were) crazy  but agreed to do it after I
> pointed out that I was paying for it and with the cash came the right to be
> crazy!  A costly lesson for me but not for him because I had cut all the
> original slugs off after I couldn't get the main all the way up and I wanted
> to go sailing.  At least I kept the slugs which cut the price down somewhat.
> 
> Lloyd
> 
>