Base Mainsail Set Up - www.galeforcesailing.com - Got questions? Call kb at 202-549-1032
Mainsail Trim
Light Air
Top Batten
Poked to leeward, open twist. Any chop requires more twist.
Top Leech Telltale
Flowing 100 percent of the time to keep laminar flow and acceleration Moderately eased. Possibly tighten in VERY light air to promote stack up
Outhaul Backstay
Minimal. If rig is very loose use a little to keep rig from bouncing
Cunningham
Off
Traveler
Upwind, well above center. Car position is less important than where the boom is - should be centerline
Vang
Upwind no tension, down wind little of no tension so as to not hook leech
Weather Helm
Neutral
Prebend
Matched prebend to sails designed shape
Rake
Max Rake
Outcome Shape
Upwind deep shape, draft aft, twist slightly open and boom on centerline
Medium
Heavy
Parallel to the boom and even poked to windward in Open twist to depower sail. flat water Flowing all the time in order Stalled 50-70 percent of the to never stall and time to promote pointing overpower main Tighten to design draft location, loosen in waves
Tight. Lower telltale should always flow
Maximum on. Watch mainsail luff for diagonal over bend wrinkles Use to keep draft in design Use to keep draft in design location or further forward. location As backstay reaches max cunningham should be max Boom position still dictates, but due to tighter leech Lower and lower as sail tension traveler is often gets more and more near centerline or just overpowered slightly above Upwind use to control leech after twist depower has Once twist is set for been exhausted. Tight upwind, snug vang. vang also flattens lower Downwind use vang to mainsail and allows sheet control leech tension to act as traveler. Downwind use vang to control power/twist. Aggressively played in reaction to helm pressure
Neutral to slight tug
Slight tug with more in puffs
Minimum so that max Moderate so that backstay backstay doesn’t overbend has immediate effect main On most boats you want minimum rake in these Median conditions. Some boat benefit from rake due to Flat as can be achieved Upwind designed draft, with draft moving forward little or no twist for max as sail overpowers. Twist pointing, tightest possible opens to depower, then angle of attack. Downwind shifts to open AoA and no - very powered up twist