Telltales

[kdub]

I was wondering if anyone had advice about adding telltales to my sail. Do I need them? what types of wind indicators do you all use? I never had them on my Butterfly, but know about using them from racing larger boats. Right now I just have some bright orange strips of light fabric loosely looped onto my stays, I just push them up to where I need them.

Another topic to consider, one of my next things I want to add to the boat are some type of plastic tubes to slide over the stays and their hardware. I remember seeing a thread about some shower curtain hangers or something, anyone have any other suggestions about material that would be good for this, I was considering something like flexible tubing because I take the mast down without taking the side stays off. I thought that a clear flexible tube would be good/forgiving for the movement. Any thoughts?

 

[ejholmgren]

Here's a great article I found explaining telltale placement, use, etc: http://www.arvelgentry.com/Telling_tales.htm

 

[Allatoona]

Yes on the Telltales, they will make the boat perform better and faster. As you mentioned using them for racing on the big boats, same reason for using on the small boats.

For the wires, my boat has some flexible clear tubes about 6-8" on the bottoms of the wires. Looks like something you could get at Lowes/HomeDepot in the plumbing department. Mine look like about 1" diameter and something that might be used as a dishwasher drain tube.

-Robert
1989 Catalina Capri 14.2
1984 Catalina 22

 

[Capt. Rav]

Wire coverings

What would be the purpose for covering the stays with tubing?

 

[Allatoona]

It keeps your jibsheets, skin, shorts, and sails from having something else to snag on. They just cover up the hardware where the wire meets the deck.

I have also had some of my crew use them to hold on to, instead of just holding the wire. It gives a little more grip them the thin wire on their hands.

Edit: I added a picture for example... a couple of my Sea Scouts using my boat getting towed out into the Gulf of Mexico.

-Robert

 

[kdub]

Thanks for the pics allatoona, those are even shorter than what I imagined, but perfect. I am going to make some like that!