Baggy luff on Intensity radial sail...but why?

C

Carlo Marx

New Member
So I just received a new Intensity Sails Laser Radial practice sail, and it works great upwind, but when I loosen the outhaul and vang it gets a nasty fold right along the luff. I don't have experience with crispy new class legal sails, just tired old ones. I understand it's not a class legal sail, but anyone have some insight on this? Too much outhaul (only letting about 4-5 inches max)? Poorly cut sail? Any advice is appreciated!
 
Thanks for the tip. I do have the cunningham all the way off, but can try a little more vang than usual to keep a some more bend in the mast. Even with the boom held at about 90 degrees, the long vertical fold parallel to the mast is still there. Do you happen to know if that happens with new class legal sails too? Looking at the rest of the fleet, I don't see it, but I'm also pretty new at Laser racing. I just keep thinking that I'm losing power from the funky sail shape.
 
It's hot a problem on class legal sails, and it won't be as bad after the sail breaks in. I sail in summer afternoons where the winds are normally 15 knots and the Intensity sail will last about a year. I wish I could say that about the class sail.
 
It sounds like the luft is tight. I know little about this class of boat but If I had this issue I would consider releasing the cunningham all of the way and if you still have the crease try slacking the main halyard a bit on dawn wind and see if that helps any. On some rigging the tension between the main tack and the mast is so tight that releasing the cunningham has little or no effect on the luft. If this is the case the main halyard may need to remain just a little looser than " wow, that's sucker is tight", I have no clue as to what wind you are working in but if it is very light air the sail may not have enough force to overcome the friction between the sail and the mast. The luft of a new sail doesn't always slide well in the mast track which causes the luft to remain fairly tight even with the conningham completely loose. If this is the case it may just take a little more wind to straighten out the sail. This is probably a no - no but I use a lubricant on the main luft to prevent this sort of issue. A lubricant also makes raising the main or mez much easier.

Let us know what you find...
 
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