Luff tension

[altair]

I have read that the luff tension should be loose. I have measured from the top of the sail(where the upper spar outhaul is attached) to the end of the spar. There is about 5". Does anyone know what the distance should be?

 

[Old Geezer]

Yeah - I usually shin up the mast once or twice on every beat with my trusty tape measure and wind speed indicator to measure how far the top of the sail is from the top of the spar. I like to have it (5.5 - (wind speed in knots )/20) inches from the top of the spar. Don't worry about adjusting it for every change in wind of a couple of knots but definitely do it if you get a change of 5 knots or more. While you are up the mast take a good look up the course to check what the wind is doing and make any necessary adjustments.

Old Geezer

PS My young friend Briggs Cunningham has invented a new-fangled way of adjusting luff tension but it will never catch on.

 

[Wavedancer]

I have read that the luff tension should be loose. I have measured from the top of the sail(where the upper spar outhaul is attached) to the end of the spar. There is about 5". Does anyone know what the distance should be?

This will depend on the length of the luff (old sail/new sail etc). As you mentioned, the current dogma is a loose luff with some scallops/wrinkles. It looks ugly, but the pros say that it's fast. I guess that when it gets really windy, you want to tighten things up, but you can do that with the Cunningham.

Wavedancer

 

[Fred P]

Look at the Class site FAQs "How do I break in a new racing sail." It gives you a method for setting the luff tension.

Fred P