Sail Cips vs Sail Ties

Clyde

Member
Pros and cons, please, of using the regular plastic sail clips or using line to attach the sail to the spars.
 
I ended up using the "Scott Kyle" method using sail clips except for the two near the mast head and three at the end of the lower spar and actually left the second one on the lower spar off completely as it was in the range of the gooseneck adjustment for me.
 
clips are clips, if you have them and don't care, keep using them...

Ties are a little lighter, let the sail move better when you adjust cuningham/outhaul, and let you roll the sail up much cleaner when you remove the upper spar and roll the sail around it.

Really the ties are a racing thang;)
 
Sometime the sharp edges of the sail clips can cut into the sail when rolled up. One advantage of the ties is that you can tie them so that the sail is spaced a good (1/2"-2") distance from the spars. This effectively adds sail area since the wind sees the total area; spars + gaps +sail--good for down wind speed but if the wind pipes up, may be too much to handle.
Go for it.
 
WELL i AM LOOSING A SAIL CLIP TO SUN DAMAGE EACH TIME i GO OUT. SO IT SEEMS CHEEPER IN THE LONG RUN TO USE LINE. WHAT SIZE LINE WOULD YOU RECOMEND? THANKS, MIKE
 
I wont use sail clips anymore. When I had them it was very hard to adjust the sail. Sail ties allow for much easier movement of the sail along the spar.
 
I use opti sail ties for my sunfish, they were around, and definitely allow for better sail movement. I would experiment in how tight to tie them though, because although loosening them will allow you to have faster downwind speeds, you should be able to point higher if you have them tighter, so I would try to find a compromised length. I would recommend v-12, because it won't stretch, and you can get it down to really small diameters.
 
I learned a great tripck for tyig your sail on....

tie the sail on to the spar with a pencil in hte way. Tie it on tight, then slide the pencil out and you will have the perfect length.
 
Another great way to tie them: Tie them tight to the spar with square or similar knot, then pull on the loop with pliers to tighten knot. Perfect ties every time.
 
I went to the club last night, needle nosed pliers in hand, to remove the old sail and ready my spars for my soon to be arriving racing sail. Even with pliers the clips are hard to remove. I finally got the knack, which was to grasp (firmly) along the female side, next to the nub sticking through, and show no mercy. I didn't break any, but they won't be going back on the rig. Sail ties from now on.
 

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