Sunfish Sail: Leech Cupping issue

kmisegades

Swamp Goose
I have been sailing this year with a new 'Sunfish Sail, White, 10016' from Sunfish Direct. The quality is good but the leech has a permanent cup/hook to it that I have not been able to eliminate through rigging and re-rigging. If I think of the cross-sectional airfoil this creates it is akin to an airplane wing with the final 10% acting as a flap at 45 degrees down, which can not be efficient. Is this a defect in the sail, due to poor rigging (by me) or the way things are intended? I have looked at previous posting which only confuse me, but I am a guppy when it comes to the SF. Thanks for pointing me to a previous posting on what this is all about.
 
Unless someone has experience with an SFD sail it’s hard to say. They could be poorly cut or it could be something to do with the rigging. I saw one SFD sail with a leech line which just seemed weird. I only have experience with authentic Sunfish sails. I do know Intensity makes a knockoff people like.
Since you are so focused on performance, you should probably get an authentic racing sail or as a backup an Intensity.
 
Is this a non-legal race sail, bought from Sunfish Direct?

 
All Sunfish sails have some degree of "cup" at the leach as the sail lacks battens and needs a slightly tight leach to keep the leach from flapping. However, if you think the cupping is excessive, contact Sunfish Direct and see if you can return it...then buy an Intensity - better value and better design (and no, I have no affiliation with Intensity - I just like their sails.)

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
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Is this a non-legal race sail, bought from Sunfish Direct?

I googled it and got this.
832581FA-366A-4F34-B0B5-3D7EF435D4B8.jpeg
 
Thank you for the good replies. My old SF came with an older silk-like sail with no cupped leech/leach. And it was stable, but looked more like a quilt than a sail with numerous patches. The overall quality of my new bargain SFD sail is good, but I do not have the experience to judge it compared to other manufacturers. For general recreational sailing I can recommend the sail.
 
I have been sailing this year with a new 'Sunfish Sail, White, 10016' from Sunfish Direct. The quality is good but the leech has a permanent cup/hook to it that I have not been able to eliminate through rigging and re-rigging. If I think of the cross-sectional airfoil this creates it is akin to an airplane wing with the final 10% acting as a flap at 45 degrees down, which can not be efficient. Is this a defect in the sail, due to poor rigging (by me) or the way things are intended? I have looked at previous posting which only confuse me, but I am a guppy when it comes to the SF. Thanks for pointing me to a previous posting on what this is all about.
What happens if you slacken the outhauls?

Or add a sail-attachment ring at head and clew?
 
I mean, it's got to have some cup or "draft," race and rec sails nowadays are cut fuller. Got any pics?

Here's a 2018 Laser Performance sail

IMG_6449 2.jpg
 
I've fixed this condition before by replacing the last 2 sail rings with rope ties, each a little longer than the one in front of it.
 
Like Signal Charlie wrote, we need a picture to diagnose the problem, if any. And the wind conditions; upwind, reaching or downwind?

In the meantime, take a look at 'proper' new sails:
(post 60) in 2019 Sunfish Worlds
 
The "proper" new sail has three "battens". :oops:

I have one sail with one "batten". :rolleyes:

That batten is all fabric, but its intended purpose is to hold the leech flatter. I don't think anyone would notice if you added a few. ;)

Fullscreen capture 1192019 71744 PM.bmp.jpg
 
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I looked at the Worlds' sails a bit more closely. They have (leech) reinforcements where the (five) panels are stitched together.
Would need a sailmaker's insight to see to what extent these can be considered 'battens'.
 

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