[C320-list] Dutchman System help...

[Peter Clancy]

A different perspective ..... I bought my C320 'AROBAN' in 1998 with the Dutchman system. Raced and cruised boat in all kinds of conditions. Tried hard to like the system but found it constantly needed tweaking, line adjustments, interfered with sail shape, lines got tangled, etc. Finally concluded it wasn't worth the effort and removed it. Happy sailor ever since! 

Peter Clancy
AROBAN  C320  #222
Miami, FL




  
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jeffrey Hare<mailto:catalina at thehares.com> 
  To: 'C320-List'<mailto:C320-List at catalina320.com> 
  Sent: Friday, June 23, 2006 10:33 AM
  Subject: Re: [C320-list] Dutchman System help...


  Hi Tim,

     Is it that you're having trouble raising the main completely, or that the
  mainsail shape appears to be messed up by the dutchman?

  If it's an issue of raising the main all the way, you want to ease the
  mainsheet some, raise the dutchman lines until they're vertical, loosen the
  topping lift some, release the boom vang, release the reefing line and haul
  up the sail.  The trick (for me anyway) is to loosen up all the sail
  controls when raising the main (especially the vang), and tighten all of
  them up when dropping the main (to avoid flogging lines and swinging boom).


  If it's an issue of getting the sail pulled up so that the luff isn't
  wrinkled, manually shake the reefing line so it's not pulling down on the
  reef points.  I also squirt a few tablespoons of diluted dishsoap in the
  track above the top slug before raising the main.  This way I don't need the
  winch to raise the main.  Unlike Orlando I'm not "strong like bull", so I
  need all the help I can get.  :)

  Also, When dropping the main, we like to run the traveller all the way to
  the starboard side and tighten down the mainsheet.  This makes it easier to
  tug back on the leach of the sail to straighten the flaking and toss on sail
  ties since the whole boom is easily accessable without reaching over the
  dodger.

  -JeffH

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Tim [mailto:chillinonahd at yahoo.com] 
  Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 11:02 PM
  To: C320 List
  Subject: [C320-list] Dutchman System help...

  Well, so far you have been so helpful and entertaining as well. Thanks.
     
    My C320, hull # 603 has a dutchman type B with a topping lift. Sometimes I
  have trouble getting the mainsail taunt and I suspect it has to do with how
  I am raising the sail or lack of experience or both.
     
    When the sail is down the dutchman is loosened to allow the sail cover to
  be installed. Before raising the sail, I adjust (tighten) the dutchman and
  slack the single line reefing. Is this the correct procedure ? Did I miss a
  step ?
     
    Help...thanks !!!


  ---------------------------------
  Sneak preview the  all-new Yahoo.com. It's not radically different. Just
  radically better.