[C320-list] New Sails, Advice Sought

[Ken Danko]

Chris:

I'm a little behind on email...Thanks for your advice. I already 
installed the blocks on the sail to reduce friction but the problem is 
that the luff is over tensioned when trying to get the right tension at 
the clew. Plus you have to use the winch and ideally someone else should 
push up on the boom.

Two riggers both said that they didn't recommend hooks at the goose 
neck. The current plan is to attach a pad eye to one side of the mast 
and a cleat to the other side. A  low stretch line will run from the pad 
eye through the reef cringle and over to the cleat. The existing reefing 
line will only tension the clew from the cockpit.

I just had a local metal shop fabricate a new luff gate plate, 1/8th 
inch SS. It looks great but haven't had time to test it out while 
sailing, but the slides don't hang up when moved by hand.

The problem with the dutchman (well there are a couple) is that even 
though I have the right tension in the lines, the sail still doesn't 
flake properly. To get the right tension in the dutchman lines, the 
topping lift has to stay somewhat tight which means that the sail 
battens get caught in it. Plus, the dutchman gets twisted and no amount 
of time or effort seems to be able to untwist it. Right now it isn't 
twisted but I could go to the boat tomorrow and find that over night it 
twisted itself...very frustrating. I am buying the lazy jacks this 
weekend, West Marine is having a sale on them.

Ken

Chris Burti wrote:
> Ken,
> If you have firmly made up your mind, ignore this, but others may find it
> useful.
>
> I have had reefing rigged both ways on various boats we've owned and with a
> couple of mods, I have been very happy with the OEM reefing system on the
> C-320 especially compared to the traditional system with a hook.
>
> I really need to be able to single hand any boat we own as the Admiral can't
> pull on strings without risk of injury to her back.
> As I am not as agile as I used to be, things must work as designed or I'll
> deep six them. Biggest problem with the stock stuff we have on our C-320's
> is a dearth of cogent explanation, once you get them figured out, it seems
> like they work pretty well..
>
> First, the gate was missing when we bought Commitment and someone had
> fabricated one out of a door latch strike plate. It had rusted, so I ordered
> a new one. I had read the grumbling about the gates and read several
> suggestions on how they should be installed, so  I was very careful to make
> sure that its shape conformed to the radius of the mast and to align it very
> carefully so as avoid a snagging situation. It took a little trial and error
> and about twenty minutes time to get it right. Every time I go out now, I
> sailkote the slugs and the gate and as a result, the slugs very rarely hang
> up. When they do, I just ease the halyard a touch and they free right up.
> Once in a while, I need to go forward, but that rare occurance is acceptable
> as I almost always need to reef and unreef when we sail. Other than after
> removing the main, I have not had to adjust the gate in normal use since I
> replaced it in 2002 either.
>
> Second, I ran the reef lines through small blocks on the sail that are
> hooked to rings on the other side of the cringle. This took most of the
> friction out and really made the process "jiffy".
>
> I have had jack lines before and they are far better than nothing but not
> much better than OK. I like the Dutchman better, but likely would hate it if
> I hadn't ignored the recommendations and had zippers put in my sailcover. By
> doing this, I can adjust it when I put the sail back on and then just leave
> it set so that the lines are always taut when I tighten up the topping lift.
> If there is any slack in the lines, the sail is not controlled and the thing
> is worthless. If you dont have the zippers in the cover, you need to putz
> with the adjustment all the time and then jack lines are better.
>
> On Thu, Apr 23, 2009 at 1:07 PM, Ken Danko <ken320 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>   
>> I just ordered new sails (North) and am going to make some changes. This is
>> where I could use some advice from those of you who have been through this.
>>
>> I am going to scrap the single line reefing system in favor of hooks at or
>> near the goosneck. Has anyone else gone this route and if so, do you have
>> photos to show me how to rig this?
>>
>> One problem I have encountered in the past is with slides sticking at the
>> luff gate. I wish that they had put the gate much lower on the mast. Has
>> anyone figured a way to get the luff gate to fit better? It is pretty flimsy
>> and I can't seem to get it to fit properly. Maybe I can get a new one
>> fabricated.
>>
>> Ronstan makes batten cars that don't require an external track. They call
>> this their Ballslide Batten System. My sail maker highly recommends these.
>> Has anyone else installed these on their 320? And if so, do they work well?
>> I went to Simply Sail Pacific hoping that Harken would have a 75% off sale
>> on their external track and related hardware but no such luck. The North guy
>> says that the Ronstan system will achieve 75% of the same results at 1/6th
>> the cost.
>>
>> I am going to make some other changes. I know that there are strong
>> opinions pro and con in this group for the Dutchman System. I am going to
>> ditch it in favor of lazy jacks. (I have had both and MUCH prefer lazy
>> jacks.) I am also going to get a loose fitted main.
>>
>> Any suggestions/advice will be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Ken Danko
>> Grace, #802
>>
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