[C320-list] Dutchman System on a Loose Footed Main

[resloat]

FYI.  I just installed a new UK loose footed Dacron Powerhead main.  It has a Dutchman system installed which works great.  The main is a dream also and sail shape is really nice with the loose footed feature.  The only down side is I need to have the outhaul come back to the cockpit since it is used more now.  I might put the topping lift on a cleat on the mast and use the freed up clutch for the outhaul.  

I was wrongfully under the impression that a Dutchman system does work on loose footed mains.  The Dutchman tabs slide in the boom slot while the main is attached to the boom at the tack and through a slug at the clew.  After a few minor adjustments the Dutchman system works fine.

Before doing this I checked with the folks at Dutchman and they told me that loose footed mains work well with the Dutchman flaking system.  On my 10 year old Catalina OEM sails I had the Dutchman System C with the block at the top of the topping lift and the clam cleat at the end of the boom so you could lower the monofilament lines when putting on the sail cover to avoid having to put slots and zippers on the sail cover.  I chose not to use the C System and did not want to have slots and zippers installed on the sail cover.  The Dutchman system I have has the topping lift connected to a single Dutchman line with no block at the top and no clam cleat at the end of the boom.  The solution to putting the sail cover on is to loosed the topping lift to allow the monofilament lines to loosen and go under the sail cover.  Then to keep the topping lift taught when at the dock, I tie a small diameter piece of line to the Dutchman line near the end of the boom with a rolling hitch and attach the small line to the end of the boom.  The topping lift is taught and the monofilaments are loose enough to allow the sail cover to be installed.  When you get ready to raise the main, just untie the small line and tighten the topping lift to a predeterminded position and you are ready to go.

I need a few more days on the water to report on the main.  A UK tape drive 150 Genoa was part of the upgrade and it is very impressive.  New sails are like high end audio equipment.  The investment clouds objectivity, but in this case it is clear the new sails give more control than the originals especially when sail tuning is important.  An added benefit to the tape drive Genoa is that is it somewhat translucent so you can see a foggy vision of the vessel you are about to hit! 

Bob Sloat
S/V Savannah 894 (2002)