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

[amshd2 at aol.com]

I got a new main last year from UK Annapolis, I worked with David Gross and he recommend the 3 lines as well and the fixed B system. .  It was a great improvement over the ole 2 line system. Third line made a big difference.

I also went with a UK Tape Drive for a head sail.  What a difference new sails make. 

Tony

Chica Caliente
Hull #30



-----Original Message-----
From: Irving Grunes <igrunes at gmail.com>
To: C320-List <C320-List at catalina320.com>
Sent: Fri, Jul 6, 2012 4:38 am
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Dutchman System on a Loose Footed Main


Bob,
nteresting that we just got our new mainsail from UK in Annapolis.
cot Allan, the sailmaker, almost insisted that we get a 3 monofilament
utchman system and with a. fixed "B" system topping lift.
he third line really tames the aft section of the sail so that when
ropping the sail, the aft section that always flopped around when dropping
tays nicely to the boom.
rv Grunes
001 #851
n Thu, Jul 5, 2012 at 7:25 PM, resloat <resloat at comcast.net> wrote:
> Irv-I have a 2 line system (2 monofilament lines through the sail).  That
 is what the sail maker recommended.  Much bigger boats have 3 monofilament
 lines.  It has one line connected to the topping lift from which the 2
 monofilament lines drop.  It is very simple and less of an opportunity to
 get the topping lift lines wrapped around the split back stay if you over
 loosened the old C-system which Catalina supplied with the new boat.  The
 down side is most folks have to put 2 slots with zippers in the main cover,
 but as mentioned in my post, I just loosen the topping lift line to get the
 monofilaments under the main cover and then tighten the topping lift at the
 end of the boom so everything is looking proper when at the dock.

 The sails were purchased from the UK Halsey loft in Chicago.  I got my
 asymmetric from them also.


 Bob Sloat
 S/V Savannah 894 (2002)
 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Irving Grunes" <igrunes at gmail.com>
 To: <C320-List at catalina320.com>
 Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2012 2:15 PM
 Subject: Re: [C320-list] Dutchman System on a Loose Footed Main



  Curious, Did you have a three line dutchman installed.
> Where did you get the UK sail?
> irv Grunes
> 2001 #851
>
> On Mon, Jul 2, 2012 at 9:07 PM, resloat <resloat at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>  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)
>>
>>
>