Sail downhaul eyelet vs pulley

rollerrider · Joined: 17 May 2003 Posts: 100

Ha Ha! Right on NOVAAN! "who cares". My lip is raw from bitting it every day cause I just want to say "who cares".

manuel · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 1158

Well I'm not sure what sails you are all using but I have to say that 2016 Elite is very very impressive. Not sure it's the tack strap doing its job Wink

but at 15-21 knots I'm fully planing on 4.5 with my 68kgs (150lbs) and 81L. Not only that but the sail remains composed at the slackest setting in gusts and the power remains low (this is super important to me) which means I can commit and not get surprised, it's 100% usable and manageable. So if it does come up to 17-23 then I can continue on riding with the same setting, no problem. At 19+ I then need more outhaul at least.

Yesterday I checked the foot of the sail while wiggling my back hand pumping. It was obvious that this area provides hand feedback when pumping. I guess I could do a back-to-back testing tensionned and not-tensionned (blind test would be best!) and end all bickering. The amount of power I get from the sail may determined if, yes or no, I will be able to grab a wave or get out of a situation.

I'd like to emphasize this one more time and then I'll stop, I promise!

If there's little tension down there there's power being lost, there's also stability issues. It all adds up. Especially when you have fewer battens, higher bottom batten, soft material, etc. So for a sail requiring light downhaul tension, a grommet would be the best design, just like the one we have for the outhaul!

I have noticed good tension down low on other sails so it's not a problem on all for sure. Now if any of you have read reviews on the Elite or the Taka2, or better tested them for yourself, I'm sure you wouldn't be so skeptical Razz

I'm often "grabbing" that area for light wind waterstarts (I do lots of those) so when it's slack it "feels" wrong for sure.

Anyway, for the type of sailing I do, unfortunately cms matter but I'm sure I'm not the only one... Laughing

DanWeiss · Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 2296 Location: Connecticut, USA

The difference in foot shape was enormous in that Ezzy video. Anyone who thinks that doesn't matter should make their own sails. A small sail presents the same basic needs as a larger sail. You want balanced power.

If a sail is not down hauled nearly block to block, it will make the bottom of the mast behave as if it is stiffer, or the sail feel like it has less luff curve. Either way, the power delivery is not the best that can be achieved. The tack strap pulls the clew toward the mast, returning the shape that the designer worked so hard to achieve and make consistent in production.

Some things might be gimmicks. Anything that actually imparts shape into a sail is not a gimmick but part of the entire tuning package. Proper use of one aspect makes the others behave as intended.

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

You must be joking, right?

I have to say that I have many sails that can be downhauled all the way to the pulleys. Having a extra strap is meaningless, especially on wave sails with a high cut foot.

I do have some larger sails made by Bill Hansen that have tack straps. Do they really change the shape of sails in the lower foot to make a real difference? I don't think so. It's just another bit of extra nonsense that complicates things without much return, especially if one downhauls to the pulleys.

I have to ask though, should all sails be designed to have luffs and tack straps like Ezzy does them?

techno900 · Joined: 28 Mar 2001 Posts: 4161

swchandler said:

DanWeiss · Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 2296 Location: Connecticut, USA