Is strong downhaul always recomended?

[cgoudie1]

Actually the simplest answer is yes.

-Craig

[adywind]

I don't think I have any sail that I rig exactly by the specs. It just doesn't work when you use different masts and extensions. For example: my Ka 7.4 is supposed to be rigged on a 460 mast with a 23cm extension and my Chinook extensions use even numbers I put the extension on 24 wich would be the max and then I leave 1 index finger of slack for all medim or 2 fingers for desperate times.
I realy like when there are indicators between the 2nd and the 3rd batten wich helps me to find the starting setting right away.
I can't stress enough how helpful adjustable outhaul systems are for light gusty wind inland places btw.- pull the string =max outhaul , release it= minimum -so effective !
And again max DH in such conditions with the leech loose all the way-that would be a misery!
Are you sure you are using the correct mast btw ? If the bottom half of the mast is too stiff and the top half too soft it will be hard for the sail to rotate unless overdownhauled . I had such a combination once and it was terrible.

[konajoe]

My KA rigging instructions have visual cues. Use the numbers to rough set booms and base. Like I said, I hate rigging guides that only have numbers.

When I bought a Porsche, some folks were telling me to do differently than what my owners manual was saying in regards to things like break in and oil changes. I couldn't believe it. They thought they knew more than Porsche engineers!

Read the rigging guides for some random Ezzy and Sailworks sails, and see if there is anything in them that gives you any doubt that they know how to get the most out of their sails. If the sails you own don't have detailed manuals like these, you'll have to do some guessing. I think the detail in a manufacturer's rigging guides should be considered when buying new sails.

[GURGLETROUSERS]

Or just use feel and common sense!

Rig as manufacturer states, then tweak from there. Most of us buy new sails more frequently than new masts (can't afford) so we buy to minimize any kind of mismatch. (Beach telegraph - what generally works on what.)

Experience shows that most claimed settings are starting points, not absolutes, and there is room for some variation to suit the individuals preferences. It's hard to believe any single setting works so well that the slightest difference, or mast (assuming right stiffness and bend), will ruin the performance. Indeed, in some tests, it is actually improved using non recommended masts!

The reality check is sailing against others - that is, on the increasingly rare occasions on which they get uo off their backsides from their yackety-yacking in the car park, instead of turning up their noses at the less than perfect conditions!

[coachg]

[adywind]

Can you be more specific about what sails and masts are you using? I have some suspicions

[keycocker]

A loose leach reduces drag while spilling air which can feel like less grunt at the start. The power in the sail is reduced by drag more and more as you speed up. A sail that feels powerless at the start can feel more powerful at speed because of the deep downhaul.

As to those factory settings... I go with GT .
I have watched sails being tested and developed here in Maui.
This is far from an exact science.
It is done on a schedule and their testers have to turn in a setting compromise on a certain day in fall.
If it has been blowing 4.0 for a month those nine sails over 6.5 in several lines probably will need a kiss and promise since they never got tested for settings on the light days. Away from Maui testers have the same problem, but with the small sails not getting ANY water time.
If they had a month more they might choose a different setting in a certain sail.
You must find that for yourself.

I know of at least one case where where next years better handling sail was just last years sail with different panel colors and more downhaul.

And ,sad to say, there are sails which have never been tested at all in their current configuration because of wind and time restraints. You have to sell them anyway and cross your fingers.

[konajoe]

[keycocker]

Our sails at the store were kept rigged all the time, at first rigging to the Manufacturers settings.
Using common sense we tweaked them to our conditions and boards over the course of a year or two.
The tester may have liked that setting in Maui but our store is in Belize.
Clients who bought our sails and sailed locally would come in to demo our rigged sails. Their new identical sail sailed so differently because they were on factory settings exactly and we weren't after a while.

Some things work together in unpredictable ways. If you like your lines farther back on the boom you may prefer more downhaul.
If you are like me you will want give up on power for less backhand pressure by running a little tight.

I have a knot in the out and down lines so I can jerk them out of their cleats in a hurry, moving them to max, and slog out of a situation ASAP.

[isobars]

"Common sense"?

A WSer brought his new Gaastra sail back to his dealer and said, "I hate it. I'd like a refund".

Dealer: "Let's rig it up and see if we can fix it."

Buyer: "Naw, man. I've been WSing for many years, I go to Baja every winter and Hawaii in the summer ... I know what I'm doing. It's the sail."

Dealer: "It'll just take 3-4 minutes. Maybe we can solve your problem right here and get you back on the water today."

Tum-de-tum-de-tum ... rig... rig ... rig ... downhaul ... downhaul ...

Buyer: "DUDE! LOOK OUT! YOU'RE BENDING THE MAST! IT'LL BREAK!"

Dealer, calmly: "I think we found the problem."

Common sense usually requires a certain level of knowledge to be useful.