Re: Telltales

The Costas (uffda@sonic.net)
Tue, 6 Apr 1999 21:35:55 -0700


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bill B

The main is easy, sew your yarns through the ends of the batten pockets.
The jib is a little harder. Divide the luff in quarters and stitch 3 yarns
through the sail (on those dividing points) 9" - 11" back from the leading
edge. This should get you should be in the ball park. I kind of guessed at
the location for my jib and lapper after reading the book 'On the Wind'.
I'm sure someone out there has the formula for the perfect location, but
mine seem to be working just fine. I use mine all the time and have found
them to be a great help in trimming the sails. Along with these I have
yarns, and audio tape attached to my shrouds (6' up) to show how the air is
traveling through the slots.

Larry

>Having read with interest the discussion on installing telltales,
>and having used them before, I am planning to install them on
>my main and possibly the jibs. While I understand what they do and
>how to use them, I'm still not sure about some items. So, here's
>a couple of questions:
>
>1) How long should the telltales be? I recall 6" ones, but have
> heard all sorts of sizes from 4" to 10".
>2) Where do you attach telltales?
>3) How do you determine where to attach telltales?
>
>That last one isn't so innocent. I've seen them up all over the
>sail, up on the luff, in the middle, and even on the leech.
>Personally, I'm thinking of using yarn through the sail, but I
>would like to know where to locate them without having to buy
>a telltale kit. The best way to know this is to understand why
>and where to put them rather than just being told to put them
>3 " from the luff, beginning 1' up, and 1' apart (or whatever).
>Yeah, but why there and not here?
>
>Bill B.
>P-19 #454, "Dream Catcher"
>Nampa, ID
>