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West Wight Potter Mailing List maintainer
dfarrell@ridgecrest.ca.us
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Hi Dave,
Interesting that you should mention the running stays. I just finished
reading the story about Judson Abbott's ordeal on Lake Michigan in 1987 (I
am only a little behind the times...). As I mentioned to Judy B, there was
a response from a Ralph Saylor who noted that he had installed running
backstays on his Potter. I am not sure if I completely understand his
reasoning, but it "sounds" right. He says, "....when the mainsheet is
slackened to meet a gust or just to sail with a Swedish{?} reef, the jib
stay also slackens and bags to the jib luff-just the opposite of what is
needed." What is a Swedish reef and what does he mean by "bags to the jib
luff"?
I think it is going to take me longer to learn all the lingo than it is
to learn how to sail this boat!!
Alan
P-19 "Molly Fay"
East Coaster
----- Original Message -----
From: Dave & Francesca Kautz <dfkautz@pacbell.net>
To: Marilyn Dimson-Doyle <mddoyle@mediaone.net>
Cc: <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2000 12:33 PM
Subject: Big Mainsails
> Alan,
>
> I read the same exchange on the TSBB. As usual, the devil is in the
> details: If a boat designer wishes to include a permanent (as in always
> up) backstay then the size and shape of the main are restricted to
> something that will fit within the triangle defined by the mast,
> backstay and deck. The Americas Cup boats don't have a permanent
> backstay - they use a system which I believe is referred to as "running
> backstays". There are two, one on each side, and at every tack or gybe
> the windward one is placed under tension and the leeward one slacked.
>
> Small sloops often dispense with a backstay by using a only a headstay
> and swept-back shrouds. The Potter 15 is and example of this. the
> designers are then free to increase the roach size or use a 4 sided
> sail. Most catamarans are rigged in a similar manner. Their wide beam
> allows the mast to get excellent support from swept back shrouds.
>
> There is also a backstayless arrangement called the B&R rig which is
> being used on many of the new Hunter yachts. This is a three stay rig
> with a lot of "truss work" via tensioned cables and spreaders. I have no
> experience with this setup, but the Hunter advertising claims that it
> allows them to make the more easily handled mainsail the "power" sail.
>
> Dave Kautz
> P-15 #1632, Tilly Lucy
> Palo Alto, Ca
>
>
> Marilyn Dimson-Doyle wrote:
>
> > I just read a few messages on "trailer sailor message board"
regarding
> > sail size; main versus jib. I have been wondering about this since I
> > recently read in one text the author thought it was better to have a
larger
> > mainsail than foresail. Judy B. had recommended a book to read on the
> > subject but I am overwhelmed with a stack of reading as it is. Can
anyone
> > give me a quick response regarding increasing mainsail size on the
Potter
> > and its effects?
> > Thanks
> > Alan
> > P-19, "Molly Fay"
> > East Coaster
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Feb 29 2000 - 03:27:10 PST