12M sail observations

konajoe · Joined: 28 Feb 2010 Posts: 517

What does your manufacturer say about batten tension? Many sails require only enough tension to get rid of the wrinkles, and no more. Maybe recheck?

The top 1/3 of formula sails is better described as 'dumped', not twisted. Sail twist is something that is done to compensate for the change in wind speed seen higher above the surface of the water. But the top 1/3 of formula sails don't have any draft. That part of your sail acts as a drag reducer, not a lift/power generator. There's no draft, and the sail just lines up with the wind like a weather vane.

DelCarpenter · Joined: 06 Nov 2008 Posts: 499 Location: Cedar Falls, IA

Wow! You know how surprised many of us are that the sail designer proposed the grinding solution. I apologize for myself and any others who wondered if you had missed some of the simpler solutions.

acalhounguy · Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 57

Dumped, that seems right. Thanks for the suggestions on batten tension - that has been carefully adjusted.

I just de-rigged the sail, I probably only ground the leech end of the cams 3-4mm initially so 8mm was an exaggeration. A couple more mm each and I think it will be great.

As an aside the guy from Avanti has been very helpful, the sail is a work of engineering art - I blame myself for its problems being that it is my first race sail (and a big one at that).

coachg · Joined: 10 Sep 2000 Posts: 3550

Even 3-4 mm seems excessive, but 8 mm was sending up a huge red flag. I think grinding 1-2 mm is more normal in my experience. Sounds like you have it all in order.

Coachg

joethewindsufa · Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 1190 Location: Montréal

not sure how much people trust the unifiber mast selector page
it states Avanti RDM are hard top and SDM are CC - almost soft top
with a 12 meter sail, I can only presume it is SDM and you are using the "proper" mast - from Avanti
especially since it is a "race sail"
hope it all works out !!