What is a loose foot mainsail?
Most of today’s mainsails are loose-footed with nothing attaching the sail to the boom other than the tack at the gooseneck and the clew on the outhaul. As seen here, a loose-footed mainsail is able to produce a much more aerodynamic shape down low which enhances the performance of the sail.
What is a loose foot?
: having the foot loose : not having or not secured to a boom —used of a sail.
What is a foot shelf on sail?
A shelf foot is characteristically a lighter weight piece of cloth that is sewn along the foot of the sail from the tack to the clew. When the outhaul is loosened, the shelf opens up to produce a fuller shape in that portion of the sail.
How does a sail attach to a boom?
Two primary sail control lines are attached to every boom: The outhaul runs from the clew of the sail to the free end of the boom. Hauling in on (tightening) the outhaul increases foot tension in the main sail. The sheet is attached midway along the boom or at the free end, typically by means of a block.
What is the leech of a sail?
Leech – The aft (back) edge of a fore-and-aft sail is called the leech (also spelled leach). The leech is either side edge of a symmetrical sail—triangular or square.
What do you say when the boom comes across?
“Jibe-ho” accompanies the start of the boom swing across the centerline. Accidental jibes may occur when running dead downwind and the wind catches the leeward side of the sail.
Why is it called a boom sailing?
Why is it called the “Boom?” The origins of the term “boom” in the sailing world are unclear. Some people speculate that the word came from the early use of Lateen rigs in the middle east, while others attribute the term to colloquial sailor-talk. Nonetheless, “boom” is a fitting name.
What is a tack and clew?
The tack (noun) is the name for the lower corner of the sail closest to the mast. The foot of a sail attaches to the boom. The luff is the forward or leading edge of a sail. The leech is the back edge of the sail. The clew is the bottom back corner of the sail (furthest from the mast).
What is a clew?
clew \KLOO\ noun. 1 : a ball of thread, yarn, or cord. 2 : something that guides through an intricate procedure or maze of difficulties : clue. 3 a : a lower corner or only the after corner of a sail.
What’s the difference between tacking and jibing?
Tacking is how you head upwind, pointing as high into the wind as possible, to keep the sails full. A jibe is conducted when you are heading downwind. Both involve the processes of turning the boat to change course when the current direction of travel is no longer possible or safe.
What does Helms Alee mean?
Helms Alee: A term used by the helmsman to notify the crew that he has started to tack.