posted July 13, 2003 01:42 PM            

The tiller should be just toward the windward (weather) side of the boat when on a beat in light to moderate winds. Certainly NEVER on the lee side as mine was originally on the Sandpiper. That's a dangerous situation! When the tiller's released, the boat won't automatically round up into the wind as it should. If you experience weather helm under these conditions, make sure that your jib hasn't been overtrimmed for that tack. If the sail tril appears to be correct, then adjust the two shrouds and forestay lengths to rake the mast slightly back at the top if you have a lee helm condition on a beat. Reverse if you have too much weather helm under most conditions. (Rudder and keel fully down)

I liked D'Arcy's advice about letting the main'sl out and letting it luff a bit to de-power the bigger sail when sailing in heavy air. This is commonly known as a "Fisherman's Reef"

The shroud and forestay tension should be quite tight on a Sandpiper. Even so....when beating in a fresh to moderate breeze you will no doubt notice that the leeward shroud appears to be slack. This is NORMAL because of mast bend. Kinda unnerving to a new sailor on this particular boat but most everyone has seen it. It's a simple rig and has no intermediate shrouds supporting the middle of the mast.

Because a failure of just one of the three wires will bring the mast down on a Sandpiper, I replace the wire rigging and turnbuckles every 6-8 years just to be safe. Inspect the swaged Nicopress fittings for cracks regularly. Wire (called mousing) the turnbuckles so they cannot untwist by themselves. Make sure that the spreaders are in good shape (newer ones have wooden plugs in the ends,) and that they bisect the shroud angle equally.
Mine have swaged rings on the shrouds just above and below the spreader to keep it from shifting up or down. As well as this I have installed soft white vinyl spreader boots at the spreader ends to protect the mains'l when close hauled.

posted July 13, 2003 08:51 PM            

I attached a link on sail trim to a post of mine, from archarzel "Safe Return". There is much more on this topic at this site.

I also learned recently about the position of the spreaders of which you mentioned. That is that they should bisect the angle of the shroud. This will angle the spreader upward slightly. This seems hard to believe but if one carefully checks the boats at a marina, you'll notice this on the better rigged boats.

Now if only I could get out on the water more and practice!

Cheers, Eric

[This message has been edited by Eric (edited July 13, 2003).]

[This message has been edited by Eric (edited July 13, 2003).]