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A Rough Guide to Mainsail Reefing


Main image - credit RORC-1

Image credit: RORC 

 

Reducing mainsail area effectively is an essential aspect of depowering the boat as the wind strength increases. For offshore racing or cruising it is particularly important to be able to do so quickly and safely and this becomes even more critical when sailing shorthanded. Without weight on the rail, the need to reef comes earlier and the ability to deal with a situation is reduced. A mainsail reefing system should be reliable, quick to operate and produce an adequate sail shape once reefed. In this blog we discuss 4 options for taking a slab in the main. 

Sea Sure Marine Hardware – Dedicated to Quality Dinghy Components

 

Seasure-1

 

The Sea Sure brand first appeared in the 1960’s at the start of the boom of dinghy sailing in the UK. However, prior to that, the company made a name for itself producing components for Spitfires during WW2. Post-war, they were looking for new cross-over markets where they could capitalise on their skills for designing and fabricating fittings and their location on the south coast of England made the rapidly expanding sailing sector a natural progression. 

Continuous vs Discontinuous Standing Rigging

Future Fibres Discontinuous rigging

 

Regardless of material choice (wire, rod or composite), there are two main types of lateral rigging configurations, referred to as Discontinuous or Continuous rigging. In this blog we outline the differences between them, their relative pro’s and cons, and finally the impact of different standing rigging materials.

Straight Talking – Mast and Standing Rigging Terminology

Future Fibres EC6 Continuous Rigging

©Future Fibres

 

Upffront.com is all about performance sailing hardware and rigging systems. The heart, and driving force, of any sailing yacht is its mast and standing rigging which support the sails. If you are interested in optimising / upgrading your sailing systems it is important for us to have a common language, so we can share performance improvement ideas and options. In this blog we outline the key terminology of modern masts and rigging.

Sailboat Composite Standing Rigging – Material Options

Mast and standing rigging_01

 

Having established the significant advantages of reducing rigging weight aloft (view previous blog here), next we would like to look at the composite rigging options available on the market. However, before we get to that point, we need to take a little diversion into basic material properties to provide some background context.

Composite Rigging – what are the benefits?

Future_Fibres_EC3-MC38v2

 

Upffront.com is constantly striving for lighter, faster and safer sailing for all boat owners, regardless of sailing style. Composite (or synthetic) rigging is one of the biggest and most cost-effective performance improvements that you can make. In this blog we look at the benefits of switching from wire or rod to composite standing rigging.

We are constantly reporting on the latest innovations in the marine industry which offer weight savings whilst, at the same time, increasing safety factors. The result: lighter, faster, safer and more exciting sailing.

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