Tension In Mains'l Outhaul

[Paul Seamons]

I Am Preparing To Install A New Loose Footed Fully Battened Main On My Hans Christian 43. Mainsail Is 375 Sf. I Am Also Reworking The Mainsail Outhaul.

How Much Tension Will I Need In The Outhaul To Pull The Foot Tight?

[Brent B]

Outhaul tension for a loose-footed main should be similar to a boltrope footed main if a slugslide is used at the clew to support leech tension. We use special high-load slides for that purpose.

Brent
Benson Sails

[Rick]

For my 250 sqft loose foot main, I use a 4:1 tackle that allows me to get it easily tight with hand tension, and no load on mainsheet. Under load in 15 knots of wind, it's a struggle for a medium man to get it flat, but easily addressed by easing mainsheet.