Jack Line or Bolt Rope?

[Larry Ludwig]

OK... which is it? What do you use and why? Have you converted from one to the other? Jackline is supposed to allow the sail to set more properly and take it's shape better. Bolt rope has been around a long time, and in the past was used primarily for round masts that were either home-made or simply did not come or were not available in the standard airfoil shape with a sail slot.

Does your class specify which has to be on your boat? I have used both for years, but the trend seems to be heading towards Jackline now. If you have a boltrope main, are you going to switch your sail over? Would you order a new suit of sails just to gain this style?

Let me know!

Thanks

[Larry Ludwig]

DOH... I got excited and screwed it on backwards.... Bolt rope hsa been around a long time.... jackline (it should have read) was used primarily on masts that did not have the sailslot... sorry I got it wongo... it's like that positive negative thing on the batteries, I always wonder why my boat sails backwards

[Greg Vasileff]

Larry,

I’ve been reading your post on rcsail, but I don’t post there myself due to some long existing problems on that forum

I think you will find that a ‘groovy’ mast is the choice of most EC12 skippers. I, myself will most likely go with a jackline type of setup. If you came out with a stiff , light and thinner mast then what’s available now, then you’ll have some sales. To invest in the tooling to do so though might not be worth it as only a few classes still use groovy mast. Roy was correct in saying that fixing the sale to the mast with string or wire loops is what is the majority. Here in the EC12 class it not legal to do so, hence the use of groovy mast. Sails must be attached to the back side of the mast.

Switching your sails from one method to the other is not a problem I would think. The only real issue here would be the bending characteristics differences of each mast and the way you may have had your luff cut for the mast in use at that time.


greg V
http://ghmyc.org/

[Larry Ludwig]

Yeah pretty much... Rod Carr said do both... have the airfoil slotted mast, and you can rig it either way so we are going forward. Still looking at making the composite slotted mast... I can see where they are going to be more intensive because of time and cost (same thing when you get down to it)

I have used these masts for more years than I can care to remember.... man I am getting old.... but they have always been solid performers up to 8' in length. Just as a side note, my new favorite thing to build is the masts for the J boats... they are way too much fun to build because you really get to do some craftsmanship with them, and they work ! They just look neato.