Am I correct in my sudden realization that most high placing people no longer use lower lowers?

Not worth the drag penalty? Do some people use them in some conditions, but not in light wind? What conditions?

It seems to me that you can stop the bend of the lower part of the mast much better with them than without them, besides the benefit of sideways mast bend control/stopping boom lift in high wind downwind.

Explanation?

Scott

Shhhh, I think this is one of those secrets!!
I have heard rumours that those top ranking sailors that have no lower lowers reinforce the bottom part of the mast with an extra length of arrow shaft...



Gerry

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94...

I am not sure about the secrets, but I can tell you that when I first got started in the class, I must have heard three or four explinations for lower lowers. They stop the mast from bending forward, they stop the mast from bending sideways, or they stop the mast from slipping out of the mast step.

As I studied it and talked with other skippers, none of those reasons seemed to be accurate except for maybe forward mast bend.

From what I can see I think it has more to do with the cut of your sails and how much mast bend you need to make them perform. If your sails require a lot of bend, you might want lower lowers to control that bend. But if your sails require a straighter mast, then lower lowers are useless.

I will now wait to see how many guys tell me how wrong I am.


Joe Walter #24

Hi Joe,

I think I tend to agree with you. My prvious set of sails had a slight amount of luff curve cut into them. Since switching to a strait luff, I've found the lower-lowers to not really be necessary and removed them. Hasn't seemed to effect performance, but is a lot easier to tune with 2 stays a side rather than three.

Chris

Right on. In most conditions they seem to have little effect and are more trouble than they are worth. In a good puff, the end of the boom will rise a little and put forward pressure on the gooseneck area of the mast which creates a little mast bend. In doing this, your sail flattens out a bit and is slightly depowered. That is a good thing!

RK

Exactly RK. They are a PITA to keep set up right. I got rid of them a few years ago!!

MR

Hey, what do you know? I'm right for once.[:)]



Joe Walter #24

I find them helpful for set-up.I hook jib-boom, lower-lowers and back-stay and the rig is supported.

R.C.Greer

look at the rule book ,if it says lowers you put them on

What rule are you referring to, Gary?

I do not find any mention in the rules referable to lower-lowers other than "sidestays".

R.C.Greer

Is it legal to reinforce the bottom 6-8 inches of the mast with a piece of carbon fiber tube inside... --Jim Linville

Jim...This is my "Guess" but since the rule book says "Aluminum or Wood" I have a feeling that Carbon is out! It would be nice to have the extra strength..... but I don't see it being allowed! DougB

JIM

THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION TO SEND TO THE CAC, IS CARBON LEGAL FOR STIFFNING THE BOTTOM OF THE MAST. IT IS ILLEGAL TO USE CARBON IN THE HULL, DECK AND MAST, BUT IT IS LEGAL TO USE AS STIFFNERS UNDER THE DECK, CHAINPLATES, RUDDER LINKAGE AND MORE.

Bob Dudinsky