Sail height from deck at luff.

[Carl]

When installing a new light weight sail on the mast.
<b>What is the ideal dimension from the deck to the lower part of the sail at the luff? </b>

[yachtie]

As low as possible to allow for boom, vang etc.
I am currently working on new design booms that will still be rules legal yet will see the gooseneck only about 25mm (1") off the deck compared to my current setup which is 85mm (3.5").
Both main and jib will have a vang which will mean no more topping lift needed for the jib.
Incorporated into the design is a setup that allows the outhaul to ease porportionally as the sheets are eased so that at fully eased they will allow the sails to develop a "full" belly. A prototype has the jib looking like a gennaker shaped sail, yet when close hauled they resume flatter setup.
This will lower COG and improve righting moment - ie keep boat more upright! It may look a little offbeat to start with as the masts will be that much shorter than others when lined up side by side.
[:o)]

Chris
NZL1 Longtack

[Rick West]

Hi Carl,
Good to see you at Lake Norman and congratulations for a good posting.

The numbers you seek are within the Electronic Checklist. They are nominal and about what most of us are using on our boats. The sails dictate where the luff of the main will be and you set the gooseneck accordingly.

If the jib swivel is 1-3/4 to 2," then that dictates the gooseneck reference the main boom. The jib boom naturally sits up on the aft but the entire jib needs to provide and cover the air needed by the foot of the main.