riding sail

[kwiac]

I need some dimensions for a riding sail I intend to construct for a 44 foot sloop/cutter rig. I would also like to use it as an emergency hull patch. Anyone got the numbers?

[RichH]

http://www.sailrite.com/instructionindex.htm ... then download the .pdf instructions for "anchor riding sail" My boat is 43LOA swings all over her anchor, and I increased the dimension by 20%. Sometimes its just better to anchor stern-to with such a boat.

[Jeff_H]

Actually, having watched your boat at anchor for days at a time, in no wind and in half gales, that boat sits as quitely on the anchor as any I''ve ever seen. Well designed cutters generally have their mast far enough aft that a riding sail generally is not needed and in fact can add to the swinging. Riding sails are usually 15% to 20% of the sail area of the boat''s mainsail.


As to the emergency patch, an emergency patch should generally be constructed of very heavy reinforced rubberized material. A riding sail needs to be very UV resistant as it will spend a lot of time exposed while the rubberized materials of a hull patch material generally have poor UV resistance and so should be protected from direct sunlight.

If you really want to spend your money wisely I would buy all of the pump and compressor spares that our mutual friend has warehoused. It will save you a fortune and a lot of aggrevation someday.

Regards
Jeff