Rigging Sails

[wbcj44]

My 86 Seaferer was commissioned yesterday. My sails were not put on. Is there any trick to putting up the sails? I need all the help I can get. Email: wbcj53@excite.com

Bill

[craigtoo]

Where's Gui now?

Please read this http://www.sailnet.com/forums/genera...t-sailnet.html

[CalebD]

No tricks involved with putting up your sails at all. It is all perfectly logical. The tricks come into play if you mess up.
I will assume that the boat is new to you and the PO (previous owner) did not show you how to do it.
I would get a book on sailing like "Chapmans Piloting & Seamanship" or one of it's equivalents to read.
The main sail goes up the mast and out the boom while being pulled up the mast by the main halyard.
The jib or genny goes up the forestay or furler (if you have one) with the jib halyard.
Both sails have sheets to control them.
I think you probably knew all of that but the way your question was phrased (eg., nothing specific) what can you expect.
The only 'trick' I can mention is that if you have roller furling are rigged to carry a spinnaker that you should be certain to only use the jib halyard on the jib and not the spinnaker halyard by mistake. The spinnaker halyard exits the mast ABOVE the forestay while the jib halyard exits the must UNDER the forestay.
Otherwise, if you have ever rigged another sailboat it is pretty much the same.
Good luck and try to keep your questions specific.

[Sailormann]

Remember to put the battens in. If the wind is any stronger than a light breeze, make sure the bow (the pointy end) is pointing directly into the wind. Don't let the sails get caught on anything.

Good Luck ! Let us know how you do !

[sailingdog]

Also, if you've got roller furling headsails...don't forget to put the correct number of wraps on the drum and in the right direction...

[US27inKS]

Bill, all I can say is WOW. You need professional help. And by professional help, I mean a sailing instructor. Generally when people need such basic help as figuring out how to set the sails, they're doing it on a dinghy. You could get yourself or one of your loved ones hurt.

I'm not trying to discourage you, but you may be unaware of the risks. Think of it this way, you wouldn't get online to an automobile enthusiats board and ask "I just bought my first car and I want to take it for a spin, how do I put it in drive?" would you?

If you tell us where you live, someone surely can recommend an instructor to show you how to get your sails up and get you sailing safely.

edit: I'm really not trying to discourage you, I just wouldn't want to see you hurt yourself or worse - you could scare your wife to death and she'll never want to go sailing again. It took me years to get my wife back on the boat, and some guys never get it done. The wife not sailing usually leads to you not sailing.

[eMKay]

Just do what I did, buy a book. I bought "your first sailboat" by Daniel Spurr. Ten maybe take a sailing lesson, or have someone give you a lesson on your boat.

[sailingdog]

For books, I'd recommend Dave Seidman's The Complete Sailor. I'd also second taking a basic learn to sail course, like the ASA 101 course or equivalent.