Macerator Pump Blog: Making Your Mainsail Upgrades

Mainsail Upgrades Made Simple

Autumn can be a sluggish time for many sailmakers, so in case you are planning on having a new sail produced before summer, now is actually the time to search for deals. If you're lucky, you have a skilled sailmaker close by that will not be too swamped with brand new orders to function as a patient advisor. When contributer Capt. Frank Lanier's upgraded the mainsail on his 36-foot Union cutter, Baxter Sailmakers, of Norfolk, Va., directed him through the procedure. Here are some highlights of the numerous choices he made.

Material

The old main was constructed of Dacron, and polyester continued to provide the best balance of cost, durability, and functionality for Lanier's specific situation. Your marine macerator pump experts talk about how Lanier decided to go with a premium-grade polyester (Dimension 360AP-MTO 8.4 ounce).

Superior polyester is actually firmly woven and has a high yarn count that provides good shape retention and good performance over a wide variety of wind speeds.

Corners, Clews, and Eyes

The existing main used a riveted aluminum headboard and pressed eyes. Since each served well over the years with no failing, Lanier opted to make use of them with the brand new main also. There is a difference in quality of pressed eyes, however. Lanier used all stainless-steel eyes provided by the Swedish sailing hardware company Rutgerson Marin.

Battens

There certainly are a variety of pros and cons regarding full-length battens and a wide range of viewpoints regarding their merits for cruising. Some cruising sailors choose to forego battens entirely, however if you want your mainsail to have a decent amount of roach, you'll require some form of batten support.

Lanier chose a hybrid method-- a "2-plus-2" configuration, with two full battens on top, and two partial battens near the bottom.

Reef points

The main decision with the new sail was the number of reef points. While the existing three rows might have provided more reefing options, Lanier rarely (if ever) utilized the third reef, which also complicated things by adding extra running rigging.

Lanier chose two reefs rather than three. Your macerator pump toilet suppliers talk about how the initial reef decreases the mainsail area by 15 percent, while the second is at 29 percent. A number of sailmakers might recommend an even deeper reef (say 40 percent), to allow the main to work as a storm trysail.

Lanier decided that an appropriate storm trysail would better serve his periodic bluewater aspirations should the weather turn heavy. 

Loose Foot or Fixed.

The aged main had a considerable outhaul car and the foot was likewise connected to the boom along its entire length. In addition to being easier to bend on and remove, a loose-footed main offers additional benefits, like easier and much more efficient sail trimming. One possible drawback would be the greater loads placed on the outhaul car (if not adequately robust).

Taming The Main.

The old mainsail used a Dutchman stowage system (set up by a former owner). Lanier thought about other flaking systems for the new main (lazy jacks, lazy jack/sail cover combos, etc.), yet he 'd been pleased overall with Dutchman system and decided to use it with the brand new main as well. One change he created was to go with the Dutchman's 40-3A system, which has three control lines, instead of the previously installed two-line model.

Slippery Upgrades.

In order to ease setting and dousing, he installed a Tides Marine Strong Track and Slide System. The system is a mainsail luff track and slide assembly that significantly decreases the friction normally associated with raising and lowering the mainsail. Lanier also upgraded the batten cars to Schaefer Battslide receptacles. The Battslide systems (that accept both flat and round battens) allow front-end loading and batten adjustment at the mast. Front-end loading allows you to keep the leech of the sail closed (making it impossible for a batten to slip out through the leech), while the batten-tension adjustment function makes it easier to maintain proper sail shape.

Raritan’s Marine Products Legacy

For more than fifty years, Raritan has been meeting our customers’ needs for outstanding service and product reliability establishing ourselves as “the most dependable name on the water.” Our customers continue to be our focus, and the primary source of the ideas for our new marine products and product enhancements. The median length of service for Raritan employees is about twenty years, an unusual number in the fast-changing world we live and work in. It is a measure of the dedication of the men and women who design, manufacture, distribute and support Raritan’s marine products. Check out our selection of macerator pumps here at Raritan Engineering.

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