Dutchman Adjustments

Hi Tim,

Is it that you're having trouble raising the main completely, or that the mainsail shape appears to be messed up by the dutchman?

If it's an issue of raising the main all the way, you want to ease the mainsheet some, raise the dutchman lines until they're vertical, loosen the topping lift some, release the boom vang, release the reefing line and haul up the sail. The trick (for me anyway) is to loosen up all the sail controls when raising the main (especially the vang), and tighten all of

them up when dropping the main (to avoid flogging lines and swinging boom).

If it's an issue of getting the sail pulled up so that the luff isn't wrinkled, manually shake the reefing line so it's not pulling down on the reef points. I also squirt a few tablespoons of diluted dishsoap in the track above the top slug before raising the main. This way I don't need the winch to raise the main. Unlike Orlando I'm not "strong like bull", so I

need all the help I can get. :)

Also, When dropping the main, we like to run the traveller all the way to the starboard side and tighten down the mainsheet. This makes it easier to tug back on the leach of the sail to straighten the flaking and toss on sail ties since the whole boom is easily ccessable without reaching over the dodger.

-JeffH

Well, so far you have been so helpful and entertaining as well. Thanks.

My C320, hull # 603 has a dutchman type B with a topping lift. Sometimes I have trouble getting the mainsail taunt and I suspect it has to do with how I am raising the sail or lack of experience or both.

When the sail is down the dutchman is loosened to allow the sail cover to be installed. Before raising the sail, I adjust (tighten) the dutchman and slack the single line reefing. Is this the correct procedure ? Did I miss a step ?

Help...thanks !!!

I recently replaced my OEM sails on #171 with a new set of sails from Mack Sails in Ft. Lauderdale. Rather with going with another Dutchman flaking system I elected to go with their Mack Pack for almost the same price. I would highly recommend this for anyone who needs a new main cover since this is s combination mainsail cover and lazy jack system which makes putting the main to bed an absolute dream! For details see their website www.macksails.com.

In a mater of a couple of minutes you can drop your main into it's cover (aka Mack Pack), tighten the lazy jack and zip her up. No more fiddling with sail ties, putting on the cover, etc. Workmanship was excellent, and Collen Mack was extremely helpful throughout the process. Sails arrived as promised and installation was pretty straight forward. The only time consuming part was installing 2 small cheek blocks 25' up the mast for the lazy jacks which took me about 2 hours. Their instructions were easy to follow. I don't miss my Dutchman System a bit.

I've read with interest over the years the benefit of a new set of sail but was amazed at the difference! I point higher and perform better at all points of sail.

Mike

Jeff,

The only problem I see is the mainsail cover when storing as someone else pointed out. I've also replaced my continuous loop line and it was a very straightforward job. It sounds like you're looking for simplicity, not avoiding changing the line though.....If you do go this route, I would be interested to see if you are happier with it....

Regards,

Jon Vez

Hi All,

My dutchman line (the continuous loop line itself) has finally sprouted so many puckers of the core out through the cover that the blocks snag and don't run up/down very easily.

I've seen the single line version that essentially has a cable with fixed blocks holding the mono-filament line. No clothsline loop, no jam cleat, no turning-blocks, just a line with the dutchman blocks fixed in position that gets attached to the topping lift and run up to the top of the mast.

Rather than have a new closeline loop made, I'm considering just taking a scrap of my old halyard, measuring off the positions of the blocks and knotting the blocks in place.

Seems like then, all I'd have to do is ease the topping lift a little when raising the sail, and tighten it up prior to dropping the sail.

With the clothesline loop, I also have to do ease/tighten the topping lift just a little, as well as running the dutchman blocks up/down.

Sounds to me like I save one step when dropping the main.

Has anyone else converted the continuous loop dutchman to a single? (I've sailed with the single on a C380 and it seemed easier).

-JeffH