John,
This topic has been discussed many times on this list. I have the IMF so  
bending the mast is not an option for me. The only caution that has ever been 
 mentioned is to keep in mind the pressure you are exerting not only on the 
mast  and the stays, but also the hull structure itself. Is getting another 
1/2 knott  of speed worth ripping your boat apart for? If it is, go for it. 
If you want to  increase your hull speed without bending the mast, try 
ordering one of Stanley's  new main sail designs for the standard mast with a 
little extra cloth thrown  in.
Since it is winter, I guess the next topic to come up will be the boom  
vang. 
 
Rummy
 
 
In a message dated 1/11/2010 1:18:10 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
jsbudda at verizon.net writes:


Lee,

This is a pic. of the backstay adjuster on my  boat
[broken link to nabble content:http://old.nabble.com/file/p27115052/DSCF0299.jpg]
Tension on the  line applies a transverse tension on the back stays drawing
them together  which essentially shortens their length. The harder you pull
the more you  tighten the forestay. Consider a similar device on the forward
baby stays,  tension on that line should apply a slight bend to the center 
of
the mast  flattening the main or so the theory goes. I have a standard main
which  will is bendable (confirmed by experiment last summer) The question 
is
how  much initial rake do I want when the boat is at rest and how much bend
is  needed to effectively flatten the main?

Thanks 
John S   

Leland wrote:

> 
> Ron/John (sounds like a surf  shop),
> 
> In my mind I think I would be just fine with a 150 or  even a 135.  On a
> close reach in placid water I can usually fill  the 175 with about 3.5
> knots of wind.  In 3.5 to 5.0 knots of  wind the big Genoa works well.  
The
> sail is fun and looks pretty  in 5 to 7 knots without excessive heel but I
> can go faster if I reef  it a little.  Much of the time I've got the 175
> reefed to a 150  or 135 or less.
> 
> However every time I sail with the 175 when  it's the right conditions I
> swear I'll buy another one when the time  comes to replace it.  I may not
> use the full 175 often, but when  I can use it I want to use it.  I
> wouldn't want to give up my  traveler, adjustable sheet tracks/leads,
> centerboard, or reefable  main; and I often don't use them either.  That
> 175 can provide a  lot of power for our light boats and can be very useful
> with a whisker  pole on a broad reach or run.
> 
> I agree that a smaller sail  won't need to be reefed as often and will 
have
> better shape when  reefed.  If most of your sailing is in winds of 8 knots
> or more  it probably makes sense to go with a smaller Genoa.  A lot of my
>  sailing is in winds of less than 8 knots.
> 
> With the sheets ran  outside the shrouds on a close reach with the board
> down and the boom  up, in most conditions I think I would generally want 
to
> reef a 150  before hitting 9 knots of wind.  
> 
> I've never played with  mast rake.  I've seen a lot of 
performance-oriented
> boats with  single adjustable backstays that allow you to change the rake
> for  upwind or downwind sailing.  How would an adjustable baby stay be
>  installed on our boats?  If you devised something to pull down on  the
> lines connecting the two backstays would it have any  effect?
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> Lee
> 1986  Rhodes22  At Ease
> Kent Island, MD
> 
> 
>  Ronald Lipton-3 wrote:
>> 
>> Hi John,
>>  
>>    I switched from a 175 to a 150 I purchased from  Stand last year.
>> I also switched from the GBI Furler to the  CDI.  The GBI furler 
performed
>> well, but I wanted the option  to lower or change the foresail, and the
>> CDI furler allows that.  
>> 
>>   I am very happy with the 150.  I do  not need to furl as early and it 
>> seems
>> to be well  suited to conditions on Lake Michigan more often than the
>>  175.  It also retains it's shape a bit better when partially  furled.  
In 
>> light
>> breezes, when you might want  more sail area the 175 does not perform
>> well due to the heavy  cloth.   I think the 150 is a bit more suited 
than 
>>  the
>> 175.  I would thing the 135 would be a bit too  small.
>> 
>> Ron
>> 
>> 
>>  
>> John Shulick wrote:
>>>  Hello to the  forum,
>>>
>>>   After extensive  negotiations (groveling, begging, etc...) with the
>>>  Admiral
>>> I have been authorized (allowed) to replace my blown  out 35+yrs old 175
>>> genoa and GB furler with new equipment.  Over the last 2 yrs. sailing at
>>> Kinzua has shown me the 175 is  really not suited for the conditions I
>>> have,
>>>  namely wind gusts that can double in velocity usually accompanied by  
90*
>>> or
>>> more shifts in direction. I never fully  unfurl the genoa unless the 
wind
>>> is
>>> so light  that the sail can't or won't (not sure which) fill properly.  
My
>>> research into the archives show the older rhodes came with  150 genoas
>>> and my
>>> 71 certainly falls in that  group. My question to the forum is at what
>>> approximate wind  speed would you begin reefing in a 150 genoa and would
>>>  a
>>> 135 or less be even better for the conditions I'm facing.  Also I'm
>>> looking
>>> for a furler and would  appreciate any info on which ones offer more 
sail
>>> tuning  options. A final item of thought, has anyone out there in  
rhodes
>>> land
>>> experimented with mast rake and/or  mast bending by use of baby stay
>>> tension
>>> to  alter mainsail shape and performance.
>>>
>>> All  comments are appreciated
>>> Thanks in advance
>>>  John Shulick
>>>
>>>   
>>  
>> __________________________________________________
>> To  subscribe/unsubscribe go to
>>  http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list
>>  
>> For the list Charter and help with using the mailing list and  archives 
go
>> to http://www.rhodes22.org/list
>>  __________________________________________________
>> 
>>  
> 
> 

-- 
View this message in context:  
http://old.nabble.com/A-question-of-size-and-shape-%28sails-ye-salty-dogs-sails%29-tp27092108p27115052.html
Sent  from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at  Nabble.com.

__________________________________________________
To  subscribe/unsubscribe go to  
http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list

For the list  Charter and help with using the mailing list and archives go 
to  http://www.rhodes22.org/list
__________________________________________________