Riding sail - recommendations?

[david01]

Hi there

I am trying to buy / make a riding sail for my SO 379 at anchor.  Does anyone know where I can buy one or have appropriate dimensions so I can get one made?

thanks

David

[moonshadow]

I use a small sail right one that was a gift to me. Helps a lot. I rig it on backstay or boom lift and sheet forward to mid ship cleat.

[DarknStormy]

Perhaps ask a local sailmaker to make one for your boat if you have a sailmaker nearby?

[virtualburton]

Hi David01,

I was just reading through the 2013 SU 469 thread from a couple of years ago and user rdubs posted this great, home made riding sail:

jeanneau.proboards.com/post/41939/thread

Specifically, he posted:

”The boat will "sail" around at anchor a lot, because of the locations of the center of effort and center of rotation/gravity. What I did to steady her out and be able to sleep at night at anchor is create my own makeshift "anchor sail" using a triangle-shaped heavy orange sunshade/tarp, set of tarp clips, a set of shackles, and a piece of line. Put the tarp clips along one leg of the tarp and use the shackles to attach the tarp / clips to the topping lift. Use the spinnaker halyard on the head of the tarp to raise it up, while keeping the clew of the tarp shackled to the topping lift shackle. Then for the tack, tie the piece of line to it and run it forward to a block or shackle near the boom neck of vang. The parts cost like $50 on amazon and it keeps the point pointing to within 10-20 degrees of the wind as opposed to alternating 90 degrees.”

He later posted links to Amazon for the parts he bought. Great tip, thanks rdubs!

David (I’m also a David…)

[NZL50505]

Pictures - or it didn’t happen!

Or more accurately I can’t understand it.

[Don Reaves]

Jun 12, 2021 0:20:35 GMT NZL50505 said:

Pictures - or it didn’t happen!

Or more accurately I can’t understand it.

Take a look at this article from Practical Sailor. They have a number of pictures as well at lots of other useful information on the subject.

Don

[moonshadow]

Since I often keep my code zero on the spin halyard I don’t have a spare halyard for the riding sail. I found it easy to attach the “luff” of the riding sail to my boom lift while I slack the lift a lot and then tension the boom lift to hoist the riding sail. I just use short pieces of line and prussic hitches to attach the corners. With the clew sheeted forward to a midship cleat I can adjust the sail easily and can move the boom as needed.
In the past I added a small block to my backstay for this and hoisted the riding sail on its own short halyard. But using the topping lift is easier and works fine.

[NZL50505]

Jun 12, 2021 9:53:31 GMT Don Reaves said:

Jun 12, 2021 0:20:35 GMT NZL50505 said:

Pictures - or it didn’t happen!

Or more accurately I can’t understand it.

Take a look at this article from Practical Sailor. They have a number of pictures as well at lots of other useful information on the subject.

Don

Ok I get it now. I have literally never seen anything like that in 40-odd years of sailing. I’ve seen plenty of ketches / yawls leave their mizzen on at anchor but never a sloop rig something like this!

[dslittle]

Jun 12, 2021 9:53:31 GMT Don Reaves said:

Jun 12, 2021 0:20:35 GMT NZL50505 said:

Pictures - or it didn’t happen!

Or more accurately I can’t understand it.

Take a look at this article from Practical Sailor. They have a number of pictures as well at lots of other useful information on the subject.

Don

That is a very interesting article. I have an unused stormsail sitting in the bilges (hoping never to get it out…) but I’m wondering if it might work as above if I hank it onto the topping lift. The next think I’ll have to bear in mind is wear over time if it works (or get a dynemma topping lift). Something to do next time I’m at anchor (IF I ever get to my boat again!!!)