Hi All ~ It is all frozen here, so time for a little maintenance on AFLAC! (yes, that was a shout...can't say AFLAC without shouting, can you?!)
I looked through the past posts on brailing and have decided to try it. I would like to know the exact location on the stock Skerry sail for the leech grommet, and also the location on the mast for the brass ring to hang from the throat of the sail.
Past posts have described having the location of the brass ring on the mast as either higher or lower than the leech grommet, yet the graphic pictures seem to differ in that respect.
Can a Skerrier that has been-there-and-done-that please respond?
Much thanks, and let the thawing begin!
Kyle and AFLAC

Kyle,

My sail is not the stock shape so I can't provide you with exact measurements.

My experience indicates that when the sail is brailed, one wants the grommet to sit just a few (4inches) above the ring. That makes it so that the brailing line will be pulling down on the extra sail cloth above the brailing line rather than pulling extra cloth upward.

Hope this helps,
David

Kyle,

Does your rig have a boom? I attach my brailing line to the boom.

- Bob

Thanks for the feedback. Since I have a boom, I would like to see a picture or schematic, if you have one, Bob.
Thanks!
Kyle

Kyle,

There is a bad picture of it here (second one down), as well as a description. I don't know if that is adequate for you, but I'll see if I can find a better pic. Let me know if you have questions!

Thanks Bob. That looks great! Thanks again for the pictorial description.
Do you have the brailing line on both sides of the sail, or only on one side?
Kyle

It goes along both sides! I'll try again at a description.

Start with a long line tied to the mast, at about the point where the end of the boom will meet the mast when brailed. Bring that line along the starboard side of the sail and through the hole in the end of the boom where you've lashed the clew of the sail. It's important that the brailing line will run freely through this hole. I made mine big enough, but it was just luck. If it doesn't run freely through here, you'll have to think of another way (maybe a fairlead or just open the hole a little).

Next run the line back to the mast along the port side of the sail to a fairlead placed at about the same point you tied the brailing line to begin with. In my case, the fairlead is just another loop of line. I had planned to install a fairlead, but never got a round tuit.

From the fairlead run the line down along the mast to a cleat positioned somewhere convenient. Trim the line making sure it is long enough so that it won't interfere when underway. That's it!

Originally I said port first, and above I said starboard first. It doesn't matter much, which way you do it, but it helps to end on the side you want to cleat the line on, so figure out where you want the cleat to go, then start out along the opposite side of the sail. My current configuration runs along the starboard side first.

Oh and don't make the mistake I made by cleating the brailing line right next to the snotter, and then using the same color and weight line. I have a hard time telling someone which line to pull or not pull when the snotter needs some tension. I think I'll switch the snotter to something color coded.

In use, it's helpful to ease off some of the tension on the snotter, then haul on the brailing line while letting out the sheet. I find the sprit will settle in a little better if the port side is windward. I do not find that this makes a very tidy package, but it does effectively get the sprit, boom, and sail into one bundle against the mast.

If I had to come up with a criticism of the Skerry, it's that there is too much surface and weight aloft when the sail is brailed. But I haven't thought of a solution that doesn't involve a radical change to the rigging.

When spring returns I'll get the boat out and take some better pictures. I need to replace some lines anyway.

- Bob

Thanks Bob...very clear description. I get it now!
I am wondering if you will make your snotter sheet lime green!
Kyle