Originally Posted by
Rainbow
Has anyone heard of deliberately increasing the main roach to a point it will overlap the backstay by several inches? North wanted to give me some roach instead of the straight leech all three prior mains had. The first time I jibed, the top two battens hit so hard it shook the whole rig, and they dragged and hung up tacking also. I had it cut down twice on the assumption one never wants to have the sail slap the backstay, but it still overlaps by an inch unless the main is strapped down hard. As the boom lifts during a tack or jibe, and when trimmed easy in light air up wind, the battens still hang up. Slapping is reduced now though with less overlap. At this point I was told told the slapping never was a problem, the sail is designed and built to take that abuse (and indeed there is what appears to be a very durable and slippery extra patch over the end of the full battens), and the rig won't be hurt by the really significant sudden bang/shaking. Am I as out of date about mainsails and backstays as my trusty flip phone is about modern communications?