What is a cunningham on a sailing boat?
The Cunningham is an adjustment used to tension the luff of the mainsail to move the draft forward, offsetting the wind’s efforts to push the draft aft. Most mainsails come standard with a Cunningham cringle on the luff above the tack.
What is a jib cunningham?
In sailing, a cunningham or cunningham’s eye is a type of downhaul used on a Bermuda rigged sailboat to change the shape of a sail. It is then passed through a cringle in the luff of the sail near the foot, but above the tack, and then led down on the other side to a fitting on the mast or boom or on deck.
What is the difference between a cunningham and a boom vang?
1. A boom downhaul is used on a boom that connects/attaches to a track mounted gooseneck, track is mounted to the mast. 2. A cunningham is used on a gooseneck that is direct attached to a mast (no track to slide up and down on)…
What is the topping lift on a sailboat?
The topping lift (more rarely known as an uphaul) is a line which applies upward force on a boom on a sailboat. Part of the running rigging, topping lifts are primarily used to hold a boom up when the sail is lowered. This line would run from near the free end of the boom(s) forward to the top of the mast.
What does an outhaul do?
An outhaul is a control line found on a sailboat. The outhaul is loosened to provide a fuller camber or tightened to give the sail foot a flatter camber. Depending on the wind, this will increase or decrease boat speed.
How does the Cunningham work?
The cunningham controls the fore and aft position of draft in the mainsail or genoa and works together with the traveler, mainsheet, outhaul and vang to optimize sail shape and increase boatspeed. Cunningham controls lead to the crew to encourage adjustment as wind speed changes.
What is the Cunningham test of recklessness?
Cunningham recklessness requires that the accused foresees the consequences of his actions as being probable or even possible and yet goes on to take the risk.
When should I adjust my topping lift?
When the sail is raised, the topping lift should be adjusted to take out any slack in it while taking care to not over-tighten it. When the mainsail is reefed, the boom will rise to meet the new clew, this will also induce a lot of slack into the topping lift.
Is a topping lift necessary?
It is important to note that with an adjustable topping lift it is essential that this line is released once the mainsail is hoisted, allowing the sail to pull taut. In this position, the mainsail can achieve an effective shape and can be trimmed nicely for sailing at different points of sail.
How is Cunningham used in a sailboat?
Cunningham (sailing) By either hauling or easing the line, the tension in the luff can be changed, thereby shifting the point of maximum draft of the sail forward or aft respectively, optimizing sail shape and thus performance. It is a fine control which is used more frequently on racing sailboats than on cruising or day-sailing boats.
How is the clew attached to the sail?
The tack is attached to the bow. The clew is attached to the jib sheets that control the shape of then when you set the sail. To get the sail up, you haul on the jib halyard that is attached to the head of the sail. The front edge of the sail is called the luff. By tightening the jib halyard you tighten the luff.
What is the front edge of a sail called?
The front edge of the sail is called the luff. By tightening the jib halyard you tighten the luff. Generally speaking you want all the edges of the sail to be tight when the sail is set (not flapping about) so you always want the jib halyard to be as tight as you can manage.
How did the cunningham downhaul get its name?
Cunningham downhaul. In sailing, a cunningham or cunningham’s eye is a type of downhaul used on a Bermuda rigged sailboat to change the shape of a sail. It is named after its inventor, Briggs Cunningham, a victorious America’s Cup skipper and yacht builder.