Eastport Pram - Loose-footed rig?

Builder's Forum
1

Hi folks,

 I am starting to look at rigging my EP in between coats of epoxy and varnish, and I was a little unclear today about the rigging. Luckily, the new rigging instructions that come with the new nesting pram booklet set me straight. Thanks CLC! Include those with the standard model as well!

 Anyway, maybe I'm just sick of this thing and want it in the water quicker, but I'm not so gung-ho to drill the yard and boom so as to lace up the sail. I see the new instructions call for simply lashing the sails around the entire spar, but I was wondering if anyone has tried simply rigging it loose-footed? In the picture gallery, I noticed a few Frenchmen did just that and I kind of liked the sail shape they are getting. Seems to fill out a little better from side to side... 

 Like I said, I am probably just being lazy, but I am thinking of leaving the sail loose on the boom at least, with the idea that I can always just lace them up later...

Cheers,

 David in Vancouver. 

2

From what I have heard, a boom often needs to be stiffer for a loose footed sail, because there is no upward pull by the sail on the middle of the boom to oppose the downward pull of the forward mainsheet block. I'm not saying that's a deal breaker, but if you have the option to stiffen the standard boom, that might be worth considering.

Grant

3

I see your point, Grant, and it is something I hadn't thought of. Somehow, with such a small sail surface, and the main sheet being hand-held and sheeted only five feet out from the jaws,  I think in this case it wouldn't make a big difference, at least not in the sort of weather the Pram can safely sail. If I try it, I will definitely keep an eye on the flex of the boom, though. Thanks for the input.

-David.