[net.rec.boat] Use for telltales on mainsail?

wisen@inmet.UUCP (12/31/83)

#N:inmet:18900002:000:1103
inmet!wisen    Dec 29 13:21:00 1983

   Doesn't seem to be much noise in this group, so maybe I should make some.

   Does anybody know a good way to use telltales on the mainsail (of a sloop,
for instance) ?   I've tried placing telltale about 14" from the mast, about
8' up the luff, about where the sail has maximum curve (and as high as I can
reach without dropping mainsail).  Telltales in that position don't seem to
get to a stable, straight shape, probably because of turbulence around the
mast.   But it seems to me that there should be someplace wherefrom a 
telltale will relay useful info.   Perhaps on the leeward side, in close-
hauled position, where a streamlined mast "looks" like it won't cause much
turbulence (I never studied fluid dynamics); a telltale might get straight
in the optimum mainsail position if placed there.
But I never studied it there, because I was concentrating on jib telltales.
   So has anybody ever experimented with this?
 
	------Bruce Wisentaner			|\
	cca!ima!inmet			       /| \
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