The owner of that tiki is inexperienced with wingsails. He wanted a
walk-under bimini, so he made the mast longer and raised the mainsail
higher. This put the mainsheet at a much steeper angle than the
original design, thus making the foot too loose, etc.
You simply have to appreciate the gaff in order to raise/lower the
wingsail on a tiki: it must be slightly below horizontal. If it is
above horizontal while attempting to haul, the gaff will be pressed
hard against the mast. To lower the sail, the gaff is dropped and its
weight helps to bring the sail down. My old main dropped like a stone;
my brand new main is quite stiff and so doesn't fall as fast, but it
soon will. Practice and experience cannot be ignored in any endeavor.
Mitch wrote:
The owner of that Tiki just wrote on Sailing Anarchy about how poorly that rig works, no easy way to hoist or douse, no easy way to trim it or get leech tension. Says he wouldn't do it again.