Comptip and square top sails

Much has been written about comptips, and I am not here to say 'good' or 'bad'.

What do others do to achieve a tight leech?

We sail a 1989 SX18, with a new style Pentex square top main, and we've had the devil of a time getting a tight leech. I removed the H001 blocks on the boom, used the H002 with becket, and installed a used triple, courtesy of a fellow Forum member. Now with 10 mm Robbline, on the upwind, I can get the blocks within 18" of each other. However, this caused the comptip to bend backwards, which is not good for a tight leech. So our next adjustment was to release the mast rotator fully. Our thinking is that it is better for the mast to bend on the minor axis, and so far we are good. I can now hold those pesky Classic Tornado's on the upwind.

What do others do?

So let me ask, was the comptip designed for a pin top sail only... so the top can twist away without affecting the leech tension?

Is there anything else we can do to maintain a tight leech?

Something must be workiing, as we placed 2nd in this last weekend's local regatta. At Fanfare, in a mixed fleet of Tornado's, a NACRA 500, a F16 Blade, an Inter 20, a Unicorn, a H16, a H17 and our SX18, we came in 2nd.

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2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

The Comptip was introduced (mid-'80s) long before square-top mains were (late '90s), so I'd have to say, "Yes."


Use a stiffer mast - like a Tiger's (it's been done before).

Thanks Matt, that's what we thought.

Too much work for me to convert to a Tiger mast, much easier to buy one!
Or even a good, used WildCat.....

Mike, would you recommend a conversion?

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

John,
how about a SX mast without a comp tip? Seems to me to be the reasonable solution.
Sort of a plug n play.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

I would go with that in a flash.... who would sell one?
Not Hobie.... at least that is my thought. If I could sign a legal waiver, I'd buy the extrusion and remount all the tangs and diamond wires and be good to go.

Ideas?

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

No such animal. The SX was developed with the Comptip in 1989.

Laminate a couple layers of carbon fiber onto the outside of the comptip. That should stiffen it up a bit...

sm

Sounds like you are doing pretty good with what you have.Though the Tiger is a pretty nice upgrade ( just saying)