Squaretop or standard cut.

Will a square top main overload the cross members causing cracks sooner than a standard cut main? Im reading so many stories about cracked cross members. Mine are fine and looking to get a new sport main and not sure which to get square or standard cut. Please keep in mind I am a recreational sailor on Long Island not entering regattas or class events. I may enter the around shelter island race once a year.

A square top sail not going to overload the crossbars. Crossbar cracks come from corrosion and overloading the boat (sailing in heavy conditions or with a lot of weight on the boat).

sm

email sent, with comments.
see the debate of mid 201 in the H18 Forum

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SRM is right, my crossbeam cracking has nothing to do with the squaretop except that it allows me to drive the boat faster than a standard sail. The cracking comes from driving the boat hard and poor engineering that allows all the force at the end of the beam to only be loaded on the beams underside.