Martinus Van Breems, Inc. 54A Beach Road, Norwalk, CT 06855 Tel.
Table of Contents Subject Page Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 Components - ............................................................................................. 2 Specifications - ........................................................................................... 2 Definitions - ................................................................................................ 3 Tools and Parts Required - ...........
Your Guarantee Dutchman™ is a trademark of Martinus Van Breems, Inc. The Owners Manual is Copyright 1996 by Martinus Van Breems, Inc., P.O. Box 2875 Saug. Sta., Westport, Connecticut, 06880, U.S.A., 203-838 0375 fax 203 838 0377. The Dutchman Sail Flaking System is Patented. Construction, purchase, or use of unauthorized systems may result in legal action. Martinus Van Breems, Inc., reserves the right to change all prices, hardware, and specifications without notice at any time.
Introduction Thank you for your purchase of a Dutchman Sail Flaking System. We work hard to produce quality, effective products and provide excellent customer service. We’re here to help you. Call, fax, or contact Martin van Breems by e-mail. Bear in mind that we guarantee your satisfaction with our products. See our guarantee for more details. Finally, we know many of our sales come from customer recommendations, which we appreciate very, very much.
Components Check that you have the following parts. Discs may have already been fastened to the tabs. Normally, the sailmaker will supply a new topping lift pennant, using the mono and donut clamps and fasteners. If you will be making up the pennant, refer to the specifications for the correct size. The swiveling mono clamps can be used with up to 3/8" or 10mm vinyl coated wire or rope. The lower donut clamps need to be drilled if used with over 1/8" (3mm) wire or 3/ 16" (4.5mm) rope.
Definitions Boom Topping Lift - A topping lift which is fixed to the top of the mast. There is usually an adjusting line attached to the boom. If this is what you have, add a halyard topping lift (see page 4) or use the B or C system. Halyard Topping Lift - Topping lift runs over a sheave at the top of the mast. Can be a second or spare main halyard, or can be run externally. Needed for the A system. Pennant - Usually vinyl coated wire, the topping lift pennant is what the control lines are attached to.
Installing your Dutchman System These instructions will take you through the entire process of setting up a Dutchman Sail Flaking System. The first paragraph tells you if you need to do this. The summary briefly describes the steps. The mainsail should be ‘bent on’ at this point. If the sailmaker has made up the topping lift pennant with the control lines attached (normally the case), and you already have a halyard style topping lift, skip to ‘Adjust the Topping Lift Clamps’. If not, read on.
Rig the Topping Lift Pennant and Control Lines 3’ / 1m Your sailmaker may have made up a topping lift pennant and run the control lines through the sail. If so, go to the next section ‘Adjust the Topping Lift Clamps’. If not, read on. Summary: You need a vinyl coated SS wire pennant to run from the end of the boom to just below the mast top. Spectra line can be used instead to save weight aloft. Drill and roughly position the donut and mono clamps.
Adjust the Topping Lift Clamps This section is extremely important - read and follow carefully. The new topping lift pennant must be made up with the control lines run through the sail. If not, see the previous section. If it’s windy, head the boat into the wind and use lots of fenders. Summary: Rig the new pennant. Raise the sail. Adjust the topping lift clamps so they are above the uppermost grommet when viewed from 2 boat lengths away. 1. Attach the new pennant. The shackle is attached to the boom end.
Adjust the Control Line Length Again, read and follow this section very carefully. The control lines must be run through the sail. See page 5 if they are not. You must be certain that the topping lift clamps are above the uppermost grommet, by sighting the sail from 1-2 boat lengths away (the only way to check). Read page 6. Summary Adjust the control lines so they are just slack. With a large roach, the control lines will be snug. The sail must be all the way up. 1. Raise the main up tight.
Using the Dutchman System Using the system quickly becomes second nature, and after a while, you’ll think every main should flake itself! Many customers tell us you only really appreciate the system after you sail on a boat that doesn’t have it. Just raise the sail and ease the topping lift as you normally would. If the sail picks up the boom as it’s raised the last few inches, you don’t even have to slacken the topping lift.
Large Roach Mains You need to raise a large roach main a little differently than you do a normal main. By large roach, we mean a catamaran or Freedom style rig with no backstay, and a full batten sail with a roach extending out about 2 - 4 feet or 60 -120 cm beyond the straightline from the headboard to the clew. On a normal main, if the topping lifts gets caught or snagged on the roach, it will clear itself when the topping lift becomes slack and the sails luffs.
Full Battens If you have a full batten main, make sure that your batten pockets do not protrude beyond the leech. If they do, they will always foul or catch the topping lift and any other rigging like running backstays, with or without a Dutchman. The battens must be shortened so they do not protrude beyond the leech. The pockets should also be ‘clean’ with nothing to catch the topping lift. Sometimes a cover can be sewn over the end of the pocket to clean things up.
Storm Trysails If you are planning on heading offshore, consider a storm trysail, or make the main a little heavier with some extra reef and head patching, and installing a very deep reef in place of setting up a storm trysail. If you take the more conservative route and install a storm trysail with a separate track, there are two ways to go. If you sheet the trysail to the boom (an easier way to go), make sure the clew picks up the boom enough to slacken the control lines.
Removing the Sail The sail should be stored flaked as it lies on the boom, with no sharp creases. This helps the sail keep its ‘memory’ when stored. With a halyard topping lift and the A system, simply remove the pennant with the sail. We first pull out the slides, then slide the foot out of the boom. The sail will now be hanging on the control lines alongside the boom. Lower the topping lift to drop the sail to the deck. The sail will stay flaked.
Trouble Shooting Guide Sail falls off boom around control lines / does not flake neatly. 2 possible causes. Either the topping lift clamp is below the uppermost grommet, or the control lines are too slack. Start by lifting up the flaked sail and look at the tabs sewn to the foot of the sail when the main is down. The control line should be tight, with the tab pulled up by the control line, not falling off the boom. The sail actually hangs off the control lines.
Licensing Card Please fill out and return this licensing card. This licensing card will help us to provide you with product updates. Thank you very much, and please tell your friends about our products. Thank you for you selection of a Dutchman product. Please complete and return this warranty card as soon as possible. Thank you.
