@sailing Sailing question: On a Catalina 27, if you had a choice between a loose-footed main and a boltrope main (where it is attached for the full length of the boom), which would you prefer?
And how much work would it be to convert a boltrope boom to a loose-footed boom? (my assumption is virtually no work required, but I could be wrong)
I think loose footed is more modern but the sail has to specifically be cut for it. Attaching a bolt rope sail at just the corners probably won’t perform well. Don’t forget the loads on the ends of the boom VS the entire length.
@linuxguy My co-op bought an “identical” boat to the one we previously had, so we have parts for both types. The new boat has boltrope sails, but the old boat was loose-footed & the old boat’s sails are slightly better condition. Trying to decide which set to sell vs which to keep.
Lol, not a bad position to be in. Maybe go with the better sails, everything else equal… Good luck!