LP, as I understand it, is short for "Luff Perpendicular". This is the shortest distance from the luff to the clew....typically a line that's at right angles to the luff.
I think it's something that sailmakers and boat rating measurers like to use a lot.
Tom
Freedom 44 Jackrabbit
errrr. hmmmm. pulley on front of mast?
LP measurement
Tom Vesey
Jackrabbit
Freedom 44 Hull #26 1986
Bermuda
Jackrabbit
Freedom 44 Hull #26 1986
Bermuda
Re: errrr. hmmmm. pulley on front of mast?
Tom
You don't need to drop the mizzen staysail in order to tack, but you do need to lower it enough to "gather" it at the mizzen mast to allow the main boom to cross. (You need to get the running backstay on the original weather side out of the way as well, as the mizzen boom will hit it otherwise).
This assumes that you have enough "hands" on board to do all this...certainly a furler would make it easier, as you could just roll up the sail, ease the halyard, pull back on the sail to where you could bungee it to the mast (down low), then deal with the running back. After the tack, you'd set the "new" running back, re-hoist the staysail, unroll it, and sheet it in.
You could probably handle this all singlehandedly (with an autopilot to hold the helm) with the roller furling. I've done it singlehandedly without the furler. You kind of get busy there for a bit. Like anything else, it works only as long as it works...if anything gets away from you, it can make a mess in a hurry.
You don't need to drop the mizzen staysail in order to tack, but you do need to lower it enough to "gather" it at the mizzen mast to allow the main boom to cross. (You need to get the running backstay on the original weather side out of the way as well, as the mizzen boom will hit it otherwise).
This assumes that you have enough "hands" on board to do all this...certainly a furler would make it easier, as you could just roll up the sail, ease the halyard, pull back on the sail to where you could bungee it to the mast (down low), then deal with the running back. After the tack, you'd set the "new" running back, re-hoist the staysail, unroll it, and sheet it in.
You could probably handle this all singlehandedly (with an autopilot to hold the helm) with the roller furling. I've done it singlehandedly without the furler. You kind of get busy there for a bit. Like anything else, it works only as long as it works...if anything gets away from you, it can make a mess in a hurry.