Tell tales

[Killick69]

Main sail on Night Cap has no tell tales, so looking for suggestions. What do you use (DIY or Whitworths/Bias). If Bias/Whitworths is there any particular type/brand you found better. Where are the best places on the sail to fit the tell tales. Lastly, what are your views on the tales that go on the leech of the sail (terminology?).

Look forward to your ideas and suggestions,
John

[storm petrel]

I just have them off the leech of the main. They came with my new main a few years ago and are helpful. Not sure you need any other tell tales on the main unless you are racing.

[Dolphin]

John, your telltales are very important.
Two boats going in the same direction constitute a race! We've all been there.

The telltales on the main should be and usually are about 1/3rd the way up the sail and 2/3rds the wayup.
The front telltale should be about 300mm from the luff and one in the middle of the sail. You should also have about 3 telltales on the leech, the trailing edge of the sail. They're usually made from 1/2 oz spinnaker cloth. If nothing else, you definitely need leech telltales.
When you apply the sticky telltales don;t point them backward, if there is any rain it will stick to the sail. Make them point into the wind. The wind then bends them backwards, will dry them out and make them flutter.
On the laser I've put woollies on using polyester wool. Use bits about 200mm long, tie a stopper knot in the middle. Using a sewing needle, poke the wool through the sail and tie another stopper knot in the other side. You can use contrasting colours or just use dark colours, reds or blacks. One needle hole doesn't affect the sail.
It's probably more important to have woolies on the jib. That is where all the work is and getting the angle of attack right is VERY important.
The Leeward telltales, the ones on the other side of the sail, must ALWAYS be streaming back when going to windward. The windward ones, the ones you can see easily, can momentarily reverse their flow if you are pinching to get a bit of height.
Knowing what the sail is doing and making it work efficiently is not only good seamanship, its saves wear on the sail, may be the difference in you making it safely to port before bad weather and its fun to sit and trim. It takes your mind off your worries.