Increasing outhaul tension results in what sail shape?

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Multiple Choice

Increasing outhaul tension results in what sail shape?

Tightening the outhaul pulls the foot of the mainsail along the boom, which reduces the sail’s curvature and depth. As the sail flattens, the draft moves forward toward the luff, giving a flatter sail profile. So increasing outhaul tension results in a flatter sail with the draft near the luff. Loosening the outhaul would make the sail fuller with a deeper draft, which is the opposite effect, and no change wouldn’t be accurate since the shape does change with tension.

Tightening the outhaul pulls the foot of the mainsail along the boom, which reduces the sail’s curvature and depth. As the sail flattens, the draft moves forward toward the luff, giving a flatter sail profile. So increasing outhaul tension results in a flatter sail with the draft near the luff. Loosening the outhaul would make the sail fuller with a deeper draft, which is the opposite effect, and no change wouldn’t be accurate since the shape does change with tension.

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