Can One Simple Low Cost Device Transform Your Upwind Sailing Experience?

Big sport drives innovation. 

Motor racing gave us anti-lock brakes. Cycling gave us quick release wheels. Yacht racing gave us the Cunningham. 

A wonderfully effective, and simple modification that costs virtually nothing and can significantly improve your boats upwind performance. 

Not everything on a boat needs to be expensive, and in its most basic form, a Cunningham is simply a low cost piece of line used to take the wrinkles out of the mainsail's luff.

It's as basic as that. But it's also so much more.

Harken describe it here as:

The cunningham controls the fore and aft position of draft in the mainsail or genoa and works together with the traveler, mainsheet, outhaul and vang to optimize sail shape and increase boatspeed. Harken. 

What happens when you don't have a Cunningham?

As the wind increases, wind pressure moves the draft of the sail aft. This means the belly of the sail moves backwards towards the leach and the aerodynamic shape is the opposite of what you need. 

Trimming the Cunningham moves the draft forward again, and a good upwind shape is restored. 

How to rig a Cunningham 

A Cunningham is a piece of line attached to the base of the mast that runs up through a grommet or ring in the sail (usually about 6 inches from the mainsail's tack). 

Then down to a cleat on the opposite side of the mast. 

To use it, walk to the mast, pull the line until the wrinkles disappear and the draft moves forward. Then cleat it off. Job done. If you have the space, bring the line back to the cockpit and make life easier!

It's a one stage process that is much kinder to your sail than winching the halyard up. 

Most boats with fractional rigs and adjustable back-stays struggle to create a smooth sail shape once back-stay tension is increased.

In use, it's similar to adjusting a leech line. 

And just like a leech line, it's easy to overdo it.  I seem to remember cruising legend Eric Hiscock referred to this as 'putting the sails to sleep'. Just enough tension to eliminate wrinkles, but nothing more.

You can read a lot more about it online. But essentially, that's it.

3 Reasons why You Should Use A Cunningham 

Reason #1: A Simplified Sail Trim Process

Sailing often involves dealing with complex maneuvers and multiple steps. When using a halyard for sail trimming, you need to cast off, wrap, grind, watch, belay, coil, and stow - a multitude of steps. 

The Cunningham offers a streamlined alternative. 

By merely releasing the Cunningham line from the cleat and adjusting the draft until it's perfect, you save time and effort, making sail trimming simpler and more efficient.

Reason #2: Racing Heritage and Proven Simplicity

The Cunningham's origins lie in the competitive world of racing. Sailors who need peak performance from their boats rely on this device for a reason. Its simplicity means there's less that can go wrong, ensuring consistent and reliable results.

Whether you're racing or leisurely cruising, the Cunningham improves sail trim.

Reason #3: Minimal Components, Maximum Impact

The heart of the Cunningham's  design is a sewn or pressed ring, a large grommet approximately 1" in diameter. This uncomplicated design, consisting of just a few parts, is the embodiment of "less is more." 

Unlike complex systems prone to failure, the Cunningham's straightforward approach offers durability and dependability. 

With fewer components, there's less maintenance, less risk, and more time spent enjoying better performance.

Final Thoughts 

The Cunningham epitomises simplicity in sailing and the 'keep it simple' philosophy.

It enables you to trim your mainsail effortlessly and efficiently, eliminating the need for a laborious halyard-based process.  Rigging a Cunningham can transform your sailing experience, simplifying your boats processes and giving you more time sailing in the groove and less time dealing with complicated systems.

Tips:

When incorporating the Cunningham into your sail trim set up, start with small adjustments to get a feel for how it affects your sail trim. All sails are differently cut, stretched and aged!

Practice releasing and cleating the Cunningham to ensure smooth and quick adjustments when needed.

Look after the Cunningham and associated lines and keep them well-maintained to prolong their lifespan and reliability.