The Dutchman Sailflaking System is installed on your sail by a sailmaker
The system must be installed on your sail carefully. It not an easy or simple job to do well. See our SailmakerDirectory for a list of lofts experienced in the installation of Dutchman Systems.
A System Manual
B System Manual
However, once installed on your sail, the system is not hard to install on your boat. About half the owners of Dutchman Systems do the job themselves. You only need a phillips screwdriver and the time to read and follow the Owner’s Manual. (Updated Manuals Coming Soon. )
Topping Lift Options
System A for boats with a halyard-style topping lift
If you have halyard topping lift, or can rig one, use the A System.
We recommend adding a halyard topping lift to boats over 40 feet (13m) or with booms of over 15 feet (4.5m), charter boats, offshore racing yachts, or if you rig a large awning over the boom. It is useful to have a spare halyard, and it makes taking a Dutchman-equipped sail on and off much easier.
With the A System, the control lines attach to a vinyl-coated wire or rope pennant, which is run from the end of the boom to 3 feet (1m) from the top of the mast. here it connects to the topping lift line, which continues up, over the masthead sheave, and back down to the base of the mast. The pennant can be lowered and removed with the sail when it comes off the boom.
System B with a pennant as a continuous loop of line
Like a clothes line loop, this system can be rotated to bring the clamps down to the deck level to adjust the system or replace the control lines.
The block at the top of the B System is attached to the masthead fitting in place of your existing pennant, while the jam cleat at the bottom is attached to the adjusting line at the end of the boom, so you can adjust your boom height normally.