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Installation Information

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 Directory of Sailmakers for a list of lofts experienced in the installation of Dutchman Systems.

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. (See Owner's Manual A System or Owner's Manual B / C Systems.)

We have three topping lift options:

System A for boats with a halyard-style topping lift.

System B with a pennant as a continuouls loop of line.

System C with ball bearing blocks at the top and bottom of a continuous topping lift.

See below.

System A is for boats with a halyard-style topping lift. If you have a can rig or a halyard topping lift, 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 mst. 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 A, ready to hoist.

The B System pennant uses a continuous loop of line, like a clothes line loop, which 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.

System B, for boom-adjusted topping lift.

C Systems use ball bearing blocks at the top and bottom fo the contiuous topping lift, so you can easily rotate it to slack the control ines for putting up an awning or sailcover without slits.

Consider this system if you live in an area with a lot of air pollution, and/or you can easily reach the block and don't mind rotating the continuous topping lift to take the sailcover off and on. Slits in the sailcover are normally easier to use.

System C, with ball bearing blocks.

No matter which system you choose, your satisfaction is guaranteed with all Dutchman products. All parts except line are guaranteed for five years. See our guarantee for more details.

If you have any questions about which system is right for you and your boat, or any other questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us (Tel. 203-838-0375 / Fax 203-838-0377 / or email info@mvbinfo.com). We work hard to provide great customer service.