![]() Having a small jib available, however, will help protect and extend the life of the genoa, providing needed insurance against complete sail failure when far from home. In fact, it will likely be the correct sail a large percentage of the time.įor sailing offshore, the stay should be located well forward: the working jib needs to remain large enough to be useful. In more than 15-18 knots, this will be the sail to use. Your second headsail should be a heavy working jib with an LP between 85-100%. A minimum clew height of 36 inches is recommended, simply so the foot of the sail always clears the lifelines and does not have to be lifted or "skirted" every time the boat is tacked. Upwind performance, however, is better with a lower clew. It will also minimize the amount of water that’s scooped up by the sail in big seas, making it a little easier to see under the sail. The higher the clew, the better the sail will be when reaching. (Most sailmakers will quote reasonably effective reduction of up to 30% of original LP.) Beyond this you have a triangle, but not much of an airfoil. Genoas for roller furling can usually be used while partly furled if allowances are made in the initial construction, though shape deteriorates relative to the amount the sail is furled. It this also a marginal, if any, benefit reaching and running. Additional LP is a liability in more breeze. Going larger (say from a 135% to a 150%) is usually only a benefit in less than 8-10 knots. If you sail in San Francisco or Buzzards Bay, you won't need as much sail as someone on Chesapeake Bay or Long Island Sound. For a given percentage of overlap, you get a much bigger sail on a boat with a long “J” dimension.Ī larger, stronger, and more experienced crew can better manage a bigger sail. It does no relate directly to area, but is a measure of overlap. It’s expressed as a percentage of "J" (150% LP = 1.5 x J). LP is the shortest straight line distance from clew to luff. These are genoa-dependent and will need larger headsails. On the flip side, many older or more traditional cruising boats have relatively small mainsails and big "J" dimensions. The latest "performance" cruising boats have huge mainsails and use non-overlapping jibs as the primary sail. If they are equal, or if E is longer than J, the boat relies more on its mainsail for horsepower, so the jibs can be smaller. Check the foot length of the mainsail ("E") versus the base of the foretriangle from mast to stem ("J"). The larger the mainsail (relative to the headsails), the smaller the genoa needs to be. When choosing the size of the overlap for the genoa, balance out several factors: For the primary sail, use a medium-to-large roller furling genoa. When it comes to headsails, go for the convenience and handling safety of a roller furling system. Are your hardware and sail handling systems up to the task?įor part one, let’s start by looking at your headsails.If you need sails, do fancier new materials make sense?.Are special materials or construction details needed?.So where do you start? In this series on sail inventory planning, I’ll help you answer these questions: Most new boats come with stock sails that are usually minimalist rarely do they incorporate the construction details and features needed for more serious sailing. Used boats often include used sails that show their age and miles. When you buy a boat used or new, there’s a good chance you’ll need to reconsider your inventory. Sadly, sail inventory on many cruising boats is low on the list of priorities, but it’s worth the investment if you’re considering a long trip. On the open water, however, sails really are the engine. When land is nearby, a sail failure, or not having the right sail for the conditions, is no big deal. ![]() To achieve the best handling and versatility, you want your headsail to be as small as possible, while still being able to drive the boat well in reasonably light to moderate conditions. This series, How to Choose Your Cruising Sail Inventory, Quantum's Dave Flynn will help guide you through the process and make sure you know what questions to ask. When it does, it’s important to have the right sail inventory. Whether you’re new to cruising or you’ve been knocking around local waters for years, the lure of open water and longer passages can get to you. Choosing the right sails can be a daunting experience for any sailor.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |