head sail for c and c 32

Nov 9, 2017
7
c and c 32 new york
have a very tired furling head sail for c and c 32. . 40' luff, 20 foot, I believe it is a 155. A bit too much for me to get on/off the boat, and just club race/cruise sporadically. Thinking of buying a used, smaller sail but not sure how much damage I would do to sailing characteristics. , or what size I could go to. Any thoughts are welcome. Dan Mc
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,523
Hunter 27_75-84 Sandusky Harbor Marina, Ohio
In my opinion, a 155 is a racing sail. That is, it’s a great sail for getting to the weather mark in a race with a crew to ballast the boat in light to medium winds. The sail rapidly loses shape as you turn downwind into the reaches that are more common while cruising or day sailing. Our 110 is the right sail in winds of 12 to 25 knots, and we have an asymmetric spinnaker that is a great reaching sail ( down to a very broad reach or even a run) it light to medium winds. We have a 130 for going to weather in light winds, but seldom need it.

My recommendation is that you find a local sailmaker, who knows your boat, and will consult with you on the best sails for your boat and sailing desires. Once our sailmaker understood that we are not racing, he recommended the combo described above. It has served us very well in 18 years of cruising the Great Lakes (from Erie and up to the North Channel.)

A great question - and there is a good answer for you and your boat!
 
Nov 9, 2017
7
c and c 32 new york
hmmm, even tho I am not a good racer, I hate the thought of not being very competitive. Maybe I will rethink this. Thanks for the good advice.