135% or 150% furling genoa?

[Thijs]

I wonder what furling genoa is preferred on a 1989 Catalina 30: 135% or 150%?
My sailing area is mainly coastal/lakes. Leisurely cruising. Ideal, I would be getting maximum sailing speed, boat handling and comfort in breezes up to 16 kn. What do you use? And what are your experiences?

 

[Bad Obsession]

Are you a tall rig bow sprit?

I am carrying a 155% on a tall rig and bow sprit. I need to put a reef in the main when the wind nears 15 knots. Over 15 knots I roll in some jib on the furler.

I also carry a 100% jib that I can put up in heavy air. Since I am single handed most of the time I try to anticpate heavy air and change before it becomes an issue (it is not fun to go forward in high sea and take down a jib).

I would suggest a 150% if you are in light winds most of the time. You can always reef the main if the wind builds to 15 knots and you can then roll in some jib as well especially if you have a foam luff.

 

[Don Guillette]

The following is just my personal preference. I started out with a 155 but found it was a lot for me to handle. I single handed 95% of the time. I'm not saying it was unmanagable but it was more work than I wanted to put into it so I sold it. As a repalcement I purchased a high cut 135. Obviously, it was easier to handled but on the first try I did not like it so I sold that one too - I had belonged to a Catalina 30 group on the old sailnet forum so they were easy to get rid of. Next, I bought a low cut 135 (not a deck sweeper) and I realy liked that sail.

I didn't seem to any the worse from a performance standpoint. I've gone head to head with 155 boats and unles they are spot on with their sail trim I could easily match their speed and pull ahead of them.

 

[Shell]

Get the 150. In light air it will give you the needed pull. Yeh, I know the furling it, to reef is not the best when the wind picks up, but it's better than sitting on the water looking at yourself in light air.

 

[JIM B]

Go With The 135%

I have both a 135% and 155%. I find the 135% to be best most of the time. If the wind is so light that I wish for the 155% it is probably too light to matter much anyway. Since I am not racing and tack frequently single handed the 135 is more versitile and easier. For really light wind I would like to get a gennaker without the uv cover (still on my wish list).

Just my $0.02

Good luck and Merry Christmasl

 

[Bad Obsession]

I wish I had a foam luff on my 150%. It would roll better. I can roll down to 135% and it is okay, but when I get down to 110% then I really need to find the magic spot for the traveler car to sit.

The other thing is that I wish I had at least two reef points in my Main. I WOULD NEVER put a main on my boat without two reef points now.

 

[Bob M.]

Don's experience with a 135 mirrors that of a sailmaker I knew who owned a C30. He told me he had taken first place in the Catalina Nationals flying a 135 genoa. When I was looking to purchase a new genoa, he tried to talk me into the 135 (we both sailed on Lake Michigan). I didn't take his advice, and now I sometimes wish that I did.

One consideration offered by another friend with a C30 is this: The 135 will sheet in at the widest part of the boat. This would seem to be a consideration if your genoa tracks are on the toe rail. Pointing might be more difficult. But Don's EXPERIENCE with both sails trumps that consideration in my book.

 

[Thijs]

Thanks

Thanks guys for sharing your experiences. I sail shorthanded (wife and small kid) which makes the bigger genoa more work to handle. However, in light winds, a bit of speed would be nice too... Too many options/wishes...

 

[Moody Buccaneer]

Not to argue with Don who has much more C30 experience than I ...

Below 10 knots true, it would take a very good 135 or a very poorly trimmed 155 to make it an even race.

That said, a 150-155 is a LOT of work if you have to short tack. But if you want the boat to sail up to it's potential in 0-8 knots, a C30 needs all the area it can get. With crew on the rail a STD rig C30 can carry the 155 to about 18-20 true. A 100% is as fast above 16.

I'm getting rid of the 135 and having a new 150+ (PHRF Max) sail built for my Std/BS boat. I'm tired of being low and slow in light air.

 

[Don Guillette]

Moody Buccaneer: Your absolutely right - a 155 would edge me out but he has to be right on. During races I always watch the boats ahead of me. By watching their sail trim I know when it is only a matter of time before we pass them or if is going to be a very long day. The 155 was just too much for me alone to deal with in a cruising situation.

 

[Moody Buccaneer]

Moody Buccaneer: Your absolutely right - a 155 would edge me out but he has to be right on. During races I always watch the boats ahead of me. By watching their sail trim I know when it is only a matter of time before we pass them or if is going to be a very long day. The 155 was just too much for me alone to deal with in a cruising situation.

Hey Don,

I just decided to go retro on my boat. The roller furler is coming off, my #2 is in the loft getting converted to hanks.

After hours of sailing and taking photos of the sail, it became obvious that one of the problems was the stiffness and weight of the furler. In lighter air I could not get enough headstay sag to put shape into the sail. That combined with the relatively flat shape that allows the sail to roll up nicely really made the sail slow in under 10-12 true.

We (my sailmakers, crew and I) hope that we can save the sail as a decent #2 and make it set better at the lower end of the range on a bare stay that we can use to shape the sail. The new Genoa can be targeted for up to 16 knots and not have the shape compromised for a furler.

I agree that a #1 is more work than it is worth when you are cruising short or single-handed and have to tack often. That's why I got rid of the big sail that was on the boat when I bought her.

I also agree that there is great satisfaction in sailing past another boat with a smaller sail. Almost as much as catching and passing a larger boat in our old C30's!

Randy

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Hey Don,
I have experienced the same overload problems wirth my 155 full cut genny. I bought a Rolley Tasker made sail online (made in asia). I sent him what I wanted, 2 view windows for telltales, and other options. What I did different was not to spec the full cut. I have a higher cut sail (off the deck) and can now sail 20kts with a flattened main set leeward of midship. I was real surprised. Also I can see in front of me now. Just look at a higher cut.

captnron

 

[Bob M.]

I can't help but wonder whether this discussion has been missing consideration of the tall rig vs. standard rig issue. The tall rig with bow sprit has a huge 155.

 

[Thijs]

I can't help but wonder whether this discussion has been missing consideration of the tall rig vs. standard rig issue. The tall rig with bow sprit has a huge 155.

Hi Bob,

I started the discussion asking advice for a standard rig. Thanks all for your point of view on the topic. It shure helps to define the right cut and size.

 

[LDK]

If you can afford them you would be best served to carry both. I have both and fly the 135 most of the time. The 150 is alot of sail in a 15kts or better and furling is good to approx 135 more than that power is deminshed greatly because of shape lose. The 135 I fly full in 25Kts with the main reefed. Here on SF bay the air can change quickly and to be caught with alll your laundry in the air can be an exciting ride. If only one head sail can be had then go with the 135.

Fairwell bye and large

LK

 

[mortyd]

new genoa

i replaced my jenny last summer with a 150 figuring it's easier to reef a 150 into a smaller sail than it is vice versa, but i sail in western long island sound where light wind is much more a common problem than heavy wind.