I plan to bite the bullet and replace my old main this winter. So far am leaning to the powerhead main from Sail Warehouse. Anyone with experience with this sail? Thanks in advance!
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Sail on-line
Hi Phil I got my new sails from sails online in new Zealand however I think that with the size of the sailing market in the USA you should be able to get a much better price over there. I went for a Mylar laminate Radial Cut sail which has a great shape and is very contollable as I race the boat however if I was only cruising I would probably go for the dacron as the tend to last longer and you dont have to be so gentle with them. Regards Mike
Hi Phil I got my new sails from sails online in new Zealand however I think that with the size of the sailing market in the USA you should be able to get a much better price over there. I went for a Mylar laminate Radial Cut sail which has a great shape and is very contollable as I race the boat however if I was only cruising I would probably go for the dacron as the tend to last longer and you dont have to be so gentle with them. Regards Mike
Full batten mains and PHRF
Hello Jim, Would you happen to know what the PHRF adjustment is for a full batten main? Also, is there an adjustment for the increased roach? Thank you, Bill
Hello Jim, Would you happen to know what the PHRF adjustment is for a full batten main? Also, is there an adjustment for the increased roach? Thank you, Bill
You get what you pay for
While I'm sure that there are some great deals to be had from small sail lofts, I firmly believe that it's worth it to get sails from top-tier sailmakers if you can find a good deal. Doyle, UK, North, Ullman, etc. North Sails just had a promotion where you trade in your old sail (it could really be ANY old sail, torn/abused/dirty is OK) and get 25% off the cost of a new sail at full price, which worked out to a little better than what I had been able to negotiate in quotes before. So I got a new main with two sets of reef points and a 105% jib, both of 6.5 oz premium "racing dacron" with battens, draft stripes, telltales, numbers, the works, for just over $1200 out the door. And let me tell you, what a difference! When I bought my boat, the previous owner had just purchased new sails (from some place called Gaastra Sails) for about $800 two years prior, and the latter of those two years, the boat was just sitting in storage. So I was expecting to have some pretty good sails. They were alright at best. I think I could have done about as well using bed sheets. The main never took on a good shape, even though I have most of the sail trimming goodies on my boat. It was always too baggy, and the draft was always in the latter half or middle of the sail, never in the front where it needs to be. When I put up my new sails from North, the difference was like night and day. Even when I had a double reef in the main, it still held perfect shape. Draft in the forward 1/3, long straight run aft (even without battens), no cupping at the leech, and I was able to get it as flat as I needed it. My point is that there's more to sails than price, and getting sails from someone who knows what they're doing makes a big difference. There are probably very compatent lofts out there that are cheaper, but if you go top-tier, and shop around, you can be sure to get the best sail for your money.
While I'm sure that there are some great deals to be had from small sail lofts, I firmly believe that it's worth it to get sails from top-tier sailmakers if you can find a good deal. Doyle, UK, North, Ullman, etc. North Sails just had a promotion where you trade in your old sail (it could really be ANY old sail, torn/abused/dirty is OK) and get 25% off the cost of a new sail at full price, which worked out to a little better than what I had been able to negotiate in quotes before. So I got a new main with two sets of reef points and a 105% jib, both of 6.5 oz premium "racing dacron" with battens, draft stripes, telltales, numbers, the works, for just over $1200 out the door. And let me tell you, what a difference! When I bought my boat, the previous owner had just purchased new sails (from some place called Gaastra Sails) for about $800 two years prior, and the latter of those two years, the boat was just sitting in storage. So I was expecting to have some pretty good sails. They were alright at best. I think I could have done about as well using bed sheets. The main never took on a good shape, even though I have most of the sail trimming goodies on my boat. It was always too baggy, and the draft was always in the latter half or middle of the sail, never in the front where it needs to be. When I put up my new sails from North, the difference was like night and day. Even when I had a double reef in the main, it still held perfect shape. Draft in the forward 1/3, long straight run aft (even without battens), no cupping at the leech, and I was able to get it as flat as I needed it. My point is that there's more to sails than price, and getting sails from someone who knows what they're doing makes a big difference. There are probably very compatent lofts out there that are cheaper, but if you go top-tier, and shop around, you can be sure to get the best sail for your money.
PHRF
PHRF has flexibiliy in this area. If your rep is like ours they will watch your performance and adjust the rating accordingly. If you kick butt in every race, expect a rating knock but otherwise they may find it unncessary to do anything at all. Especially if you suggest thais course of action.
PHRF has flexibiliy in this area. If your rep is like ours they will watch your performance and adjust the rating accordingly. If you kick butt in every race, expect a rating knock but otherwise they may find it unncessary to do anything at all. Especially if you suggest thais course of action.
mainsail
I bought the powerhead main from Sail Warehouse for my 88 26D. I'm very happy with it. Great looking sail - good shape. Hard to handle though. It's very stiff (The first new main I've ever had!). I don't race and have had it in limited situations so far
I bought the powerhead main from Sail Warehouse for my 88 26D. I'm very happy with it. Great looking sail - good shape. Hard to handle though. It's very stiff (The first new main I've ever had!). I don't race and have had it in limited situations so far
Not sure how to fly a sail
When I got the boat a few years ago, it came with a very colorful but thin nylon sail in a bag. It looks somwhat like a spinnaker but I am not sure. There was no spinnaker pole on the boat so I don't think it is a spinnaker. Someone told me it is a drifting sail or "geninnaker"? It looks like some downwind sail of some sort. I am getting better in handling the boat now and would like give this sail a try. Any idea how to fly this thing.?
When I got the boat a few years ago, it came with a very colorful but thin nylon sail in a bag. It looks somwhat like a spinnaker but I am not sure. There was no spinnaker pole on the boat so I don't think it is a spinnaker. Someone told me it is a drifting sail or "geninnaker"? It looks like some downwind sail of some sort. I am getting better in handling the boat now and would like give this sail a try. Any idea how to fly this thing.?
flying your sail
If your boat came like mine, it is probably a asymetric spinnaker or cruising spinaker. I've only had mine out once, so can give little advice, although I really can't say it adds a lot of sail area beyond what the gennie has. Looks purdy, though. This website gives some advise, as well as some other pretty good info, and somewhere, someone had a good diagram for rigging, but I can't remember where.
If your boat came like mine, it is probably a asymetric spinnaker or cruising spinaker. I've only had mine out once, so can give little advice, although I really can't say it adds a lot of sail area beyond what the gennie has. Looks purdy, though. This website gives some advise, as well as some other pretty good info, and somewhere, someone had a good diagram for rigging, but I can't remember where.
Cruising Chute (APC)
It sounds like you have a cruising chute, you fly it like a big genoa. If you only have one halyard for a fore sail you will need to drop your genoa and use the same halyard, the tack should attach at the same poit that the genoa does and you would normally use sheets running as far aft as possible. You will notice a big difference on the reaches but will need to pole it out with a whisker pole for it to be effective dead downwind. Good Luck
It sounds like you have a cruising chute, you fly it like a big genoa. If you only have one halyard for a fore sail you will need to drop your genoa and use the same halyard, the tack should attach at the same poit that the genoa does and you would normally use sheets running as far aft as possible. You will notice a big difference on the reaches but will need to pole it out with a whisker pole for it to be effective dead downwind. Good Luck
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