Down wind sail options for H29.5

[Bentsailor]

Any furling down wind sailing experience out there for the Hunter sailors.
We are looking to add this type of sail to our new to us 29.5.

1. CODE D (UK Sails),
2. Helix Top Down system (from North Sails),
3. Standard asym. with sock and bag.

We have had the 3rd option for the past 6 years on our recently sold Corsair 28 trimaran and it worked a treat .... no issues with foredeck balancing acts.... the boats lights up for off wind tacking downwind.
We recently had a 2 week passage of mostly quartering to straight down wind conditions and the boat and us both where not happy sailors.....

Thanks in Advance
Jeff

 

[BarryL]

Hey,

You have listed all of the choices. I have experience with an assym in a dock and with a code 0 on a furler. Both seem to work about the same and require about the same setup. The sock will be cheaper, the furler will be faster to deploy and to douse.

One thing that has really helped me is a bowsprit. This year I added a removeable sprit that moved my tack point out in front of the boat. That really helps the sail get more air, and makes gybing much easier too.

i would recommend you look into the selden or facnor kit. Those CAN be used with a furler, but you will need a bobstay. If you stick with a sock then no bobstay is needed (unless you plan on sailing the spinnaker in a LOT of wind).

Good luck,
Barry

 

[Bentsailor]

Thanks for the insights Barry. Will look closely to Facnor and Seldon. We had a Collego top down on an F24 mkll with a sprit...zoom zoom! The Hunter does provide for a sprit option but it deploys out of the anchor locker space. Maybe no more dancing on the foredeck for us.