Extended cruising sail package

[mageekenneth]

Like all of us, I am planning to someday sail way. I am looking at my sail inventory and trying to decide what to bring and leave. Balancing between space available, weight and the amount of use I will get out of the equipment on board has me looking hard at the sail thing. I have a 150% Genoa and the standard main both less than 2yrs old, aside from that I have a three smaller jibs and the old mainsail that still looks like it has a lot of life left in it. What would you guys consider to be the minimum number and what kind of selection would y'all recommend for extended cruising? (I am thinking of ditching the spinnaker and using the genoa and a whisker pole in light air.) If I leave with a minimal inventory I would leave the sails packaged for shipment so I could have one airmailed to me if the need arose. I just don't know what a minimal inventory should be. Thanks in advance for all of the help.

 

[pjacobs55]

Without having to buy anything, I think my choice would be: one main with three reef points and three jibs (small, medium and large.) I'd think that would cover you in most situations.
Good thinking, leaving the spares reading for shipping!
Where are you headed?

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'

 

[vega1860]

To what Peter suggested, I would add a set of storm sails, jib and
trysail, that you will probably (One hopes) never use. We don't have
a spinnaker and don't plan on getting one but our large jib has
gotten a lot of use. So far we have run into only one situation
where we wished for a smaller jib than the smallest we have but that
was enough to convince us that we need one. You could probably get
by without a trysail but it won't take up much space so I think it is
worth having.

Chuck and Laura Rose
SV Lealea, V1860