Measuring Genoa
Steve UK Sails has a nice article about the process "How to Buy a Sail" on their website: http://uksailmakers.com/home.asp That said, for a Genoa there are two critical dimensions to start off with: the "I" and "J". They define the 100% jib; for a Genoa, the foot is basically the "J" dimension extended by the percentage factor. The "generic" dimensions are posted on the Catalina 30 specifications website: http://www.catalinayachts.com/c30_spec.phtml These dimensions are probably OK for getting a first estimate, but not for the final cutting of the sail. Bear in mind, there may have been variations over the production run of that model boat. Most sail lofts recommend having them do the final measurements. If you do it, you're stuck with the results. If they do it, they are responsible for the final fit. Whether to go 135%, 155%, or something else will depend on the type of winds you typically sail in and the usage of your boat. Keep in mind that roller furling a Genoa, even with foam inserts in the luff, reduces the shape efficiency. The general rule of thumb is that you can preserve shape only up to 80% of the full extended size (for a 130% Genoa, that means you can furl to about 100%). So, if you periodically sail in heavier air where a 100% jib (or less) is needed to develop power you might weigh the 135 vs 155% factor toward the smaller Genoa. The use of a whisker pole will greatly improve downwind efficiency, too. Check out Forespar's website for information about the use of & measurements for these poles. http://www.forespar.com/catalog/whiskerpoles/whiskerpoles.htm Hope that helps. --Ron --Ron
