Head sail for Legend 40.5 :155%, 150% or less?

[Gustavo Coll]

I will make a new mylar/kevlar head sail and I do not know which size it should have. It is a fractional rig and a winged keel. Does anyone has any experience in the behaviour of the boat with a big genoa in 15-20 knts breezes ?. Can this boat hold bigger sails ?Thank you

 

[bob]

40.5 headsail - correction

sorry, meant to say "sailed on her feet" in the preceding post

 

[Bryan C.]

Can't reef

I recall former Hunter rep Jim Bohart advising a 33.5 owner that about 135 is about as big as you'd want to go. The bigger sail gets cumbersome to jib, the fractional rig was designed for a smaller foresail, and if you get in a blow, you can only reef the foresail (assuming you have roller reefing) so much before it begins to bag. Others who have purchased 150 sized gennies have commented favorably, however. I was thinking about a bigger foresail than the stock 110 I have on my 35, but a couple 30 knt squalls reminded me of the advantage of a workable sized sail. If you need more power, lots of folks have purchased asymetrical cruising chutes and like them.