I would like to add a larger jib to my sail inventory, I currently have a 110% jib and would like to hear some recomendations from some one who has increased their sail and where they located jib tracks, what size of sail they would recomend & results etc.
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Steve
Why Increase
I increased the size on my 320, and I am now in the process of doing so on my 356. My question is why do you want to do it? The answer you give will effect the recommendations. If you are not doing for racing, then I would recommed that you get a cruising assymetrical (from HOW)instead. If you are racing and want to perform better in light air, then you are doing it for the same reason as me, and we have things to talk about. If racing, drop me a line,a nd I'll give you al the details. Steve sestyles@yahoo.com
I increased the size on my 320, and I am now in the process of doing so on my 356. My question is why do you want to do it? The answer you give will effect the recommendations. If you are not doing for racing, then I would recommed that you get a cruising assymetrical (from HOW)instead. If you are racing and want to perform better in light air, then you are doing it for the same reason as me, and we have things to talk about. If racing, drop me a line,a nd I'll give you al the details. Steve sestyles@yahoo.com
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Bill O'Donovan
I'm with Steve
Going to a 150 Genoa will only make your life more difficult as the breeze picks up. However, an asymetrical spinnaker will do wonders downwind.That's what I would (and did) add.
Going to a 150 Genoa will only make your life more difficult as the breeze picks up. However, an asymetrical spinnaker will do wonders downwind.That's what I would (and did) add.
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Rick Sylvester
Disagree
First of all, adding an assymetrical and a larger headsail are not mutually exclusive. Their strengths lay in different points of sail. Second, while I agree that asking why you want a larger genoa is not a bad thing in order to determine whether it would ultimately be a sensible move that would make you a happier sailor (or not,) I would also suggest that the line between racing and cruising is a little fuzzier than many might think. Although while cruising there may not be a finish line to reach, a boat with the sail inventory that allows for punching through big seas on a crappy day or to keep moving in light airs will always win the day for it's skipper. We race as well as cruise and sail with a 150 with a foam luff, a good furler and cockpit adjustable cars. We also have a 110. I assure you that when the breeze picks up the big genoa isn't difficult at all as long as it's furled sensibly. If you only sail in a big breeze locale then a big headsail may not make sense, but if you see your share of light air days a larger sail can keep you sailing when others are listening to the engine. Good luck!
First of all, adding an assymetrical and a larger headsail are not mutually exclusive. Their strengths lay in different points of sail. Second, while I agree that asking why you want a larger genoa is not a bad thing in order to determine whether it would ultimately be a sensible move that would make you a happier sailor (or not,) I would also suggest that the line between racing and cruising is a little fuzzier than many might think. Although while cruising there may not be a finish line to reach, a boat with the sail inventory that allows for punching through big seas on a crappy day or to keep moving in light airs will always win the day for it's skipper. We race as well as cruise and sail with a 150 with a foam luff, a good furler and cockpit adjustable cars. We also have a 110. I assure you that when the breeze picks up the big genoa isn't difficult at all as long as it's furled sensibly. If you only sail in a big breeze locale then a big headsail may not make sense, but if you see your share of light air days a larger sail can keep you sailing when others are listening to the engine. Good luck!
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David Foster
150 is only better to windward in light air
On all other points of sail, the asymetric is equal or better. Race courses usually have a windward leg. So you need a big genny in light air, or you will fall behind. Most cruisers I know use the iron genny to get upwind in light air. It's two to four times faster! So Steve is right - a big genny is a racing sail. The other advantage of an asymetric is fast and easy sail changes if the wind picks up. Drop the sock on the asymetric, and unfurl the 110. Takes us less than 5 minutes. Switching the 150 to a 110 is a lot of time and work! And somewhere around 15 knots, the 150 becomes the wrong sail, even with foam in the luff, it will produce excessive heel, weather helm, and less drive than a 110. David Lady Lillie
On all other points of sail, the asymetric is equal or better. Race courses usually have a windward leg. So you need a big genny in light air, or you will fall behind. Most cruisers I know use the iron genny to get upwind in light air. It's two to four times faster! So Steve is right - a big genny is a racing sail. The other advantage of an asymetric is fast and easy sail changes if the wind picks up. Drop the sock on the asymetric, and unfurl the 110. Takes us less than 5 minutes. Switching the 150 to a 110 is a lot of time and work! And somewhere around 15 knots, the 150 becomes the wrong sail, even with foam in the luff, it will produce excessive heel, weather helm, and less drive than a 110. David Lady Lillie
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Rick Sylvester
Huh?
C'mon David, a 150 isn't a 'racing' sail, it's just a sail. Of course it's best for lighter air but as I said, if those are the conditions that Jeff sees frequently why shouldn't he consider it? If you're in San Francisco or the Carribean trades then a 110 certainly might be a more sensible choice. In the lighter air here on the Florida Gulf Coast there's a strong argument for additional sail area. The sails you need correspond to the conditions you see. That's all. As for the iron genny, if we can reach our destination safely (say, before dark) by sail, then I'm not really interested in how much faster my diesel will get it done. We bought our boat to sail to our destinations. We love being underway. Further, while we only log about 1500 miles a year, many serious cruisers who cover long offshore distances don't often have the range to simply motor to weather in which case a sail inventory that allows effective upwind sailing is essential. As for the asymetrical, you don't have to convince me, we love ours. As long as we're helping Jeff spend his money I vote for both the asymetrical *and* the bigger headsail. Finally, I don't know about the foam luff genoas that you've sailed but ours furls pretty nicely. A recent overnighter going hard to weather with an unexpected 30 knots over the deck (with gusts higher) a double reefed main and heavily furled 150 had us moving between 6 and 6.5 with a nice motion at 15 degrees heel for several hours. Would a 110 have been better that night? Sure. But the 150 did the job very well, allowed us to sail to windward in the zephyrs the next day, all without having to have an additional headsail onboard. We *know* it works well (for us.)
C'mon David, a 150 isn't a 'racing' sail, it's just a sail. Of course it's best for lighter air but as I said, if those are the conditions that Jeff sees frequently why shouldn't he consider it? If you're in San Francisco or the Carribean trades then a 110 certainly might be a more sensible choice. In the lighter air here on the Florida Gulf Coast there's a strong argument for additional sail area. The sails you need correspond to the conditions you see. That's all. As for the iron genny, if we can reach our destination safely (say, before dark) by sail, then I'm not really interested in how much faster my diesel will get it done. We bought our boat to sail to our destinations. We love being underway. Further, while we only log about 1500 miles a year, many serious cruisers who cover long offshore distances don't often have the range to simply motor to weather in which case a sail inventory that allows effective upwind sailing is essential. As for the asymetrical, you don't have to convince me, we love ours. As long as we're helping Jeff spend his money I vote for both the asymetrical *and* the bigger headsail. Finally, I don't know about the foam luff genoas that you've sailed but ours furls pretty nicely. A recent overnighter going hard to weather with an unexpected 30 knots over the deck (with gusts higher) a double reefed main and heavily furled 150 had us moving between 6 and 6.5 with a nice motion at 15 degrees heel for several hours. Would a 110 have been better that night? Sure. But the 150 did the job very well, allowed us to sail to windward in the zephyrs the next day, all without having to have an additional headsail onboard. We *know* it works well (for us.)
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