Currently has a jib, but thinking of going with a 135% genoa.
Hi Kyle. Congrats on your boat.
I know you will find new sails a real boost for your sailing experience.
With regard to the choices, I am speaking with the knowledge and experience of a Masthead owner, not a fractional rig owner like your Hunter 29.5.
Masthead rigged boat benefit from the big genoa. Not so much for the fractional rigged boat.
Here is a quote from a "Hunter 29.5 Review".
The sail area has been concentrated in the mainsail, and without a backstay to get in the way, the roach has gone wild. The extra roach area gained in the mainsail has been taken out of the headsail, leaving a small easily tacked jib. An asymmetrical spinnaker, very efficient for reaching but not so sparkling on a run, is set from a retractable pole.
That leads me to believe there may not be a significant improvement in sail efficiency by investing in a larger foresail (135% genoa). Better would be to look at a 100% Jib and the best sail size for the Main. The added roach of a flat head sail might be a design that provides more power. Note that the sail plan (size, shape, placement) needs to also consider the design for the hull, keel, and rudder. By increasing the Foresail size you may be contributing to leeward helm when the wind gusts. This would inhibit control. You would be reefing the genoa early creating a less efficient sail and actually hurting the boat performance.
These are not absolutes. They are thoughts and questions I would explore in trying to get the most bang for my buck.
I would consider an Asymmetrical sail for those lighter wind days when you want to reach at optimum speeds.
Good luck with your quest.
