About what foresail
Blane, the best compromise when it comes to choosing a foresail is a special jib the same height as the class genoa. Usually, jibs are a bit shorter than genoas. * A full height jib will be very close in speed compared to a genoa, even in light air. * In moderate winds, it's the best sail for tender boats, of which the water ballasted Macs are an example: I don't know about yours. * In borderline moderate/heavy air, it's the best sail in all but the stiffest boats. * In heavy, the additional 18 inches or so in height over a std. jib will only create a minimal amount of extra heel. It's a particularly useful sail if you don't have a furler. So: you buy only one sail, and save; you never have to worry about which sail to use; and you get very close to the best of both. And then there are all those times when with a genoa you're wondering "reef?" but with this sail you have a bit of room. And, as for reefs, I'd suggest one almost as high up as where a second would typically be. The wind window between a first and second reef is pretty small. I bet on your boat a first reef would be at 17 MPH, and the second at 19.5. As winds are seldom consistent, and a little bit too little sail area in heavy air is unlikely to trouble you - if you notice it at all - why not just save a few dollars and go with the one? It's not like even experienced sailors can feel the difference between 5.2 knots and 5.35. Of course, that presumes you're not racing and desperate for those extra few inches (no allusions intended). (In fact, racers far too often make the mistake of leaving too much sail up too long, thinking that because they've got the boat under control it's moving at max. speed when, in fact, they may well be going slower than if they reefed or cut down to a jib.) As for cloth weight, unless you're racing, go heavy with the main. Heavy means longevity. It doesn't, though, mean a slow main. Because your (heavy) main is fed into both the mast and boom, it'll hold its shape fairly well even in light air. Because foresails hang more than mains, it is true that heavier cloth is slower in light air. That's one reason why we heel boats when it's light - so that gravity will allow the sail to fall into shape. Nonetheless, if not racing, I'd bias in favour of longevity and go heavier (unless I had a lot of money and could afford an expensive light, but strong, fabric. Most owners of older Macs don't fit in that category).
