I'm a new owner of a 1992 Hunter 28 and would like some advice relative to larger jibs. The compliment of sails that came with the boat appear to be the standard offering from the factory which includes what I believe to be a 110% jib. My question is: What are the relative benefits to purchasing a larger jib...say 120% thru 140% or larger.????? The boat is equipped with a Harken Model 0 Series C reefing/furling system and the standard fractional rig mast. Most all sailing will be on Lake Michigan out of Milwaukee. Sails are the standard UK set. I sure like this boat and with the standard rig I have no problem getting the boat up to 6-6.5kt in 12-15kt winds. Will there be any appreciable gain in going to bigger jibs.????? Thanks much in advance for any advice. Happy and safe sailing.
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We like our 150% roller furling genoa
We have a 1989 28' with a 150% North Sail leech cut roller furling genoa. This combination has worked great for us. We sail on Lake Erie and have many light air days. When the winds are light we use the entire genny and when we need to put a reef in the mail, we can balance the jib with the roller furling. May not be the best solution if you are a racer, but we primarily just cruising, and this works for us.
We have a 1989 28' with a 150% North Sail leech cut roller furling genoa. This combination has worked great for us. We sail on Lake Erie and have many light air days. When the winds are light we use the entire genny and when we need to put a reef in the mail, we can balance the jib with the roller furling. May not be the best solution if you are a racer, but we primarily just cruising, and this works for us.
YOU DO NEED IT
The facts are as follows: You have a fractional rig, that means You've lost 20% of your head sail, in comparrison to a marconi masthead rig,now this is the most important area of sail, and you don't have it, then the add more insult to it by maintaining only 110% of the "L" dimension, the width of the sail, if you must live with a fractional rig, and you must, then at least try a 150% genoa, it will give you the momementum you so desire.
The facts are as follows: You have a fractional rig, that means You've lost 20% of your head sail, in comparrison to a marconi masthead rig,now this is the most important area of sail, and you don't have it, then the add more insult to it by maintaining only 110% of the "L" dimension, the width of the sail, if you must live with a fractional rig, and you must, then at least try a 150% genoa, it will give you the momementum you so desire.
Not necessarily need it
While a fractionally rigged boat does not have a masthead forestay it is not necessarily true that one looses sail area in the fore triangle. In comparison with most boats, the Hunter mast is typically taller. In a boat test a year or two ago with several popular production trailer boats the Hunter was accused as being "tender". Well, it had far and away the tallest mast. Without looking at the figures, I'll bet the "I" on the 7/8 rig Hunter is very close to the "I" on many of the mast head rigs, say, Catalina. The big Hunter main works really good in a down wind situation and we usually pass our friendly Catalina 42s in this wind angle. Going to weather just put a reef in and voila! you have an instant mast head rig (we pass them there too!). To compete, some of the competition have been providing 'tall rig' options. So much for editorial comment. We have used a 150 for several years to supplement the 110 but it is somewhat of a pain to change. Consider this: we're looking at the new North Whomper, shapped something like an asymetrical spinnaker with a high clew, and just roll the 110 up. Fly the Whomper with it's good downwind angles (don't sail dead downwind, sail off the wind, say, 150 apparent). When the wind comes around ahead then just douse the flying sail and roll out the 110. Hope the above helps provides a little different perspective.
While a fractionally rigged boat does not have a masthead forestay it is not necessarily true that one looses sail area in the fore triangle. In comparison with most boats, the Hunter mast is typically taller. In a boat test a year or two ago with several popular production trailer boats the Hunter was accused as being "tender". Well, it had far and away the tallest mast. Without looking at the figures, I'll bet the "I" on the 7/8 rig Hunter is very close to the "I" on many of the mast head rigs, say, Catalina. The big Hunter main works really good in a down wind situation and we usually pass our friendly Catalina 42s in this wind angle. Going to weather just put a reef in and voila! you have an instant mast head rig (we pass them there too!). To compete, some of the competition have been providing 'tall rig' options. So much for editorial comment. We have used a 150 for several years to supplement the 110 but it is somewhat of a pain to change. Consider this: we're looking at the new North Whomper, shapped something like an asymetrical spinnaker with a high clew, and just roll the 110 up. Fly the Whomper with it's good downwind angles (don't sail dead downwind, sail off the wind, say, 150 apparent). When the wind comes around ahead then just douse the flying sail and roll out the 110. Hope the above helps provides a little different perspective.
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