OK, a small amount of knowledge is a dangerous thing... I read an ad for one of the high end daysailers extolling the virtue of a larger-than-normal (full roach) mainsail. This reduced the reliance on the headsail while maintaining sail area. Since the 26X is a fractional rig (I know, some will say it's strictly a motorboat) and the main is the primary sail for such a rig, would it be feasible to replace the whimpy main with a higher performance (full roach ?) mainsail instead of playing with different headsail sizes? There appears to be plenty of room between the sail and the backstay. As far as the jib goes, I have a 110% furling jib which seems to be about the right amount of sail for most of the days on The Bay. Caveats: -Yes, I know that I don't get the most out of my existing sails because of lack of experience -Yes, it's like paying for "spinners" on a Yugo but would consider extra expense if I'm replacing the main anyway. Has anyone replaced their Mac sails with very good ones and is it remotely worth considering? Thanks, Jim
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I'm no expert...
But I would expect that the balance of the boat; would be dramatically changed with the addition of a main with a large roach. You woul likely see increased weather helm. This is due to the addition of additional effort (sail area) aft of the centre of resistance (centre board or thereabouts) essentially trying to push the stern of the boat away from the wind and hence the bow into the wind. Is the "high-end day sailor" you are refering to, the Alerion 38?
But I would expect that the balance of the boat; would be dramatically changed with the addition of a main with a large roach. You woul likely see increased weather helm. This is due to the addition of additional effort (sail area) aft of the centre of resistance (centre board or thereabouts) essentially trying to push the stern of the boat away from the wind and hence the bow into the wind. Is the "high-end day sailor" you are refering to, the Alerion 38?
Weather Helm
I agree with David - this is a change that will create weather helm. Maybe with a larger rudder to balance it out, it might work - but there are other things to consider. Added roach will cause extra heeling, as the sail area added is up high - maybe not the best idea for a water ballast boat (not a MAC flame, all trailer sailors accept some compromises). Also, it will create extra stress on the rigging, that it may not have been designed for. With a larger Genny, the added area is lower and near the existing center of effort - so not much helm change. The benefits of a high roach main accrue when the entire boat has been designed for it - Catamarans, Alerion 38, and some of the new Hunters are examples. These boats stay balanced because they were designed for the roach from the start - the boat's underbody, keel and rudder, are designed with the roach in mind. Jump on over to Don's Sail Trim Forum on this site - getting more out of what you have is the best first place to start. JMHO, OldCat
I agree with David - this is a change that will create weather helm. Maybe with a larger rudder to balance it out, it might work - but there are other things to consider. Added roach will cause extra heeling, as the sail area added is up high - maybe not the best idea for a water ballast boat (not a MAC flame, all trailer sailors accept some compromises). Also, it will create extra stress on the rigging, that it may not have been designed for. With a larger Genny, the added area is lower and near the existing center of effort - so not much helm change. The benefits of a high roach main accrue when the entire boat has been designed for it - Catamarans, Alerion 38, and some of the new Hunters are examples. These boats stay balanced because they were designed for the roach from the start - the boat's underbody, keel and rudder, are designed with the roach in mind. Jump on over to Don's Sail Trim Forum on this site - getting more out of what you have is the best first place to start. JMHO, OldCat
Thanks, and yes, Alerion
Thanks guys and yes, it was the Alerion rationale. That makes sense about pushing the center of effort back too far. I live for Don's sail trim discussion. It was his fault actually as he inspired me with the "main is the motor on the fractional rig" explanation. That's why I thought, "hey if it's the motor, lets put a bigger carb on it" or some analogy like that. I'll stick with telltales and trying to remember how to read them underway. I love this site, am half expecting my I.T. department to block it for lost productivity...
Thanks guys and yes, it was the Alerion rationale. That makes sense about pushing the center of effort back too far. I live for Don's sail trim discussion. It was his fault actually as he inspired me with the "main is the motor on the fractional rig" explanation. That's why I thought, "hey if it's the motor, lets put a bigger carb on it" or some analogy like that. I'll stick with telltales and trying to remember how to read them underway. I love this site, am half expecting my I.T. department to block it for lost productivity...
On The Other Hand...
...on an O'Day 27 (masthead rig) I had a much larger main cut, and it made a big difference. I also had a larger jib made so it did balance out some. I suggest you contact a local sailmaker and ask. You may be able to get what you want. Rick D.
...on an O'Day 27 (masthead rig) I had a much larger main cut, and it made a big difference. I also had a larger jib made so it did balance out some. I suggest you contact a local sailmaker and ask. You may be able to get what you want. Rick D.
Full roach/Full battens
The Full Roach/Full Batten mainsail will have about 4-5% more area than the standard mainsail. Any more than that and you may have problems with cliipping the backstay. You will notice more drive in light air. But you will also have to reef just a little earlier so be sure you have adequate reefing capacity. Also a fully battened mainsail will not flog so it is a tame mainsail. As for heeling, the original MacGregor mainsails were only about 3.9 oz cloth weight and shaped full to begin with. They stretch easily and distort causing an even more full shape under load which produces both heeling and weather helm. A new after market sail will normally be higher cloth weight (5-6 oz) and slightly flatter to begin with. Under proper trim you should expect less heeling and more drive. Lots of people have them and they work very well.
The Full Roach/Full Batten mainsail will have about 4-5% more area than the standard mainsail. Any more than that and you may have problems with cliipping the backstay. You will notice more drive in light air. But you will also have to reef just a little earlier so be sure you have adequate reefing capacity. Also a fully battened mainsail will not flog so it is a tame mainsail. As for heeling, the original MacGregor mainsails were only about 3.9 oz cloth weight and shaped full to begin with. They stretch easily and distort causing an even more full shape under load which produces both heeling and weather helm. A new after market sail will normally be higher cloth weight (5-6 oz) and slightly flatter to begin with. Under proper trim you should expect less heeling and more drive. Lots of people have them and they work very well.
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