I have a 1989 Hunter Legend 37. The headsail is a 110 jib. A friend of mine has a similar boat with a 135 jib. He believes that if I had a 135 jib it would improve the performance of my boat. Anybody out there have any suggestions-experience-opinions?
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Hunter suggests...
...that the 110 is ample. I have a 1988 Legend 37 and a friend with the same boat had to buy a headsail. I gave him the following advice. He also contacted Hunter and they suggested staying with the 110 since anything bigger could overpower the boat. If you've sailed that boat frequently, you will know what they mean. It can be tender in anything over 15 kts. I suggest that you give Hunter a call to hear it "from the horse's mouth".
...that the 110 is ample. I have a 1988 Legend 37 and a friend with the same boat had to buy a headsail. I gave him the following advice. He also contacted Hunter and they suggested staying with the 110 since anything bigger could overpower the boat. If you've sailed that boat frequently, you will know what they mean. It can be tender in anything over 15 kts. I suggest that you give Hunter a call to hear it "from the horse's mouth".
I really don't get this....
This is an issue that I have been debating for a while now. I, too, would like to add a larger head sail but am getting the same advice. My problem is not her performance in heavy wind (why couldn't I just furl her in to a 110). It is down wind sailing. I want a larger head sail to improve her speed in downwind sailing. The 110 does nothing for me, and I can't get the main out far enough to catch wind. Gerry
This is an issue that I have been debating for a while now. I, too, would like to add a larger head sail but am getting the same advice. My problem is not her performance in heavy wind (why couldn't I just furl her in to a 110). It is down wind sailing. I want a larger head sail to improve her speed in downwind sailing. The 110 does nothing for me, and I can't get the main out far enough to catch wind. Gerry
what you want is a drifter of cruising chute
The absolute size of the headsail isn't going to help you go downwind. The 110-135-150 debate is about getting more canvas up for light air and good pointing. What helps you downwind is the cut of the sail. You need a fuller shape for running, which is why the cruising spinnakers work so well. True, they have a huge sail area, but the cut and weight is the difference.
The absolute size of the headsail isn't going to help you go downwind. The 110-135-150 debate is about getting more canvas up for light air and good pointing. What helps you downwind is the cut of the sail. You need a fuller shape for running, which is why the cruising spinnakers work so well. True, they have a huge sail area, but the cut and weight is the difference.
Cruising Spinnaker
We bought a cruising spinnaker for our h27. The (big) advantages are downwind and for light air (3-10 kts) where we can also point above a beam reach.
We bought a cruising spinnaker for our h27. The (big) advantages are downwind and for light air (3-10 kts) where we can also point above a beam reach.
Head sail
Here in the Great Lakes the guy's are running them with 150%. Weight of the sail is important or cut, but sail area is horsepower especially down wind or off the wind. If you don't have cloth area the boat just isn't going to go fast. It's like putting your lawn mower engine in a Semi Truck. Yes, the boat get's tender in 15 knot's of wind that's when you reduce sail area our shape.
Here in the Great Lakes the guy's are running them with 150%. Weight of the sail is important or cut, but sail area is horsepower especially down wind or off the wind. If you don't have cloth area the boat just isn't going to go fast. It's like putting your lawn mower engine in a Semi Truck. Yes, the boat get's tender in 15 knot's of wind that's when you reduce sail area our shape.
It will perform
I have an '88 legend 37, when I bought it it came with two head sails, a stock 110% roller furling sail and a 135% hood roller furling sail. I was not satisfied with the performance of either sail, on the 110% the clew was way too high (affects pointing ability) and the 135% was still not enough in winds under 10 knots. I added a 105% blade jib (3 battens, deck sweeper, heavy duty construction) from about 18 knots to 28 knots of wind I can point very well and the boat MOVES. I also added a 152% genoa for those light wind days, again the boat MOVES. I also added a full size triradial spinnaker (unfortunatly my wife is hesitant about using it) so I will also be buying an asymetrical cruising chute. With the proper size and cut of sails these boats will fly. It also helps to replace the stock roller furler with a harken system (twin luff grooves, excellent if you want to race). These boats have a high performance rig, Why not use it to it's full potential. LAS
I have an '88 legend 37, when I bought it it came with two head sails, a stock 110% roller furling sail and a 135% hood roller furling sail. I was not satisfied with the performance of either sail, on the 110% the clew was way too high (affects pointing ability) and the 135% was still not enough in winds under 10 knots. I added a 105% blade jib (3 battens, deck sweeper, heavy duty construction) from about 18 knots to 28 knots of wind I can point very well and the boat MOVES. I also added a 152% genoa for those light wind days, again the boat MOVES. I also added a full size triradial spinnaker (unfortunatly my wife is hesitant about using it) so I will also be buying an asymetrical cruising chute. With the proper size and cut of sails these boats will fly. It also helps to replace the stock roller furler with a harken system (twin luff grooves, excellent if you want to race). These boats have a high performance rig, Why not use it to it's full potential. LAS
it's all about draft
Assuming we're talking about fraction rigs here, since masthead rigs are different: a headsail other than a lapper (105-110%) will reduce the boat's ability to point. Although a genoa may help you go faster in light air, you will also be going lower, which means that you haven't improved your VMG (velocity made good)upwind. Adding additional headsail area will not only overpower the boat, it will also unbalance the rig AND you'll have a situation where the genoa is gassing the main. This is especially true if the shrouds are outboard, as they are on most Hunters. Hence, the best way to improve performance is to concentrate on sail shape rather than sail area. A kevlar sail, for example will hold better shape, meaning that the draft will be more forward than on a stretched-out made-in-Hongkong piece of $#!% such as the OEM sails that come with most lower-end production boats. When a sail stretches, the draft moves back, which means more healing and less pointing upwind. (Have I mentioned the fact that I've had to recut my OEM UK main THREE TIMES in its first two years of service?) In terms of downwind performance, Phil's right about fuller being better because, duh, the draft moves forward. What this means is to get a drifter, genniker or spinnaker. (And/or a whisker pole.} The basic rule is this: to increase performance on a masthead-rigged boat, buy bigger headsails; to increase performance on a fraction-rigged boat, buy better headsails. And a better main. And a whisker pole.
Assuming we're talking about fraction rigs here, since masthead rigs are different: a headsail other than a lapper (105-110%) will reduce the boat's ability to point. Although a genoa may help you go faster in light air, you will also be going lower, which means that you haven't improved your VMG (velocity made good)upwind. Adding additional headsail area will not only overpower the boat, it will also unbalance the rig AND you'll have a situation where the genoa is gassing the main. This is especially true if the shrouds are outboard, as they are on most Hunters. Hence, the best way to improve performance is to concentrate on sail shape rather than sail area. A kevlar sail, for example will hold better shape, meaning that the draft will be more forward than on a stretched-out made-in-Hongkong piece of $#!% such as the OEM sails that come with most lower-end production boats. When a sail stretches, the draft moves back, which means more healing and less pointing upwind. (Have I mentioned the fact that I've had to recut my OEM UK main THREE TIMES in its first two years of service?) In terms of downwind performance, Phil's right about fuller being better because, duh, the draft moves forward. What this means is to get a drifter, genniker or spinnaker. (And/or a whisker pole.} The basic rule is this: to increase performance on a masthead-rigged boat, buy bigger headsails; to increase performance on a fraction-rigged boat, buy better headsails. And a better main. And a whisker pole.
6 Month old 135 Head Sail
I had a 100-110 Headsail on my 1989 Hunter 37 Legend. I bought a new 135 Headsail from Sailnet.net (AeroForce) this spring. The new sail performs much better than the 110. It points to a close hulled wind better as well as running with the wind. Pete Barton EMail: peteb93@hotmail.com
I had a 100-110 Headsail on my 1989 Hunter 37 Legend. I bought a new 135 Headsail from Sailnet.net (AeroForce) this spring. The new sail performs much better than the 110. It points to a close hulled wind better as well as running with the wind. Pete Barton EMail: peteb93@hotmail.com
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