What to buy: 135% or 155% ?

[BillL Capri 22]

Guys, I need some advice...
I'm going to buy a new genoa to replace the pirate sail that's hanging up on the pointy end.

I prefer to keep the roller fulling and b/c I'm only club/beer-can racing at best, I believe I'll stick with Dacron.
I'm not afraid to buy a Name Brand sail and I fully expect a 6 week wait time (lake is still frozen over).
We sail at 9000 feet in the southern Rockies, so we can go from glassy pond under an inversion to 20 kts during the afternoon thunderstorms, pretty quickly.
I can fly the symmetrical spinnaker if I desperately need more down-wind sail area.

Do you think I should get another 155% or go with a 135% and why?

 

[cb32863]

If you are having higher winds more frequently, I would go with the 135. A 155 is a big sail and is a handful in higher winds.

 

[DrJudyB]

How often do you sail with the 155 fully out vs partially reefed? If you sail more than half time with it at full size 155, then stick with it. If you are over powered more than half the time with the 155 and need to sail reefed down to a 135 most of the time, then I’d pick a 135.

My comments above assume that you reef the mainsail if the wind is over about 15 kts (17 mph) if you don’t want to put crew on the rail. It’s always better to reduce mainsail and headsail evenly when there are white caps.

You can always reef either headsail plus the mainsail in 20 knots, and I assume you done spend much time in 20 knots.

Which ever size you get, make sure the reefing patches extend about 30% of the length the foot and the leech for reefing. The better quality sails include this feature. Also, you will want to have a foam or rope luff pad installed on the luff For reefing. The pad reduces the depth of the draft and takes out wrinkles when you roll the sail up.

Judy B

 

[delling3]

You also didn't mention if you are sailing a standard rig or a tall rig, or if you are a fin keel or wing keel.

I went with a Pentex 150 for my boat. In my neck of the woods, most of our sailing is under 12 knots true, and the water is pretty choppy. For these reasons, the added power of the larger sail made sense. I too contemplated going with a 135, as I found that I was often overpowered with my old #1. What I found is the new sail is so much flatter, that it doesn't get overpowered anywhere near as frequently.

I figure for the 20% of my sailing when the 150 is too much, I can live with a compromised sail shape that comes from furling the sail 20%. If there is more wind than that, I am either switching to a jib or going bare headed (or heading for the barn).

 

[BillL Capri 22]

I must not be thinking clearly...
Standard Rig, Fin Keel, Mk1 Hull number 22. CDI FF-2
I've got spinnaker gear, but do not have the cabin-top tracks needed for a 100%
While club/beer can racing "at best", most of my sailing is just messing around.

Didn't actually furl the sail underway last year, but should have at least 1/5 of the trips.
I chalk that up to "single handed" with two guests on board. I just pinched enough to flatten the boat out a bit.

Read here that standard genoa tracks are too far back for a 135%, and lots of other stuff found with the search engine.
Was advised that the foam luff pad can make it hard to see when the sail starts luffing.

Is the 135% typically sheeted inside the stays? 150%?

Thanks for the reply's, BillL

 

[DrJudyB]

Read here that standard genoa tracks are too far back for a 135%, and lots of other stuff found with the search engine.
Was advised that the foam luff pad can make it hard to see when the sail starts luffing.

Hi @BillL Capri 22

I'm a retired sailmaker, and we have built Capri 22 headsails at 96, 110, 135, 150 and 155% LP, for hank on or furler. If the 135%-155% is built properly, with the right dimensions on all three sides, it will sheet properly to the OEM genoa tracks on the side deck.

The luff pad is necessary for decent sail shape if you plan to reef with a furler. Use tell tales on the luff to know how to trim the headsail or drive. They'll give you much more information than the luff will and will inform you much earlier.

Is the 135% typically sheeted inside the stays? 150%?

No, anything bigger than the 110 will need to be sheeted outside the side shrouds.

Judy B

 

[BillL Capri 22]

Thanks DrJudy. I've seen your posts for several years now and was just recently chuckling at some joker who kept arguing with you about sail design. I also called a few of the old guys that sail the same lakes that I do, but with bigger boats, FWIW. Rich indicated that I'd probably be plenty happy with a 135% in a medium weight (5 oz?). I guess it's time to get firm design & cost proposals. Thanks all. BillL