I just purchased a mirage 35 and was wondering when should you change headsails to reduced ones. I have a 150, 140 and a 110. When is it apppropriate to use each one?
when to change headsails and to what?
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Wind Conditions
The larger the number, the larger the sail area. Your 150 is 1.5 percent the area of a stadard jib, the 140 is 1.4 percent etc. The larger sails would be used in light air conditions, the smaller in heavy wind conditions. If you have a roller fuller you can reduce the sail are of the the larger sails to a degree but you get to the point where you loose proper sail shape by reefing, thus it would be time to change head sails to a smaller sail.
The larger the number, the larger the sail area. Your 150 is 1.5 percent the area of a stadard jib, the 140 is 1.4 percent etc. The larger sails would be used in light air conditions, the smaller in heavy wind conditions. If you have a roller fuller you can reduce the sail are of the the larger sails to a degree but you get to the point where you loose proper sail shape by reefing, thus it would be time to change head sails to a smaller sail.
Here are Some Rules of Thumb
Bob Gorman is right. I suggest you develop your own rules of thumb based on your own experience, the skills of the crew, and your Mirage 35, but here is what I suggest you consider as a starting point whether you have a headsail furler or not. 0 to 14 knots of wind use the 150 with no reefs in the mainsail. 15 to 19 knots of wind use the 140 with 1 reef in the mainsail. 20 to 24 knots of wind use the 110 with 1 reef in the mainsail. 25 to 29 knots of wind use the 110 with 2 reefs in the mainsail. 30 knots and above use the 110 with 3 reefs in the mainsail. I do not know the Mirage 35, but I suggest you balance your choice of headsail with the number of reefs in your mainsail to maintain decent pointing ability, speed, and balance.
Bob Gorman is right. I suggest you develop your own rules of thumb based on your own experience, the skills of the crew, and your Mirage 35, but here is what I suggest you consider as a starting point whether you have a headsail furler or not. 0 to 14 knots of wind use the 150 with no reefs in the mainsail. 15 to 19 knots of wind use the 140 with 1 reef in the mainsail. 20 to 24 knots of wind use the 110 with 1 reef in the mainsail. 25 to 29 knots of wind use the 110 with 2 reefs in the mainsail. 30 knots and above use the 110 with 3 reefs in the mainsail. I do not know the Mirage 35, but I suggest you balance your choice of headsail with the number of reefs in your mainsail to maintain decent pointing ability, speed, and balance.
The first time you think of it as the breeze
stiffens. Do it early as you do not want to fight that 150 on deck in gale in strong winds.
stiffens. Do it early as you do not want to fight that 150 on deck in gale in strong winds.
New Boat?
If you just bought this boat, use the 110 until you know your boat. Start with the 110 and if you are going way slower than you think that you should be change up to a larger sail. Change up...change down. Do that about one hundred times and then you will go buy a roller furling system. Although, some sailors really like changing sails and draging wet sail bags around. One of my boats (back in the 80's) had 10 bags of headsail. And boy... did I think that was cool. I was a busy boy. I used to thumb my nose at boats with furlers. We called them "roller snarling" systems. Well, furling systems got better and smart asses got older. Now I have one and wouldn't live without it. Although I also wouldn't live without an auto pilot, a dodger, and a marine head instead of a bucket. Congrats on the new ship. All the best.
If you just bought this boat, use the 110 until you know your boat. Start with the 110 and if you are going way slower than you think that you should be change up to a larger sail. Change up...change down. Do that about one hundred times and then you will go buy a roller furling system. Although, some sailors really like changing sails and draging wet sail bags around. One of my boats (back in the 80's) had 10 bags of headsail. And boy... did I think that was cool. I was a busy boy. I used to thumb my nose at boats with furlers. We called them "roller snarling" systems. Well, furling systems got better and smart asses got older. Now I have one and wouldn't live without it. Although I also wouldn't live without an auto pilot, a dodger, and a marine head instead of a bucket. Congrats on the new ship. All the best.
Get Bob a new Calculator for Christmas 
But just a bit: a 150 is not "1.5 percent the area of a standard jib." That's about the size of a handkerchief. I'm sure he meant to say "1.5 TIMES the area of the standard jib," but even that is not quite right. The area called the FORETRIANGLE, i.e., the area triangular area defined by the headstay, the mast, and the deck, is what all the numbers refer to. A standard 110 jib, then, is sligtly larger (110%) of this area; the 150 genoa is 150% of the area of the foretriangle. Liam offers the sagest advice: put up the smaller sail, note boat performance, then the next size, etc., until you can tell if you're overpressed (and you will be able to tell). Pretty soon you will be able to make the right call almost without thinking, though you'll always be wary about the freshening breeze, ready to reduce sail before you find yourself overcanvassed. Fair Winds, Jeff
But just a bit: a 150 is not "1.5 percent the area of a standard jib." That's about the size of a handkerchief. I'm sure he meant to say "1.5 TIMES the area of the standard jib," but even that is not quite right. The area called the FORETRIANGLE, i.e., the area triangular area defined by the headstay, the mast, and the deck, is what all the numbers refer to. A standard 110 jib, then, is sligtly larger (110%) of this area; the 150 genoa is 150% of the area of the foretriangle. Liam offers the sagest advice: put up the smaller sail, note boat performance, then the next size, etc., until you can tell if you're overpressed (and you will be able to tell). Pretty soon you will be able to make the right call almost without thinking, though you'll always be wary about the freshening breeze, ready to reduce sail before you find yourself overcanvassed. Fair Winds, Jeff
Hank-on or tuff-luff foil ??
With all these sails, you probably do not have roller furling'reefing. Two things to consider (with NO roller furling) .... 1. you can sometimes flatten/de-power) the head section of the sail with greatly increased halyard tension - overtensioning the luff via the halyard will flatten the midcord, reduce draft, and open the leech, as well as chenge the luff shape to a more 'rounded' luff shape. This will yield a powered-up luff to better beat into steep chop yet the draft will be reduced (depowered) and the leech 'opened' for good control (also depowers). This effect will happen mostly from midcord to the head of the sail. 2. If the sail has a cunningham cringle on the luff near or about 18" above the tack... run a line from the tack through the cunningham and back down to a block ..... tignten the cunningham and the same things that happen in #1 above will happen at the bottom sections of the sail. If the boat has a tuff-luff on the forestay be SURE to keep the track well lubricated (McLube or simple candle wax) so that the sail will 'move' in the track when the halyard etc. tension is changed. When to change down .... when the boat is heeling too much and thus begins to 'skid' off to leeward. If you have a sensitive helm (or tiller) you will feel in the helm what seems to be more weather-helm when the boat is well heeled over. If so, look at the stern wake and if the wake is not straight away from the back of the boat and the boat seems to be 'cocked' (when heeled) ... its probably that the boat is 'skidding' off to leeward and its probably time to reef down to a smaller size (although its usually best to put a reef in the mainsial first as a trial) Typically a 150 is designed/optimized for 10-14 kts; 140 @ 12-17 kts; 110 @ 18kts and above. If youre 'stuck' with roller furling ... there isnt much you can do to 'shape' a foresail other than to roll it in a bit (and lose all the precise luff shape inside the 'roll'. If you attempt to shape the sail on a roller furler via hard halyard tension, youll probably wind up 'binding' / jamming the furler. Plus, with roller furling you can usually only get a 25-30% area reduction; at greater than 25-30% reduction, the 'shape' of the sail .... goes to hell in a handbasket. Hope this helps.
With all these sails, you probably do not have roller furling'reefing. Two things to consider (with NO roller furling) .... 1. you can sometimes flatten/de-power) the head section of the sail with greatly increased halyard tension - overtensioning the luff via the halyard will flatten the midcord, reduce draft, and open the leech, as well as chenge the luff shape to a more 'rounded' luff shape. This will yield a powered-up luff to better beat into steep chop yet the draft will be reduced (depowered) and the leech 'opened' for good control (also depowers). This effect will happen mostly from midcord to the head of the sail. 2. If the sail has a cunningham cringle on the luff near or about 18" above the tack... run a line from the tack through the cunningham and back down to a block ..... tignten the cunningham and the same things that happen in #1 above will happen at the bottom sections of the sail. If the boat has a tuff-luff on the forestay be SURE to keep the track well lubricated (McLube or simple candle wax) so that the sail will 'move' in the track when the halyard etc. tension is changed. When to change down .... when the boat is heeling too much and thus begins to 'skid' off to leeward. If you have a sensitive helm (or tiller) you will feel in the helm what seems to be more weather-helm when the boat is well heeled over. If so, look at the stern wake and if the wake is not straight away from the back of the boat and the boat seems to be 'cocked' (when heeled) ... its probably that the boat is 'skidding' off to leeward and its probably time to reef down to a smaller size (although its usually best to put a reef in the mainsial first as a trial) Typically a 150 is designed/optimized for 10-14 kts; 140 @ 12-17 kts; 110 @ 18kts and above. If youre 'stuck' with roller furling ... there isnt much you can do to 'shape' a foresail other than to roll it in a bit (and lose all the precise luff shape inside the 'roll'. If you attempt to shape the sail on a roller furler via hard halyard tension, youll probably wind up 'binding' / jamming the furler. Plus, with roller furling you can usually only get a 25-30% area reduction; at greater than 25-30% reduction, the 'shape' of the sail .... goes to hell in a handbasket. Hope this helps.
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