Answer: Rick, That is a common question that we get from customers who have just begun to work with the CDI systems. I recommend the you go to www.sailcdi.com, and pull up the owners manual for an FF4. The owners manual does a very nice job explaining to you how to use the system and the locations of the pieces that are needed. Please let me know if you have any issues finding the manual.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Question: I have a Macgregor 26X. I am interested in a mainsail to give the best performance. I experience light to medium air 90% of the time. I am interested in longlasting Dacron. I have a 150 Genoa on a roller furler for a headsail.

I am thinking of a full batten, maxium roach, loose foot, in a 5 to 6oz weight cloth. Please advise. I don't care if the battens hit the backstay.

Answer: Frank, thank you for your interest in North Sails and Cruising Direct Sails. Based on the headsail that you have and the desire to have the mainsail last you a long time, I agree with you that a Dacron sail will suite your needs. I suggest that you go with a 6oz Dacron sail with a performance roach, loose foot, and the 2 + 2 batten configuration. The reason that I am suggesting the 2 + 2, is that the top two battens will project you leech at the head and give the sail added stability to help add longevity. The advantage of having the two bottom battens be leech battens is that it will allow you to shape the main with greater ease in all conditions. Seeing that you sail in light to medium air 90% of the time it is important that you can power the main up when needed and the shorter battens in the lower portion of the sail will allow you to add plenty of shape low.

The reason that I am not suggesting full battens in a mainsail this size, is that it becomes difficult to get the powered up shape that you need in the light winds. The full battens add a great deal of stability to the sail, but in adding that stability you give up some performance both in weight and shaping ability. The battens themselves weigh more and the batten pockets will add additional weight to the sail. In the light winds you will only be able to ease the main to a certain point before the battens restrict the sail from becoming more powered up.

I hope that this helps in your search for added performance. Please contact us if you have any additional questions.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Thanks
Anthony Kroon

Answer: Anthony, congratulations on purchasing a Catalina 27,they are great boats! Gennakers are easy to use and simple to rig, I am going to guess that you have a halyard for the sail and blocks already in the appropriate locations. For rigging and trimming the sail, North Sails and Cruising Direct have a CD Rom that goes over everything that you need to know about sailing with a Gennaker. It is posted on the North Sails Web site in the cruising section, or you can call me at 1-888-424-7328 so that I can arrange sending one to you. I think that the CD Rom will be more effective for you than any written description that I can give to you.

Please let me know how else I can help.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Question: I have recently bought a 1986 Cape Dory 26. I am looking for a good quality used 150 Genoa or a new one. Can you tell me the specifications for this sail? Can you tell me the various model of new sails your company provides and their approximate price?

Do you have an inventory of used sails? Do you have a used 150 Genoa for the Cape Dory 26?

Sincerely,
Mr. Barry Stocker

Answer: Barry, Thank you for your interest in The North Sail Outlet and Cruising Direct Sails. I would like to start off by saying congratulations on your purchase of a great boat! My personnel suggestion is that you go the route of a new sail for the boat. The reason that I am suggesting this over a quality used sail, is that the new sail will be custom designed for your boat specifically. The risk of a used sail is that something may have been modified on the boat that it was designed for, which can prevent the sail from properly fitting. We have a number of different options and set ups for our sails, so it would be best if we could discuss what you are looking for in the sail specifically, so that I you can get an accurate quote from us.

At this point it time we do not have any used Cape Dory 26 sails in stock. Please contact me so that we can discuss all of the options that are available to you.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

I have been searching for information on this topic but I have not found any good advice yet. My thinking is to wrap the sheets around the furled sail and then tie them together and tie an additional line around the sheets and the sail and tie it off to a Bow Cleat.

Please advise if there are any instructions or diagrams of the best way to secure the headsail.

Thanks,
Dean Ross

Answer: Dean,

Thank you for the question, it is a question that we are often asked. If you are leaving the sail out in normal conditions then tying the sail off is rather simple. The best solution that I have seen is to furl the sails until the sheets go around the sail a few times and then tie a sail tie around the sail. Provided that you pull the sail tie tight you should nit have any problems with the sail becoming unfurled. If you are worried about the sail because a storm is coming in, then I suggest that you take the sail down any time a major storm is do in.

I hope that this helps.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Answer: Dear Paxie, I think that you are making the right choice in switching to a roller furling unit. I would suggest going with the CDI FF6 with Ball Bearing, I think that this unit gives you great value for the money. The CDI unit is a reliable system that is durable and easy to maintain. For the sails, it will prevent you from using the drifter in the headstay, but a lot of drifters are free flying sails. I would suggest that you look into having the drifter converted into a free flying sail, so that you do not lose the usage of this sail. The Genoa can be converted to a roller furling sail, but generally it is more cost effective to have a new sail made. The advantage to a new sail is that it will be designed to work with the roller furler, which will allow the sail to furler better and give you the proper shape that you like from your sails. Please contact me with any questions about retrofitting any of you sails.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Question: Wondered if you had a recommendation for a furling system for the headsail on my 30ft. catalina tall rig? Is a person better off oversizing a furling system or is the manufacturers length recommendations a safe bet?

Thanks, Greg
Anacortes, WA

Answer: Greg, Thank you for the inquiry regarding the proper Roller Furling System, it is important to get the right system for your boat. With the quality of new roller furling system their is no need to over size the system that you get for your boat, but with that being said it is important to get the right system.

An example of picking the right unit is seen with the Harken Roller Furling Systems, because there are two systems that could possible work. The system that I would recommend is the Unit 1, because you fall into the middle range of this unit. If you look at the boat size chart you might be able to use the Unit 0, but you boat puts you at the extreme top end of that unit. My recommendation on this is to carefully look at the manufacturers recommendations for the head stay lengths that the units can work with.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Question: Need your thoughts? I've just purchased a Chrysler 22'. I like the specs on this boat. Mine is a fixed keel model and will be used in the Clear Lake, Texas area and on a rare near-off shore trip to Corpus Texas. I'm not much into racing. At almost 60 I'm into durability and ease of use. I have Jib and Main Halyards going to cabin area for Self sailing and will install a Jib downhaul and Lazy Jacks for the main.

There are some thoughts I would appreciate getting from you. First if I like the Jib downhaul, what sizes of Jibs would you recommend? If I would rather go to a roller furling, what size jib and what brand of roller furling? Finally based on my durability and ease of use comments what would you recommend in type of sails and features to consider.

Monte Holmes

Answer: Dear Monte, I am a little unsure what you mean by jib downhaul. If you are looking to reef your sail I suggest that you install a roller furling system on the boat. Roller furling is the best way to reduce sail area with the least amount of effort on your part. The size of your genoa will depend on what type of sailing that you do. If you tend to sail in windy conditions you will probably opt for something around a 135% or less. If you choose to have a Rope Luff Reefing system installed you will effectively be able to furl a 135% down to a working jib while still maintaining unfurled sail shape. If you tend to sail in lighter conditions then you will want some thing a little larger like a 150%. A 150% will be able to furl down to a 135% when the wind picks up. If you want an all purpose sail and system I would suggest that you go with a 135% with a Rope Luff Reefing system. An optimal RF system for your boat would be the Schaefer Marine Snap furl CF-500. This system is very durable, easy to install and even easier to maintain. Please visit www.cruisingdirect.com for the latest info on these sails and systems. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Good Luck!

Question: I have a Catalina 36 with a roller furling genoa. I also have a storm jib and am looking for a solution for hanking the storm sail on over the furled genny. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Eric Rouzee

Answer: Eric, Thank you for your interest in North Sails and Cruising Direct. Your question about pulling a storm sail over a furled genoa is a common question. After carefully looking into possible solutions last year, we were not able to find a system that would be reliable in the conditions that require a storm sail. I know that there are some companies that have a sail that slides up over the existing genoa, but the problem that we see with this system is that in the strong winds there will be great deal of friction, and you still have to undo your genoa sheets.
The reasons that we still like the tried and tested way of taking your down your genoa and then putting up the storm sail is the following. In storm sail conditions you do not want the added windage of the genoa wrapped around the head stay, and you also run the risk of having the genoa become unfurled on you. If the sail were to come unfurled then it would be extremely dangerous to go forward to take it down. But with the traditional way of taking the genoa off of the head stay you are less likely to have to go forward in an emergency type situation to wrestle with a sail.

My advice to you is to stay with what you know will always work, because when a storm sail is needed you do not want any question that the system will work.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Answer: Bill, thank you for your continued interest in both North Sails and Cruising Direct Sails. Their are several differences between the North Sail and the Cruising Direct Sail. But let me start off by saying that all Cruising Direct Sails are designed and manufactured by North Sails, using North's 4800 NorDac Dacron. These sails are built to the same standards that all North Sails are built to.

The first and most significant difference between the two is that for Cruising Direct you will measure your own boat. We have worked hard to develop a straight forward measurement form that is easy to follow. If you where to buy a North sail, your local sales representative would come to your boat to measure and then deliver the sail to you.

The Cruising Direct line is limited in the cloth that is used for the sails, and with some of the options for the sail. What we have done with Cruising Direct is determine the options that best suit the coastal cruiser and offer only those options.

One other small difference is the cornering patching on the sails, they have a different shape strictly for brand recognition differences. I think that what you will realize is that the difference between the two sails is minimal, and in both cases you are getting the finest sails made in the world.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

March 2006 -

Question: The mast is in our workshop, I installed the furler a couple of weeks ago. The old sail (28 years old) is actually not in that bad of shape but is starting to show it's age and will need replacing in the next couple of years. We used it most of the time last summer and changed sail size according to wind conditions to either a 170% Genoa in light air or a working jib in much heaver air and only once had to use a storm jib. Our interest is in cruising only and I do quite a bit of single handed sailing. This was one of the main reasons that we wanted a furler, another reason is, on a small boat there is only so much storage, it will be nice not to have to carry so many extra sails when we go out for a few days. The existing 150%, according to the boats owner manual is 162 sq. ft. The dimensions are Luff 26' 4'', Leach 25' 9'' and the Foot is 12' 5''. The length of the furler foil between the drum and halyard block at the top is 26' 6''. We took the sail and attached the head and tack to the furler to stretch out the luff to check the length for fit, as you can see it just fits. I had a fair amount of tension on the luff, but probably not as much as I would to raise the sail to prevent scallops from forming. I was told that luff tension on a roller furling sail does not need to be as tight as a hanked on sail, is this correct? Do sails stretch with age?

I really appreciate your help, let me know if you have any suggestions or need more information.

Thanks Dave

Answer: Dave -

Luff tension is another aspect of sail trim. By tensioning the luff you bring the draft of the sail forward by flattening the sail. This technique is usually employed when the apparent wind speed picks up. There is no set luff tension it varies according to conditions. Too tight and the forward draft wants to invert, too loose and the draft moves to far back. Light air likes a full draft back sail, heavy air likes a flat draft forward sail. Though you will not notice these changes with your current sail because of its age you will have a constant draft back full bodied sail, no matter how much luff tension you put on it. Dacron does stretch with age but rope shrinks. The body of the sail will continuously stretch till the shape is "blown out". If you tend to sail in various wind conditions I suggest equipping your sail with a rope luff reefing system. This way you will be able to partially furl your sail and still be able to maintain proper sail shape.

For more information on our rope luff reefing system please click on this link. www.cruisingdirect.com/RopeLuff.htm.

I hope I was able to answer your questions if you have any further inquires please call or e-mail.

Good Luck!

Question: I am putting a furler on my Viking 28 for the first time, I had northsails cut and fix two of my head sails for the furler, but am wondering about a heavy weather sail, What do you suggest?

Al Everett

Answer: Hi Al,

I recommend that you have North Sails install a rope luff reefing system in the smallest jib you have. If you have a 135% with a rope luff reefing system you will be able to effectively furl the sail down to around 90%. If you were thinking of purchasing a new sail I recommend that you buy a 120% with the rope luff reefing system, this way you will be able to reef down to an 80%. Anything past that and I suggest a storm jib. For more information on our rope luff reefing system please click on the link below.

www.cruisingdirect.com/RopeLuff.htm

Good Luck!

Question: I would like to add an asymetrical spinnaker to my sail inventory and want to know what size I need for my Faralon 29' sloop. The jib luff is 38'-6", the I dimension is 37" and J is 13". I also would like to know what is the best material weight to use. I expect to use the sail in 7 to 15 knots of wind.

Thanks,
Frank Brauch

Answer: Hi Frank,

The best way to choose an asymmetrical spinnaker is to match up the luff length to your I dimension. In your case your boat falls in-between two sail sizes that we offer. We currently stock a 36ft luff and a 42ft luff. The 42ft would be way to big for your boat but the 36ft would be perfect. With down wind sails especially when cruising close counts. I also recommend a kite made of .75oz cloth. .75oz is very durable while at the same time light enough to fly in lighter winds. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Good Luck!

Question: Dan,

I'm interested in purchase a new 150 Genoa for my 1988 Montgomery 17 and have a few questions. I've used the quick-quote feature on your web site (pretty cool!) and received some initial options and pricing. From the reading on your web site and other locations I have selected your 4.50 oz NoLam 4500 fabric cut in a radial pattern, with draft strip and luff rope. This sail will be installed onto a (yet to be purchased) CDI FF2 w/ball bearings. I coastal sail (San Juan and Gulf Islands) and lake sail our M17, in a variety of wind conditions. What I am looking for in a new head sail is the broadest possible range of sail control, and durability. I would like this headsail to be reefable and usable to as small a percentage as possible. I don't race but often sail with a group and need enough performance to keep up.

Questions:

- Based on my criteria listed above, have I selected the appropriate design and fabric?

- Is your quick-quote price accurate, or do I need to call for actual pricing?

- does your pricing include shipping (zip code 83854)

- Is there an advantage to having different fabric weights in the different radial panels to better facilitate reefability?

- What type of reinforcing and stitching do you employ in your headsails?

Thank you, I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Randy Graves

Answer: Randy,

Thank you for the question. I will answer your questions in the order that you asked them.

1) Based on your description of the type of sailing that you do and what you are looking for puts you in a situation where some sacrifices will have to be made for either material. We will start with the NorLam 4500, this sail will give you the increase performance that you are looking for. The cloth weight is sufficient enough to allow you to sail in any condition that you choose. The draw back to the NorLam is its durability compared to Dacron. Dacron is a more forgiving material that can withstand more abuse, giving it a longer life. But the trade off for the Dacron is that it is not as performance oriented, both in the design and the material itself. The Dacron sail will increase the performance of your boat and give you the durability that you desire. My recommendation is one based on what you most desire. If you are looking for the performance with reasonable durability then go with the NorLam, but if durability is your ultimate priority then you should go with the Dacron sail.

2) The Quick Quote pricing is accurate provided that the rig dimensions that are listed match the dimensions for your boat.

3) The shipping charge is not included in the Quick Quote price and would be an additional $40.00.

4) There would be no advantage to having different weight panels in the Genoa. We reinforce the Genoa for the roller reefing already. With a radial sail it is best to keep the cloth weight consistent.

5) All of the reinforcing stitching is double and triple step stitching.

Randy, I hope that this helps to answer your questions. If you need any more information or help please call us at 1-888-424-7328.

Happy Sailing!
Dan Calore

Question: I have a Hunter 34, 1983 with a 100% furling jib made by CD Direct. What I need is a sail for light air, downwind. Wind range up to about 12 knots. I got your CD of how to fly a Genaker and they had three guys on the boat. I need something I can handle myself with autopilot set. Even if it is slightly smaller than would be recommended. My boat moves very easily.

Dave McConnell

Answer: Dave,

Thank you for your question. There are a few different options for you in this case.

The first option that you have is to go with the CD Gennaker and Snuffer. The video does deminstate using it with three people, but it can be done by yourself. If you are only using it in light air sailing then the autopilot will be able to keep you on course as you manage the sail. This will take some practice on very light air days, to learn the steps needed and the amount of time that it would take to raise or lower the sail. But if you are still concerned about the use of the sail and the snuffer then we have a second option that is just becoming available.

Cruising Direct is beging to look at the use of the new roller furlers designed for gennakers. This may be a better option for you since it would allow you to hoist the sail then return to the cockpit to unfurl the sail. The sails cannot be left up furled for any length of time because the sail has no UV protection, but it would give you plenty of time to roll the sail and get the boat on its new course before droping it. If this is something that interests you please let us know.

I hope that this helped in you search for a proper downwind sail.

Happy Sailing!
Dan Calore

Thank you for your help Dan,
Casey Moore

Answer: Casey, Congratulations on buying your first boat. You are fortunate in buying such a popular boat when it comes to getting sails. Cruising Direct Sails stocks Catalina 22 Sails for immediate delivery.

The main would be the following dimensions:

Luff 21.00 ft Leech 23.00 ft Foot 9.66 ft.

This would be a 5oz sail with one reef point, and leech battens. For the jib you have several choices to make. Since it is an older boat I would guess that it does not have a roller furling system for the jib.

I would probably go with the 150% Genoa. The dimensions of this sail are the following:

Luff 26.25 ft Leech 24.5 ft Foot 13 ft.

You could go to a smaller sail if you feel that the 150% Genoa is larger then you want. I hope that this helps you get started.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Question: Dan, I purchased a Roller furling 135 headsail this past spring, The sail came with the luff cord, which of course is to stop the sail flutter . . . But it also came with a foot cord, which I have never had on any of my previous sails, could you explain the function / application? I can see how it would be useful to induce curve into the sail on a run. But is that the only function?

Thanks,
Patrick Fatyol

Answer: Patrick, Thank you for the question regarding the use of a foot cord. The foot cord serves a similar function to that of the leech cord. It is designed to stop the foot from fluttering the same way that leech cord does. You may find that the foot will start to flutter when you have the sail sheeted in tight, if this happens tighten the foot cord until the sail stops fluttering. Whenever sailing you want the foot cord eased off as much as possible to allow the sail maximum shape through the foot.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

I have three questions:

First, what do you think is the best headsail size for this boat? I currently sail with a 105 jib and a 150 genoa. Our best points of sail now are a close reach under 105 and single-reefed main in about 15-17 knots apparent and a close reach or a little higher with the 150 in light air. There is a gap, though, where the genoa is too much and the jib not enough. And in higher winds we're overpowered to windward or reaching in winds above 20 knots. I don't have roller furling now but I could justify adding it if I had a sail that served well in a very broad range of wind speeds. I would prefer changing up to a larger size in light winds over changing down to a smaller size in heavy air. If I have to change sails a lot to get good shape then I'll just stick with hank-on sails, which work fine for me. What do you think the most versatile size would be for this boat?

Second, what are the best cloth weights for my application? The Cruising Direct website quotes me an 8-oz Dacron main for standard air and 9.5-oz for heavy air. This is heavier than I would have expected. For a boat this size (~10,000 lbs displacement and total sail area about 500 sq feet split evenly between main and foretriangle) I would have guessed a 7.5 oz main would be about right. Would an 8- or 9.5-oz main be better? On the other hand, the web site quoted a 5-oz 120 genoa for standard air and a 6-oz genoa for heavy air. These seem light to me - particularly here in San Francisco where the genoa will be reefed quite often. Finally, I think I should go with a 1.5 oz gennaker. Why does the website quote such heavy weights for mains and rather light weights for genoas?

Third, I find the CDI furlers attractive because of the lower price and the favorable owner comments published in Practical Sailor. Are they as durable as the furlers from Profurl? Will the CDI furler stand up to the boisterous conditions here where it will be called on to reef the headsail almost every day it's used? If so I can't imagine a reason not to choose the CDI over a more expensive system.

Thank you Dan, for taking the time to read through all this and helping me to sort through the details.

Best wishes,
Seth

You have a few different options when it comes to the best headsail size for the boat. The first option is to go to a roller furling 135% Genoa. When fitted with a ropeluff reefing system the sail can be used in wide range of wind speed. The reefing system is designed to allow the sail to be rolled down to about 95%, while maintaining an appropriate shape. That will give you the power that you are looking for in the light wind and the smaller sail that is needed as the wind increases. The other option would be to go to a 125% Genoa. The reason for this sail is that it would allow you a smaller blade for the heavy wind days. In my opinion I would go with the
135%, because the new sail will have a better shape then you existing which will help in preventing you from feeling over powered so early.

For your question on cloth weight for the main and the Genoa. We recommend 8oz cloth for both sails. I am not positive as to why the website quoted you the cloth weights the way that it did. As for the gennaker the determining this is the wind strength that you plan on sailing with it in. If you are primarily going to use it on light air days when the wind is less then 14 knots then I would go with the .75oz. If you want to use the sail up thought the 25 knot range then I would go with the 1.5oz gennaker, with the spectra luff line installed.

As for the furling systems that you are asking about. The CDI unit with ball bearing is plenty sturdy to handle the sailing that you will be doing with it in the San Francisco Bay area. The very top end Pro Furls are a step up from the CDI units but for the equivalent units the CDI is comparable. I think that you will be very happy with the CDI unit.

I hope that this helps. If you still have more questions please contact me.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Cheers,
Terry Bowman

North Sails has built a number of sails for the MacGregor 26. There are many ways to improve the performance of your boat with the design of the sail and the material used.

With the design, we can do things such as give you a larger roach, or adjust the batten layout. These sails are customer-built which allows for the North Sails Design team to design a sail that you will be happy with.

As for the different materials, we could use a Dacron or a Laminate. Dacron is the most durable of the materials available and offers nice performance for the price and design. If you choose to go with a laminate you will gain performance, but lose some of the durability that Dacron has to offer.

We look forward to working with you in the future and are sure that we will be able to deliver a sail that will increase your boat's performance. If you have any further questions please contact us.

Good Luck!
Dan Calore

Question: Hi Dan, I'm considering the purchase of a loose footed main. My question is how much power do you think an outhaul should have? I thought I would rig the boom end with low friction Harken Ball bearing car and track.The Harken web site says 6:1. Do you think that's enough for a Catalina 30 STD rig?

Thanks in advance.
Dave

Answer: Hi Dave,

Thank you for the question. Not being a rigger myself I am a little hesitant to give the exact ratio. Having sailed with that system in the past on similar sized boats I would listen to Harken on this one. The 6:1 ratio should be plenty of power for the outhaul system on the Catalina 30. The other thing to remember with the outhaul tension, is that you can always ease the sail prior to adding more outhaul. That will take some of the load off of the sail, making it easier to deal with. I hope that this helps.

Good luck!
Dan Calore

I was measuring for a new RF head sail this weekend (before the storm not during) on measurement 2B hoist to aft end of track, I got two measurements one where the tape was stuck at the spreader the other where the tape was on the upper shroud and above the spreader, 42' 1" and 43' 7" respectively. Which one is needed I assume the 42' 1".

Another question, when I measured to the front of the mast I got 12' 6", my hands were getting cold so I just took a straight line, the actually if I had brought a string level would be 12' 9" base upon a perpendicular measurement, which one should I give as well.

Regards,
Pat

Answer: Dear Pat,

Thank you for your questions based on measurements. You are correct in figuring that we are looking for the measurement in regards to 2B, is the smaller of your measurements. This is for two reasons, first of it will be closer to the straight line that we are looking for and it is always safer to go with the slightly small length when measuring because you know that the sail will fit in that case.

You could use either measurement in this case. The three inches will make a small difference though. If you feel that the 12'9" measurement is the most accurate measurement then use that one.

Good luck!
Dan Calore

Question: Hi Dan,

Quick question for you. I'm updating my PHRF application to reflect the addition of the 46' luff gennaker we purchased from CD last year. (Finally comfortable enough with the sail to think about using it while racing...) I've found the luff, foot, and leach dimensions, but didn't see the ASMW measurement. I figure you probably know that off the top of your head...could you save me the trouble of getting the sail measured and let me know the correct value?

Thanks!
Kai Dominik

Answer: Dear Kai,

In Metric it is 6.73m. I hope that this helps.

Good luck!
Dan Calore

Answer: This is a very common (and good) question. In this case, either size Gennaker would work, but I would suggest buying the 46' Gennaker, which will fly lower to the deck because the sail will be out in front of the headstay. This means that when you set the sail, the tack will be just about the height of your bow pulpit, giving you the best performance.

But if you feel that 46' Gennaker will be lower and larger than you want, then you could use the 42’ Gennaker. It would fly several feet above the deck. This will make it harder douse and decrease the effectiveness of the sail.

For further information and help with measuring please look at our website under Gennakers.

Good luck!
Dan Calore

Question: Hello, I sail in the mid-west. My sail plan seems well balanced, but I lack power in low wind conditions. I have a CDI furler controlling a jib that is probably about a 120. Not very big, but the breeze can get pretty sporty so it is usually enough. In light air, I'm a slug. I'm not sure if I should consider a genoa on my furler, or go after something like a geneker for these light air conditions. I usually sail solo. What's my best option.

Thanks,
Shannon Holley

Answer: Dear Shannon,

You are not alone! Many people suffer from light wind performance and we get this question often. In North America the average wind speed is less than 8-10 kts. So it is important to set up your boat for these conditions but at the same time be able to enjoy the elements when they show up in force!

You have two options:

Increase your upwind sail area with a larger genoa. You say you have a 120% genoa now. This is the correct sail for wind over 12-15 kts but you most likely suffer in any wind below that. Your 120% has a sail area of 174 sq/ft where as a 150% would have a sail area of 218 sq/ft. Increasing your sail area by 20% would help in the light stuff. However, when it gets windy you are going to have your hands full and you are going to have to reef the sail down. When you do this, the quality of the shape decreases and you loss performance quickly. North Sails has a concept that helps with this, the rope luff.

The rope luff helps keep the performance shape in the sail. It is a pocket of line that is sewn onto the luff of the sail. Most sail making companies use foam, however we found that it deformed after a short time and that it had mildew problems. My advice is to get a larger sail with the rope luff, so that you have a sail for all conditions.

If you are just worried about your downwind performance, a Gennaker with a matched Snuffer/Sock will greatly help with downwind performance. Especially in light air. The correct Gennaker would have 389 sq/ft of sail area. As you sail now with your main and 120%, you have about 303 sq/ft of sail area. So with a Gennaker, you would be more than doubling your area. This sail can be used in wind up to around 20-25 kts. Handling of the Gennaker is very easy to use as well when you get the snuffer. If you can give us your address, we can send you our Gennaker/Snuffer Video for free.

North Sails' Cruising Direct offers all of the above products at a very low cost and will be glad to help you out.

Enjoy!
Cruising Direct Sails