This past weekend, we were racing in winds of 20 knots with gusts to 26. Our downwind performance was excellent, but upwind we were over-powered and couldn't find a comfortable grove. I tried a reefed main and our 140 genoa. That was definitely too much sail. We tried reefing the genoa (roller-furling you know) to about 130~125% and had better balance, but seemed slow compared to boats around us.
Typically, we sail in winds from 2 to 15 knots, and do not get much practice in the heavier stuff. I was hoping someone from other parts of the country (SF area maybe?) could relay what combinations work for them in that wind range.
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Dave Motter
Sweet Sue II
Hull #177
Everett, WA.
Due to the amount of wind in SF Bay, I ended up buying a 100% jib a few years ago and that is all I use now unless the winds are very light. I tried furling the original jib but never really got good sail shape.
Nancy
Cat's Meow #2046
San Francisco
2002 MK II
Nancy,
What do you do for the leads for your 100% jib? Did you add track or come up with another solution to get the leads far enough forward?
Bruce
Bruce Campbell
Evergreen Dreams #1409
You can easily get a 100% jib to lead to the existing tracks, just have it built with a higher clew. My previous boat, the 100% actually sheeted further aft than the 150%, because the 150 was a deck-sweeper and the 100 was high-clewed. This also helps with visibility to leeward when you are heeled, which you ought to be when you are using the small jib. Not the raciest setup in the world but a heck of a lot faster than using a half-rolled 150% genoa and your genoa will last a lot longer as well.
Attached pic shows two 100% jibs of approx same are, red a typical race boat low clew style, and green a higher clew which you can see would lead back to the existing tracks.
Jason V
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Nimue,
My 110 too has a high cut clew, yes the racers on the bay call me clewless but, it works well on S.F. Bay. If going upwind I usually put the first reef in the main between 20-25 kts going upwind, by 30 kts it is time for a second reef or rolling up the head sail a bit. Sheeting angle has not been a problem. Better than being over powered with a large head sail.
Sheeting angle is what landlubers call excessive heel, the boat leans over so much they are ready to Sheeeet.
Not being a racer I have considered about a 90% head sail on a self tending system for decadent lazy sailing.
Cepheus dream
C36 MK I # 825
MK I Tech Editor No Mas
The higher clewed sail will also set better on a reach. No reason to add forward tracks to our boats really.
A cheap option for a smaller sail is a jib off of a 'non-overlapping' style race boat. A 1D35 heavy jib sets around 90% on a std rig C36, and a J/105 jib sets around 80%, which I would consider a #4 jib. These sails might not lead back to the existing tracks so well without a recut though.
Jason V
Vancouver, BC, Canada
[QUOTE=Nimue;4861]The higher clewed sail will also set better on a reach. No reason to add forward tracks to our boats really.
A cheap option for a smaller sail is a jib off of a 'non-overlapping' style race boat. A 1D35 heavy jib sets around 90% on a std rig C36, and a J/105 jib sets around 80%, which I would consider a #4 jib. These sails might not lead back to the existing tracks so well without a recut though.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for that thought. There is a 1D35 in Tacoma that has some sails for sale. I think I'll call the guy and see what he has.
Will Nimue be at Swiftsure? I'd enjoy stopping by and saying hello if you're in Victoria that weekend.
Bruce Campbell
Evergreen Dreams #1409
For me a 135 and a reef in the main in 20ish going to wind. Santa Barbara channel
wd
WD
S/V DRAKE EQUATION
www.drakeequation.org
I'm not a racer, WD, but I agree. Have had High Flight with 8 knots on an accurate knotmeter with exactly that: reaching with a full 135 and one reef in the main.
Larry Brandt
S/V High Flight #2109
Pacific Northwest, PDX-based
2002 C-36 mkII SR/FK M35B
Thanks for the input. I think I will add some lines on the jib so when I roll it up, I have some reference points to shoot for. Of course, once that is done, we won't have that kind of wind until late this fall. :)
Dave Motter
Sweet Sue II
Hull #177
Everett, WA.
[QUOTE=bcam;4871]Thanks for that thought. There is a 1D35 in Tacoma that has some sails for sale. I think I'll call the guy and see what he has.
Will Nimue be at Swiftsure? I'd enjoy stopping by and saying hello if you're in Victoria that weekend.[/QUOTE]
I will be at Swiftsure, but not the boat. Not sure who I will sail with yet, but most years I am on something big. Everyone calls me Schnick (long story) if you hear that name thrown around, usually preceded by cursing.
Jason V
Vancouver, BC, Canada