One Sail to Buy...Which One?

[brishel001]

Hi everyone, after lurking here for a year and a half and consuming a vast number number of your fantastic ideas, I'd like to ask everyone a question about a possible sail purchase. I live in Texas and have my in a slip on Lake Lewisville. All of my sailing involves day trips, often with my wife and two young children. I've owned the boat a little over a year, have some prior experience and feel comfortable sailing in most reasonable wind conditions. That said, my sail inventory consists of just the factory main and working jib on hanks. I'm happy with the hanks and really don't want to go the furler route. My question is: in my position, if you all had one sail to purchase to enhance your sailing experience what would it be? Top of my list are an asymmetrical spinnaker and a 150% Genoa, but I'd really like to hear your thoughts on an optimal first sail purchase.

[beene]

I would get a higher quality mainsail

If you are running with the original, she is most likely blown out.

A new main will go a long way to improving the sailing performance of your X.

After that, I would get the asym.

G

[Sumner]

I was happy with a hank-on sail as I never had sailed before, but after getting the furler I'd never go back. So my reasoning for you since you aren't considering a furler is to get the main now and then when you come to your senses get the furler and a 130 genoa later or possibly a 150. If you got a new headsail now then you might not want to spend the money on a furler down the road as you would have to either convert the sail or get a new one and you would still have the old main,

Sum

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[c130king]

I agree with Sum on the furling.

Go with the Asym that way if you do decide to go with a roller-furler in the future you won't be stuck with a 150 Genoa that you would have to modify.

I have the 150 Genoa on a CDI FF2 furler. Love the furler as I frequently single-hand and the furling makes it much safer/easier.

I don't have an Asym yet...it is on order from JudyBSails who is a member and advertiser on this forum. Should be here in a month or so I hope. Installing all the new hardware in the next couple of weeks.

Good luck.

Cheers,
Jim

[Tomfoolery]

So far, I'm in agreement with all of the above. I would add that my 150 genoa is too big, and I get better balance furling it on the roller. I switched to the standard jib late last year, but haven't had enough time on the water with it to have a good feel for how it performs.

But my reasoning for the asymm is that you can always bear off and still use it in lighter winds, and still have the regular jib for stiffer breezes. It's not expensive, either, and a snuffer is handy even though it's a small boat.

My next sail purchase will definitely be a medium quality or better main, though. I've got enough head sails.

[Terry]

After 8 seasons with my 26M and a total of five sails, I'll give you my take on it. I started out with a stock main & jib for my first season and that was fine. I waited a year or so and my first sail upgrade was a genoa, and even eight years later in hindsight I still feel that was the most useful first sail upgrade. Now to speak out both sides of my mouth and contradict myself I am going to say that you really don't need to "come to your senses" and buy a roller-furler. I spent the first five years with hank-ons and it was not that big a deal to manage. Today I have a very slick roller-furler system, a Schaefer CF700 Snapfurler, best you can get for a Mac and I will admit that it is very nice to have, I can manage it from the safety of my cockpit and now that I have it, I would not go back. But I will tell you from hindsight that it is not critical to have, just nice to have. I had both hank-on sails converted to luff tape for $150.00 per sail (North Sails) which I do not believe to be an excessive expense considering a new genoa is in the neighborhood of $6-$700 dollars - the jib is questionable but mine was still fairly new so I had it done too. By far you will enjoy a genoa the most.
I also have the Musclehead Mainsail from KH and the slick asymmetrical setup from JudyB. The asymm setup is a bit more $ investment than a genoa but when you get a few more seasons under your belt it is a very nice addition to have. If your main is old and blown out then a new main and genoa would be the best bang for your buck. A quality roller-furler is a good but pricey investment, so if you are young enough to be comfortable launching a genoa away from the cockpit you can delay such a purchase.

[Divecoz]

Terry: Tell us a little more about your Muscle-head Mainsail .... Ive been Vacillating long enough Sell Me on it Brother Just a Little shove is all I think I need?

[brishel001]

Thanks all, excellent advice and you all really have me thinking about the main (which I hadn't considered much before). Now that you all mention it, it does seem like when I'm sailing in winds say 6-12 knots especially on a reach, the main has a bit of a belly and I have to sheet the jib out more than would seem necessary to balance the main. I'll do some more research on blown out mains on this forum. Also great points of view on the hank-on vs furler head sail; definitely seems like the furler is loved by all but not critical. My main concern with the furler is compromising the ability to point into the wind, though I'm not sure if this is a red-herring or not.

[Terry]

Terry: Tell us a little more about your Muscle-head Mainsail .... Ive been Vacillating long enough Sell Me on it Brother Just a Little shove is all I think I need?

Well, I think you are SOL Dive, The MuscleHead was a KH offering as in Kelly-Hanson whom I believe are currently out of business. There were a number of us Mac owners who jumped at the offer and I think he sold all of them that he made. Having used it a couple seasons now I think down the road when the time comes I will take it in to North Sails and have a custom made knock-off done. Maybe someone can loan theirs to you to do the same.

[DaveB]

I would highly recomend the CDI FX2 Furler with a 6 oz Sail and Sail cloth tape 105 jib and Judies Main with two top full battens with 2 reef points.
The jib is much better beating to windward useing the inside track and the main performs great with the two top full Main battens as the jib is down lower than the main and reduces flap at the head.
The jib also furles up tighter and maintains shape when furled with less windage. Only draw back is in winds under 5 knots and thats were the 150 is better. The 130 genoa is not recomended for our boats.
Dave

Thanks all, excellent advice and you all really have me thinking about the main (which I hadn't considered much before). Now that you all mention it, it does seem like when I'm sailing in winds say 6-12 knots especially on a reach, the main has a bit of a belly and I have to sheet the jib out more than would seem necessary to balance the main. I'll do some more research on blown out mains on this forum. Also great points of view on the hank-on vs furler head sail; definitely seems like the furler is loved by all but not critical. My main concern with the furler is compromising the ability to point into the wind, though I'm not sure if this is a red-herring or not.

[RobertB]

If one had the 150 Genoa and furler and sailing in wind more suited for the jib, is it desirable to just unfurl the genoa partway and transfer the sheets to the jib tracks up front?

[Divecoz]

Dave: ANY Draw Backs to the Ball Bearing Up Grade.. I have yet to pick mine up and its still and option..if I desire it..?? I need to MAKE Up My Mind!
On the sail choice as well. So he can have sunbrella leech sewed on.. AND with your experience with sailing SWF you suggest the 105% gib??

[ronacarme]

I have run hank-on headsails on 3 Macs since 1980 and plan to continuewith hanked-on headsails, despite having chartered various 24 to 34 ft boats with roller furling. So for me, "moving up" to roller furling is not of interest.
The 3 Macs each came with a main and working jib.
The first headsail I added on my 1972 Mac Venture 17 was nylon drifter, flown like a genoa, later followed by a 25 sq ft storm jib.
That worked well so the first headsail I added on its replacement 1988 Mac 26 D was a new 200 sq ft drifter.
Again that worked well, so the first headsails added on the replacement 2001 Mac 26X were the drifter from the D and the storm jib left from the 17.
I then bot a stock 350 sq ft Mac Asym which I may well sell. It has a very narrow range of useful wind angles when flown with the main, which blankets it off the wind. Off the wind it might do better with its tack poled to windward or set forward on a bowsprit, but that would be a hassle as I often singlehand. There seems little point in flying the asym with the main down as the main and drifter together give the same 350 sq ft, with a wider range of courses and greater control of the boat if other boats are near.
Ron

[Catigale]

My 0.02 on the OP....replace the factory main...

...unknown material
...very light weight

.....if I t was used in moderate winds by a beginner it is probably blown out.

Several good alternatives from advertisers on this board!

[mastreb]

If one had the 150 Genoa and furler and sailing in wind more suited for the jib, is it desirable to just unfurl the genoa partway and transfer the sheets to the jib tracks up front?

I use my 150 furled most of the time--any time the wind goes above 5kt I start furling it down to a 110, and in big blows I take it down to a little patch. I've never felt the need to transfer to the inside tracks however--in my experience the boat with this genoa+furler doesn't point better than 45 degrees to wind so the foresail isn't going to need to be sheeted that far in. YMMV.

Dive--I just got the ball bearing upgrade and will be installing it today with a new mast foot, as my original was bent when I dropped the mast. I don't feel it's necessary as my mast rotates pretty well anyway but since I'm overhauling the entire foot assembly I figured why not?

Also got the double ringding quick pin because I'm tired of trying to hammer the main bolt out when I step the mast. I suspect the bearing will be great at first, I'm hoping it'll last two seasons.