New head sail

[Photoman369]

I'm thinking next season I will get a new head sail. Mainly because I want a furling headsail. I have the jib that Hanks on and is 100% I think
I have two questions

1. When I look here I don't see a common size for the headsail. Im thinking a Genoa so I can use it well down wind and not need a spinnaker. To much trouble for me. Keep that in mind convience is big.

What size 125, 135, 150?

What are the pros and cons of smaller to larger size head sail.

Also can you keep the forestay attached so you have the jib as back up if needed. Say in case the Genoa tears loose or something. Or is there no real need to keep the jib usable?

I sail on little traverse bay on lake michigan 4-13 knot winds is my preference.

Last time out I sailed main only and it didn't go all the way up as the rigging go twisted and left about 12 inches at the top, in 4 kt winds and screamed along at 1.79 downwind (is that off wind) and 1.9 upwind (is that on wind)

[sailboatmike]

I recon you might struggle for sheeting angles for beating (into the wind) with the 150%, I know you can reef it down with the furler but Im not sure if the sail is the same shape as a proper jib when reefed, I would think the foot would be cut into a much larger radius making it hard to sheet down to the cabin top and maintain tension on the leech.

I would love some input on this one as I run normally with the 110% jib but would love to have the 150% on the furler for the occasional light day.

All that being sail Its surprisingly easy to change the headsail with the CDI furler

[BOAT]

The 150 and larger leave the foot a bit high when reefed to 80% - that makes the jib eye on the deck a bit of a challenge.

I notice the guys on the east coast that run a lot of heavy weather don't bother with big 150 or even 140 sails. If your wind spends more time above 20 knots than it does below 20 knots I think a 110 on a furler would be better.

i run a 150 plus and i love it - but then I rarely need to furl because the Pacific winds are so predicable and are almost always 20 knots or less. If you are a long haul cruiser who sails for days at a time out in the open ocean with places to go and destinations you definitely NEED an asym. Long haul cruising means going downwind a lot and you need at LEAST an asym for that and even better an asym AND a kite.

All the skippers over here in the marina I launch from sail to Mexico and Hawaii and they all have asyms and kites.

[Photoman369]

I recon you might struggle for sheeting angles for beating (into the wind) with the 150%, I know you can reef it down with the furler but Im not sure if the sail is the same shape as a proper jib when reefed, I would think the foot would be cut into a much larger radius making it hard to sheet down to the cabin top and maintain tension on the leech.

I would love some input on this one as I run normally with the 110% jib but would love to have the 150% on the furler for the occasional light day.

All that being sail Its surprisingly easy to change the headsail with the CDI furler

can you leave the fore stay on and hank on the jib when needed. But the jib would go around the furler on one side.

[Photoman369]

The 150 and larger leave the foot a bit high when reefed to 80% - that makes the jib eye on the deck a bit of a challenge.

I notice the guys on the east coast that run a lot of heavy weather don't bother with big 150 or even 140 sails. If your wind spends more time above 20 knots than it does below 20 knots I think a 110 on a furler would be better.

i run a 150 plus and i love it - but then I rarely need to furl because the Pacific winds are so predicable and are almost always 20 knots or less. If you are a long haul cruiser who sails for days at a time out in the open ocean with places to go and destinations you definitely NEED an asym. Long haul cruising means going downwind a lot and you need at LEAST an asym for that and even better an asym AND a kite.

All the skippers over here in the marina I launch from sail to Mexico and Hawaii and they all have asyms and kites.

I dont really sail in 20knt plus so possibly 150 would work for me. and i think i would be using the sheet eyes on the rail next to the cockpit and back up to the winches on the cabin top. or maybe split the difference and do a 140 or 135

[BOAT]

I dont really sail in 20knt plus so possibly 150 would work for me. and i think i would be using the sheet eyes on the rail next to the cockpit and back up to the winches on the cabin top. or maybe split the difference and do a 140 or 135

Yeah that would probably work - I don't know much about the X but I can tell you that one thing the M really needs is winches on the cockpit gunnels. That's something I will be adding someday.

[Photoman369]

I dont really sail in 20knt plus so possibly 150 would work for me. and i think i would be using the sheet eyes on the rail next to the cockpit and back up to the winches on the cabin top. or maybe split the difference and do a 140 or 135

Yeah that would probably work - I don't know much about the X but I can tell you that one thing the M really needs is winches on the cockpit gunnels. That's something I will be adding someday.

The X doesn't have them either. I've seen a lot of videos where they don't need them if you can get it pulled through while its luffing. But I figure going from the gunwales back up to the cabin top winches will work if needs be.

[BOAT]

I don't like that because the line gets in the way of leaning back in the cockpit. All the other trailer boats I sailed had a winch on each side of the cockpit - I think the MAC needs it too.

I need to ask the engineer guys here on the site if that part of the boat is strong and how to mount them.

[Tomfoolery]

I don't like that because the line gets in the way of leaning back in the cockpit. All the other trailer boats I sailed had a winch on each side of the cockpit - I think the MAC needs it too.

If you're not using the cabin roof jib fairleads, you could always put them on the same track as the genoa fairleads to make the departure point further forward. Assuming the genoa fairleads are not already there. Not much of a change, but a change nonetheless.

And I agree - a winch on the gunwales for the genoa would have been nice, but there isn't a whole lot of room there. And then there's the winch handle, and the proximity of my bimini supports.

[BOAT]

I don't like that because the line gets in the way of leaning back in the cockpit. All the other trailer boats I sailed had a winch on each side of the cockpit - I think the MAC needs it too.

If you're not using the cabin roof jib fairleads, you could always put them on the same track as the genoa fairleads to make the departure point further forward. Assuming the genoa fairleads are not already there. Not much of a change, but a change nonetheless.

And I agree - a winch on the gunwales for the genoa would have been nice, but there isn't a whole lot of room there. And then there's the winch handle, and the proximity of my bimini supports.

Yes I agree - it's like doing a wind indicator on a rotating mast - another one of those MAC things I just have not figured out how to fix yet.

[Tomfoolery]

Yes I agree - it's like doing a wind indicator on a rotating mast - another one of those MAC things I just have not figured out how to fix yet.

My Windex lost it's tacking tails a couple of seasons ago, and I don't miss them. So for me, just the needle up there in the unspoiled air is useful as-is. And it wouldn't matter if the mast rotated.

But I don't think that's quite what you mean.

[sailboatmike]

A surprising number of TS's dont have winches aft for the genoa, agreed not many of the same size and sail area are without them though, just getting the jib in hard can be challenge when the wind is up by hand and we normally have to resort to the winch to get the last bit of tension

[Highlander]

I don't like that because the line gets in the way of leaning back in the cockpit. All the other trailer boats I sailed had a winch on each side of the cockpit - I think the MAC needs it too.

I need to ask the engineer guys here on the site if that part of the boat is strong and how to mount them.

Hi Boat
Ur answer is yes I used plastic cutting board underneath my lewmar # 7 winches on the aft cockpit as backing plates heated the plastic backing plates before installing them so they would bend to the slight curve on the gunwale




hope this helps u all out
u can see them here in the cockpit also

[Judy B]

An alternative to winches would be to rig the jib/genoa sheets with a 2:1 purchase. A lot of sport boats do that.







Judy B

[Judy B]

One more pic


Judy B