Companion to the tall mast thread. Are Reduced Main Areas a Good Idea?

[savageseadog]

I've noticed that one of the Prima 38's has shortened her main foot, reduced her rating considerably and doing very well. I'm not sure if the hoist is shorter. Is this a trend?

 

[flaming]

I've noticed that one of the Prima 38's has shortened her main foot, reduced her rating considerably and doing very well. I'm not sure if the hoist is shorter. Is this a trend?

Sort of. We reduced our Jib area significantly a few years back (went from Genoas to 100% jibs) and went from "there or thereabouts" to winning things.

If you sail in an area that is mostly stronger winds, then carrying lots of sail area that you can't use is generally a bad idea. Normally this is done, like we did, by ditching the genoas for jibs. However, the Prima was already a non-overflapping boat, so if they found themselves overpowered most times they went out reducing mainsail area and taking a nice rating credit would be a good idea.

 

[savageseadog]

Sort of. We reduced our Jib area significantly a few years back (went from Genoas to 100% jibs) and went from "there or thereabouts" to winning things.

If you sail in an area that is mostly stronger winds, then carrying lots of sail area that you can't use is generally a bad idea. Normally this is done, like we did, by ditching the genoas for jibs. However, the Prima was already a non-overflapping boat, so if they found themselves overpowered most times they went out reducing mainsail area and taking a nice rating credit would be a good idea.

We seem to have done nothing this summer except beat against F6-7's, wind over tide. With a reef in a full main the rating is a waste of time. Many yachts don't reef but then it depends on crew weight, we can't generally get enough crew. The boat I'm thinking of is "Assassin" by the way.

 

[Quandary]

When we talked to Chris Owen regarding optimising our Finngulf ( which while 33' had more sail area and higher aspect than the Sigma 38 it replaced, but compensated with a lead bulb keel) one of his main recommendations was reducing the main foot but increasing the roach to maintain power, we never did it as we have only raced on CYCA which is not measurement based, but Finesse which was raced much more seriously had Owen racing sails which no doubt took advantage of what he had learned sailing with us. Other recommendations were a thicker rudder profile and a much smaller jib. We did buy a blade from him and modify the rudder but decided that fattening it was too much work and instead added a fin which had much the same effect. I agree that there is no substitute for weight on the rail, it is also usually much cheaper than sail or rudder mods.