Down wind sails

[Yacht Breeze]

We have a Bavaria 40. It has a furling headsail and in-mast furling main. I would like to add a down wind sail. There's usually just the two of us on board so ease of handling is important. Has anyone else got a 40 footer, sailed by husband and wife and discovered the perfect down-wind sail?

 

[pissativlypossed]

We have a Bavaria 40. It has a furling headsail and in-mast furling main. I would like to add a down wind sail. There's usually just the two of us on board so ease of handling is important. Has anyone else got a 40 footer, sailed by husband and wife and discovered the perfect down-wind sail?

Good question, same applies to us, boat is a Jeanneau 42 ds. Help us please!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Good question, same applies to us, boat is a Jeanneau 42 ds. Help us please!

I think it would be hard to beat a cruising chute on a furler for convenience and performance, but it will be expensive.

 

[Ludd]

I fly a cruising chute singlehanded---just don't get a huge one.
Dead downwind I pole out the genny on the other side.

 

[Yacht Breeze]

Cruising chute

Thanks guys, that's very useful.

Now starts the shopping for the best price/performance ratio.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Useful video from North here using a snuffer.

From Crusader here using a furler.

 

[Little Five]

Be sure to specify to the sailmaker that you wish to use the sail for downwind sailing as some cuts of cruising chutes will not set for dead downwind sailing.

 

[ianat182]

As these sails are quite costly,plus snuffer gear, perhaps a secondhand sail may be the way to go. I've just seen Yacht Exchange sails company on the web (01752 895004) who have new and good used sails to sell/buy; the sails are graded from 1-10 for condition from brand new etc. so may be worth a query.
You will need to know the luff length from the halyard exit to the bow roller position, less 2-3 ft, to allow for the tack line or strop length to be added when fitted; I do not know whether this measurement is altered when a snuffer or furler is used though, as I prefer less ropes to handle, and do not use them.
Two-handed on both boat types should not be a problem; previous posts of mine and others describe the setting up and dowsing methods employed; but probably F2-3 would be the maximum to be handled without too much worry.

ianat182

 

[LadyInBed]

This is my short handed down wind rig

 

[Monique]

Useful video from North here using a snuffer. .

Snuffer is key for short handed crew.

 

[DJE]

This is my short handed down wind rig

Strange that, I've got the left-handed one!

 

[Neil_Y]

40' Bav two of us most of the time, a No1 and No2 Genoa on the furler and no main, we had a huge kite as well which sometimes came out when we got bored.
It looked like this (this is mid atlantic 800 miles W of Azores ish)

 

[Twister_Ken]

It looked like this (this is mid atlantic 800 miles W of Azores ish)

Amazing that there was a Beken launch that far out of the Solent!

 

[dolphin]

square sail

i am working on square sail as down wind sail - hope to test this summer

more details in this thread
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=288484&highlight=squire+sail

 

[Ludd]

As an addendum to my poled out genny and cruising chute post,I should have said I set the main boom to the cruising chute side,prevented, and run the cc sheet through a snatch block on the end of it.

 

[Neil_Y]

In answer to Ken, dead astern we were overtaken by the Dutch yacht "Heavy lady" Bob and Kate. Actually we saw them in the distance and then slowed down, I'd just unrolled full sail to come up beside them when this picture was taken. It was quite weird and then we met up again in the Azores and Spain on our way back.

This was perfect ocean sailing! great memories.

 

[flaming]

We have a Bavaria 40. It has a furling headsail and in-mast furling main. I would like to add a down wind sail. There's usually just the two of us on board so ease of handling is important. Has anyone else got a 40 footer, sailed by husband and wife and discovered the perfect down-wind sail?

The replies so far have focussed on Ocean sailing, and I'd be hard pushed to argue with them for medium - heavy airs tradewind sailing.

If however you were thinking more along the lines of light wind summer coastal sailing, then I'd actually suggest a spinnaker....

The reason I'd suggest a spinnaker instead of a cruising chute is the ability to go downwind by pulling the pole back, coupled with the ability to reach with the pole forward make it more useful over a wider wind range. It's also much more stable when going downwind. True you can set a cruising chute as a spinnaker by poling the tack back - but if you're choosing from scratch why settle for a compromise?

Most cruising couples I've ever met don't go throwing 20 gybes in with the coloured sails up, but set it with 10 miles to go in a straight line and a steady wind. Under those conditions a spinnaker is no problem to handle, and will boost speed in light winds to the point at which you won't have to resort to the engine.

 

[Fantasie 19]

I fly a cruising chute singlehanded---just don't get a huge one.
Dead downwind I pole out the genny on the other side.

How do you manage lowering it when sailing solo???

 

[Ludd]

How do you manage lowering it when sailing solo???

Cruising chute is of a manageable size. Never had a problem,except when I've waited too long in a rising wind!
Need to have a good autopilot,though!

 

[temptress]

The replies so far have focussed on Ocean sailing, and I'd be hard pushed to argue with them for medium - heavy airs tradewind sailing.

If however you were thinking more along the lines of light wind summer coastal sailing, then I'd actually suggest a spinnaker....

The reason I'd suggest a spinnaker instead of a cruising chute is the ability to go downwind by pulling the pole back, coupled with the ability to reach with th.....

We mostly sail Temptress (47ft) 2 up, Just SWMBO and I. In strong winds we set a poled out head-sail but in f5 or below we use a Spinnaker ( we carry 2 of these - A heavy 1.5oz and a lighter 0.75 oz), we also use an Aysemetric spinnaker- (not a cruising chute) when the wind is forward somewhat. All of these are on Snuffers.

Snufflers once you learn how to use them they are great. To gybe we pull the snufflr down, gybe the main and set the kite up on the other gybe then pull the snuffer. We hardly ever gybe the Asymmetric.