Genoa cut and material advice

[STOL71]

Hello all,
A new genoa had been on my mind for some time, cannot avoid it any longer after I tore it today.
I would appreciate some advice on material and cut - I cruise in local and European waters, also do a fair bit of river racing with plenty of tacking, plus foul weather sailing. The boat is a 26 ft long keel boat, mast head Bermudan rig.
Many thanks.

 

[Daydream believer]

Hyde fibercon (or latest creation of it) radial cut.
Or Ultimate sails cruising laminate 8oz radial
Both will measure up on your boat
Both are experienced in racing sails.
Hyde make the sails themselves in their own factory.
Owners of Ultimate are ex managers of Sobstad who were the suppliers of the sails for the Sigma class race sails & have been the leading race sails for the J classes ( or were a few years ago) & make good blade sails
Hyde will be cheaper, but you have missed the winter discounts.
If you want to race you will not want to furl the sail. So a smaller blade sail is better for windier conditions & short tacking. Really 2 jibs is the way to go but that costs money.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

My last boat, a Nicholson 26, came with a huge, lightweight overlapping Genoa. I sailed predominately single-handed and often in conditions that kept other people lashed to their bar stools. The Genoa was a pig to tack and restricted visibility. I had a new headsail cut from heavier Dacron, less overlap, and with a high cut clew to give me a tougher sail, easier tacking and better visibility. The other advantage of a high cut clew is, if your sailmaker gets it right ( which mine did) is it eliminates the need to move the genoa blocks when reefing

 

[Daydream believer]

Another advantage of a higher clew is that the sail does not bunch up near the foot when furling due to excessive cloth in that zone. The higher clew means that as the foot winds on to the furler it moves upwards a little as it rolls. However, it normally means that the sheeting point is further aft so one has to check the length of the genoa car will accommodate this

 

[Bobc]

Hello all,
A new genoa had been on my mind for some time, cannot avoid it any longer after I tore it today.
I would appreciate some advice on material and cut - I cruise in local and European waters, also do a fair bit of river racing with plenty of tacking, plus foul weather sailing. The boat is a 26 ft long keel boat, mast head Bermudan rig.
Many thanks.

For a boat like that, I would just go for a standard cross-cut genoa made of something like Supercruise.

 

[srm]

Make a list of local sailmakers who will come and measure your boat. Ask for their recommendations and prices.
If you do not have a local sailmaker make your own measurements as accurately as you can. If a standard class boat and rig sailmakers should have access to the data. Then contact a selection and ask recommendations and prices. Choice of sail cloth may well depend on how serious you and the competition is when racing.

I agree with the comments for a high clew, a great sail for cruising and lots of tacking but less sail area may cost you a few seconds on the race course.

You are asking for a sail that will work well in a very wide range of different conditions - but will probably have to accept some compromise depending on what your priorities are. In the days of hank on sails a boat such as yours would carry three or four headsails of different sizes and cloth weights to cover the range of conditions you specify.

 

[STOL71]

Thank you everyone..