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Athene V30

Athene V30

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20 Sep 2001
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Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria in Winter, the boat
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Karouise is being treated to new sails (furling genoa with foam luff and UV strip, main with 3 slabs), stack pack, dodgers, spray hood (with grab bar) this winter.

Just had the first quote back and needed to sit down quickly :eek:. If this sailmaker is the norm then prices have gone up a lot since I put new sails on Flipper in 2007.

Been offered 2 sizes of genoa a 140% and 150%. Other than the obvious 10% what is the difference? Should I go for the larger genoa for light wind performance and sail with it reefed a lot? I do have a removable inner forstay for the hanked on storm jib.

My sailing is cruising and as may be aware I sail singlehanded a lot and am planning to sail to the Azores in 2012 with the Jester Challenge. Cutlass is a masthead rig with a large main. This season going to windward in a F4 in the wallet the No 3 genoa and 1 reef in main were ok but I think the No 2 genoa would have been better to help her through the chop. Lee rail just out of the water apart from the occasional dollop! I think I would have put in a 2nd slab if I had needed to cook / sleep etc.

What is the panels considered opinion?
 
Karouise said:
Been offered 2 sizes of genoa a 140% and 150%. Other than the obvious 10% what is the difference? Should I go for the larger genoa for light wind performance and sail with it reefed a lot? I do have a removable inner forstay for the hanked on storm jib.
Click to expand...

Facing the exact same problem.

At the moment Guapa's got a 130% and a 150% genoa.
In light airs the 150% works a treat, but once wind picks up you're constantly furling - and the sail loses shape and efficiency.
So, most of the time, we have the 130% on. In light airs I'm not so much sailing as drifting in style. But once wind picks up I can leave the genoa untouched so much longer. In fact, if she heels a bit I sooner put a reef in the main than put a couple of turns on the genoa.

It's a compromise - but it seems to work for us.
 
The big foresail question

Peter

I know the dilema - Seabee had a new Genny from Dolphin in 2007 and having discussed with the team there we settled on 130%. She is still a bit of a handful when above 18kts but that gives me plenty of flex reefing the main.

Given that the AZAB has a lot of reaching and on the way back a fair bit of downwind legs you will need the scope of a reasonable Genny, but with the prevailing wind here on the East Coast I tend to be continually beating up and down the coast! Thus the compromise was to have a slightly smaller foresail.

Just think of all that nice new crackly white cloth - she'll feel like a new woman! And at your age...
 
I have taken delivery of a 125% Genoa for Full Circle.
I believe that we have an average windspeed which supports a slightly smaller sail (was 140%) and also, it is much easier to tack, which we do often in our narrow waters. If its light airs I will just go a bit slower, although I doubt I will notice as,theoretically, I can point 5 degrees higher now.

Also, with the foam luff, I can get it to 100% (No3 Genoa size) without too much loss of shape.

This is slightly theroetical, as my sails are yet to be pressed into service. Just don't use the D-Word in front of me.

Get a price from Crusader, their service and advice is to be highly commended, as well as price. If only I had listened.

Also get a price from HK Sails, apparently stunning prices and no one I know has yet had a completely disastrous deal from them.

Did I say don't mention the D-Word?
 
Gosh, there are so many choices. TG had three headsails and something larger I called a ghoster. Ghoster was terrifying in rising winds largely I now conclude because its shape was rubbish and it was pretty stretched, so when I had the furling genny made I thought to size it generally on the No 1 but slightly larger.

If I assume the old No 1 was 100%, the original set was:

No 1 - 100%
No 2 - 72%
No 3 - 41% (Storm)
Ghoster - 132%
New furling genny - 103%

Conclusion - furling genny is not large enough. In light airs given that TG is built on its owner's proportions, not quick. Wish I had made it larger but I would want it to have a nice shape when slightly rolled. So I guess I would certainly pitch it at 110 or 120% next time.

I am assuming that I would be able to roll it to a reasonable shape around 100%, after all this picture seems to suggest that the 103% can be reduced with two/three rolls to what - I guess 85% and still set ok



This one and the still has the genny fully out and it looks as though I could do with a little more sail to me



TillerGirl4.jpg


This is 25-28knots apparent with one reef in main and a nicely setting two/three rolls in the genny



I think my concern on the larger size would be how it sets as it reduces. It's a long way between full sail and storm jib and of course as it reduces it rises! Of course you are a modern swelvt shape and not dragging half the amazon rain forest and a pile of iron through the water.

None of this helped really but it diverted me from rewriting a tedious paper so I am grateful for that.
 
Peter, it may well be worth your while having a word with Mark Self at Advantage Sails in Brightlingsea.

Mark made a new 100% for Endymion a couple of seasons ago, and it has very much been our headsail of choice. Service is very good and the prices are realistic...AND he is local to you...not many sailmakers like a bad advertisement on their doorstep!!!
 
I've just ordered a 133% in Pentex with rope padded luff and no sacrifical strip (sock in lieu) from Quantum.
 
I had new sails 3 seasons ago for my Moody31 & went through the same thought process.My boat originally had a 150% genny but I settled on a 130% triradial laminate with foam luff.I can now carry full sail up to about18/20 knots apparent (providing it is not too gusty) whereas previously I was reefing genny in about 10/12 knots or we were going sideways.There is a slight loss in light airs but as Jim says we can point higher.I also have a fully battened main with zip up bag.I went to usual suspects for quotes.Dolphin were nearly 50% more than the rest & I eventually settled on Hyde who came to measure the boat & I have not regretted my decision.They were at least honest about the fact they they moved their manufacturing base to the far east some years ago.Have a look at their website.
 
Karouise said:
That is the quote I had to sit down for! Not seen any others yet to compare
Click to expand...
Must admit that Mark was not the cheapest option, BUT the fact that he was local and took the time to discuss what we wanted in detail that we went with him. From what I recall HK Sails were very low cost, but it is just the fact that if they got it wrong, or the sail needed to go back for alteration it would be probably several weeks without said sail...still, you pays your money!!!
 
I have just dug out the invoice for Flipper's sails in May 2006 and the prices I have just been quoted are about the same so maybe Mark - Advantage is not over the top. Wait to hear what James Lawrence, Dolphin and Crusader come up with. I would prefer to 'go local' if affordable for the very reasons you suggest.
 
Karouise said:
I have just dug out the invoice for Flipper's sails in May 2006 and the prices I have just been quoted are about the same so maybe Mark - Advantage is not over the top. Wait to hear what James Lawrence, Dolphin and Crusader come up with. I would prefer to 'go local' if affordable for the very reasons you suggest.
Click to expand...

i had a Genoa from Crusader in 2008.
it works but isnt a thing of Beauty.
i should have kept local & got a better quality of Sail
Gowen :cool:
 
When we changed the genoa we went from 140% to 125% and reef later (barely at all). It's also less of a handful tacking. I think with UK winds, 140% is a too big as a reefed headsail since when pulled in for a F6 it's going to be too full.
 
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