little pearl has an original 130 genoa that is on its last legs. it has always bothered me that it chafes against the bow pulpit when i’m sailing. any of you sailing with a high yankee? your input on the best “new foresail choice” would be appreciated.
thanks in advance for taking the time to reply
I much prefer the Yankee because of the good visibility under it and wave
clearance in heavy going. The BCC has plenty of sail area as it is. A big
genny (we do have one) might add a few seconds per mile, not a high
priority for us, all-considered. If we did more light air summer sailing I
would maybe add a huge drifter but we already have a never-used
asymmetrical spinnaker!
On Nov 28, 2012 6:21 AM, “BCC Forums” bccforums@samlmorse.com wrote:
Hi jo anne,
You don’t need a 130, that’s for sure. Those large overlapping genoas were made popular by racing boats. They are designed for hard on the wind in light airs. They suck on a close to beam reach, as you get de-lamination of the laminar flow. I can explain more if you like. They just are not a good “all round” sail.
I think the standard “yankee” is a great all round sail for our cutters. Did you ever get any sail and rigging specs with your boat?
If you don’t have sail & rigging specs you will have to measure. And it’s probably a good idea to measure anyway. And do it twice for good measure (no pun intended). Or if you buy your sails local, have the sailmaker measure.
The sail does not have to be real high cut. The higher the cut, the further aft the sail sheets. I would suggest a 10-12 pendent on the tack so it doesn’t chafe. Have it built to 90% of your LP. Have the foot cut so the sheet comes back half way between your chain plates and your gate.
I have the name of an excellent sail maker with a great price if you need it. But they are not local to you.
I agree with Itchen and Seacap. I stopped using the genoa long ago and now use the yankee. The visibility is so much better and I’ve found that - even in light winds - there is no sacrifice in performance (I am not a racer).
Gary
Dioscouri (#064)