I’m in the market for a headsail, upsizing from my rather small 15’ foot yankee/blade. I’m curious what others are using? I read recently that Larry Pardey uses a 100% sail with reef lines in it. I’ve looked at the photos in the gallery, but thought I’d ask anyway. So, what do you use for your working headsail?
edited for speling…
I’m in the market for a headsail, upsizing from my
rather small 15’ foot yankee/blade. I’m curious
what others are using? I read recently that Larry
Pardey uses a 100% sail with reef lines in it.
I’ve looked at the photos in the gallery, but
thought I’d ask anyway. So, what do you use for
your working headsail?
We wnt to the Abacos and back twice with the big (100 or 110%?) foam-luff reefing jib which came with Itchen, and which Mark Giegel presumably used to clean up on the Hudson River PHRF racing fleet. Then switched over to the old Yankee for the trip up to Maine last summer. I did not detect any significant difference in overall performance and, if anything, I prefer the Yankee because of better visibility forward, and easier slot adjustment between the two headsails and the main. The BCC is overcanvased very quickly as a breeze builds and a big jib is overkill in anything over 8 - 10 knots. If i were going to buy new sails the first one I would add would be a huge nylon drifter for light air close-reaching. On the other hand, now that we are in Maine I think I will save the money and spend it on a replacement for our antique Raymarine RL9 radar.
Bottom line is that it all depends on what conditions you sail under and how much you want to wring the last bit of speed out of every situation. And budget. And space for sailbags. We have an assymetric spinnaker which never gets used and which takes up an ungodly amount of room in the quarterberth (aka “garage”).
Scott
Warren Fraser
s/v Voyager of Yokohama
I’ll second what Scott has said. Many boat owners have too much headsail and it can work against you. I would buy the best cut sail for the average conditions under which you sail. Years back when I was young and stupid I would get a different boat and buy a 150% GENOA…which turned out to be almost totally useless. Now that I am older and slightly less stupid I waste money on other things marine related…just not oversize sails.
Having a higher cut head sail is a good thing as mentioned. It is good to see where you are going as well. THe low cut headsail can keep someone in your blindspot inviting an unpleasant encounter with another oblect.
Mark
SV “Lightfoot”
Elliot Pattison built my yankee headsail as a furling sail. Three benifits are: I have good sight lines…I don’t have to mess much with sheet block position as I furl as the clew is high already and keeps good sail shape as it is taken in…and, finally, I am not ever out on the end of the sprit, up to my knees in water reducing the sail I should have hanked on 12 knots ago.
I agree that the BCC is somewhat overpowered. In my case, I have a full batten main so end up with two reefs in the main to keep things balanced before I ever consider furling the headsail.
Tom....BCC 118Elliot Pattison built my yankee headsail as a
furling sail. Three benifits are: I have good
sight lines…I don’t have to mess much with
sheet block position as I furl as the clew is high
already and keeps good sail shape as it is taken
in…and, finally, I am not ever out on the end
of the sprit, up to my knees in water reducing the
sail I should have hanked on 12 knots ago.
All the above, yes indeed – but ours is not foam luffed for reefing, just set up for roller furling. I definitely avoid the bowsprit unless at anchor!
I agree that the BCC is somewhat overpowered.
In my case, I have a full batten main so end up
with two reefs in the main to keep things balanced
before I ever consider furling the headsail.
Overpowered Is Good, Very Good! Really surprises some “more modern designs” when one ghosts by them in light air. And reefing is more often needed, and that is good exercise, “cheaper than a health club”, right?
Scott
Tom....BCC 118Tom Harrer
White Wings III
I was surprised that I use my zippered bonneted jib, with out the bonneted portion ,zipped on , as much as I do,!!!
I guess that means that I use the Jibtop in the first reef position, most of the time.
The Jib is the standard size supplied by Sam Morse Co.
That Jib, is a most powerfull head sail, on a BCC 28’.
Because, I copied a ss pulpit from another BCC, and use a Pardey style downhaul, the jib, drops inside the lifelines, and doesn’t shift overboard, then I use a Hasse octopus to secure it to the lifelines , a system , that works for me .
I also use a Hasse created “spindrifter”, which has saved my bacon a number of times, especially that 52 day off season passage from OZ to Bali , which light air was predominate every day!
I did feel so fortunate to have daily weather info sent to me over sailmail, by Bil of S/V BCC Zygote , who was located in Penang, Malaysia, at the time.
A single hander needs all the help he can get, and having Bil’s assistance with weather info, helped me get through a heap of difficult situations, ie: light and variable wind conditions, and fuel and water, already used up, not to mention the Bali Bombing, just before my arrival , there!
I certainly do appreciate all the help, that BCC Owners share with other fellow BCC owners, on this Forum.
If you choose a BCC or FC , you are blessed with a very good decision, in your life !
Douglas , BCC Calliste, 072
Douglas,
thanks for the info there. What is the Hasse Octopus? I looked at their site, but didnt find anything.
-Ben
Hi Ben, the Hasse octopus is a linear flat web belt, with a series of sail gaskets
sewn on to it, spaced about 20" apart.
The fwd end is snap-shackled to the cranze iron, the long belt or strap is run
along the top lifeline, and the aft end is snap-shackled as far aft along the top
lifeline, as it will go.
Carol Hasse , also calls this an “octopus”, or “magazine” (sp-?)
After you drop your jib, it lays on deck, you gather it up and tie the gaskets
around the bunt.
If you want to remove the jib, you un-snap each hank, and re-snap them on, one by
one to the fwd end of the belt.
To remove the jib from the deck, you open the aft and fwd snap shackles of the
octopus / magazine belt, and take the whole bundle down below, all under control.
Carol could do a much better description of how to use it.
Douglas
I have yet to purchase sails for my new BCC 28 (hull126). I know that Elliot Pattisson were the original suppliers. I am wondering if anyone can give me some advice on where and what to buy such that that you have maximum flexibility and don’t duplicate as the sail wardrobe grows (as money becomes available). I have specified roller reefing for both the jib and staysail, to avoid unecessary trips forard, the main has provision for triple reefing. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Stewart,
I fly a 90% jib, roller reefed, made in NZ. It is fairly heavy sailcloth and is a good al’round cruising sail.
The only drawback is that it is a little heavy and small for light air sailing.
I have a new spindrifter which I haven’t used very often. I am considering a light weight drifter with a loose luff as a future purchase.
I agree that to balance such a small headsail I need to reef early, reef often, but this is true of most full keel/shallow forefoot boats, I think. In light air she is best balanced with 1 reef in main, and in 12-15 knots she likes 2 reefs main with full jib. Next I’ll drop stays’l. Next roller reef jib. Finally I take in jib and substitute stays’l still with 2 reefs in main. Next, would reef stays’l. Then would be three reefs in main and finally 3 reefs plus storm stays’l.
Good sailing!
Jerry
s/v Destarte’
Jerry:
We set about 105% jib on IDUNA. Our goal when we reef is to be able to steer the boat with two fingers on the tiller. Following is our reefing sequence:
Less than 12 or 14 knots of wind - full sails
12-14 knots of wind - one reef in the main,
2nd reef - roll up the jib such that about 3/4 to 2/3 is set,
3rd reef - two reefs in the main,
4th reef - roll up the jib,
We have not gone beyond this reef yet.
The above is a general reefing sequence and as you know is also dependent on point of sail. We have also discovered IDUNA sails very well on a beam to broad reach with one reef in the main, no staysail and the jib set at 3/4 to 2/3 of its area. We pulled out of an anchor on a lee shore one night when the wind veered and the forecast was even less promising. IDUNA handled very sweetly under this sail combination. The seas sang by that night We were pleased to make a safe anchorage by 1 am. I will add, we enjoyed navigating that night but did not enjoy seeing crap pot bouys singing by in the bow foam. There is no doubt, BCC’s are sweet sea boats and beautiful sailing creations - thanks to the late Lyle Hess.
I also need to mention, IDUNA’s cranse iron is 6" further forward than a SLM BCC’s cranse iron. This moves our center of effort forward and allows us to carry sail longer.
Fair Winds,
Rod
Hi Rod, Gosh , how did you get your cranze iron forward another 6" ?
You must have studied the result, before you made that modification, but how did you do it ?
Douglas
Douglas:
When we purchased IDUNA, my first project was building a new bowsprit. The old one was delaminating forward of the cranse iron. I took my measurement from the original “widow maker.” The location of the cranse iron, based on comparison measurements, proved to be 6 inches further forward than the cranse iron on a SLM boat.
I believe the early SLM boats had the longer bowsprit. Based on feedback from owners, the cranse iron was moved inboard on later boats, such that a sailor’s arms could span the distance between the staysail stay and jib stay when venturing out on the “widow maker.” It is also possible IDUNA’s original bowsprit was just built longer either my mistake or by design. Perhaps Roger has a better history of any changes that may have been made to the bowsprit.
If I were to build a new bowsprit, I would move the cranse iron out perhaps 4-6 inches further forward. Of course, I would calculate the center-of-effort in relationship to the center-of-lateral resistance before undertaking this change.
I could also cast a new cranse iron that would be longer, such that the tangs were 4-6 inches forward of the shoulder. It’s cheaper to build a new bowsprit than to cast a new piece.
I would rather go sailing.
Fair Winds,
Rod