Submitted on April 28, 2007 by John Lang

Question: Would a paneled Dacron racing sail be a high performance option for a cruising mainsail?

Answer: Hi Jon,

The answer would be a qualified yes. To better determine if this a good choice for you, it would be helpful if you told us what kind of boat you have. One aspect of the racing mainsail that adds to the performance is the increase in girth in the roach profile. When this is done, often the leech will overlap the backstay. In light air this will sometimes cause the leech to clip the backstay when tacking and gybing. Many cruising sailors don't like this. If we know the boat, it will help us determine if this would be the case on your boat.

Regards,
John

Best of luck!
John Gladstone

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