Submitted on November 29, 2004 by Michael Brisdon Bornn

Question: I sail an Ericson 35-2 with conventional stitched Dacron sails. My sails are tired and in need of replacement. I sail mostly between Los Angeles and Catalina and the Channel Islands. l also plan some cruising in Mexico and up to San Francisco in the coming years. Would 3DL Marathon be a good choice for me? My boat is on avarage, under sail about 40 days per year, and I often sail with main reefed. I want good upwind performance. What in your opinion is the best product for re-ragging my beloved classic plastic.

Thank you,
Michael

Answer: Hi Michael,

Thanks for the note. I am in your backyard, here in San Diego, and familiar with your cruising turf as well as the boat. If upwind performance is your highest priority, then my suggestion is to put the most emphasis on your genoa selection. The Ericson 35-2, as well as many boats of that period, were designed with relatively big fore-triangles and smaller, high aspect mainsail sail plans. Upwind, the genoa, depending on the overlap, provides up to 80% of the horsepower while the mainsail serves more as a helm-balancing control. That's not to say the mainsail isn't important. A older mainsail with a tight leech and/or blown out shape can often act as a parking break. The result; increased healing moment and a good case of “the slows”. So here are my suggestions.

GENOA:

Size (Overlap) - For short-handed sailing (5 or less crew)a genoa no bigger than 140% would be recommended. Assuming you have a roller furler, this sail ,with the addition of a Rope Reefing system, could be partially rolled up to reduce roughly 25% of it's original size. For sailing across the Catalina Channel on a breezy afternoon this could come in handy.

Material - For the best performance value, taking into account longevity, upwind pointing ability, shape holding and sail handling, the material I would choose would be our Soft Norlam cloth. For your boat, this tri-radial cut design would be comprised of a 6 oz and 5 oz. variety. The UV cover would be a 5.3 oz UV Dacron that, in addition to providing protection from the sun, also adds strength to the leech, which comes in handy when the sail is partially reefed. Sunbrella or Aclilan UV material does a nice job protecting the sail but adds nothing to its strength. The Marathon sail would be my second choice. This sail is a one piece composite of Aramid fibers sandwiched between two taffeta (woven polyester) films. The efficiency of this construction enhances the sails shape-holding and at the same time provides a nice durable product. It is over time however more susceptible to UV damage. There is also a cost difference which in my mind makes the Soft Norlam sail a better value.

MAINSAIL:

Configuration - I really like the full batten option since it keeps the sail from flogging, both under sail and while motoring, and in doing so adds to its longevity. The full battens also help control and preserve the shape of the sail for years of service. For your boat's mainsail, 4 full battens should do the trick. Since you may make a long passage or two I'd go with two reefs. For California coastal cruising you could get away with one deep one.

Material - The high aspect nature of the Ericson 35-2's mainsail profile, makes the vertical load requirements higher than normal. This means the cloth we select must be designed specifically for this in mind. North makes both High and Low aspect Dacrons to fill these needs. If we were to go this route we'd build your new sail using an 8.4 oz. high aspect cloth (8.4H Premium Nordac). If you wanted a material that would be lighter, easier to handle and have equal or better shape-holding, the Marathon product, might be your choice. Again, like with the Genoa, there is a price difference that makes the Darcon selection a good value.

Please feel free to contact me directly (john.gladstone@northsails.com) if you need further guidance in making your selections. We have North offices both in Marina Del Rey and Long Beach that would be happy to help you with your purchase.

Regards,
John Gladstone

Email North Sails with your question today!

Go BACK to Solutions for Sailors Main Page.