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North
Sails invites our cruising clients to write to our in-house "experts"
with questions and comments about North cruising sails. We encourage
questions that will help other cruisers and we'll make every effort
to post questions (with answers) to this page within 48 hours.
As always, North Sails is interested in constructive questions and
observations from all over the world related to the performance,
design and manufacturing of our complete line of quality cruising
sails. Dan Neri (above) is one
of North's cruising sail experts. |
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| We
look forward to hearing from you! Email NORTH
SAILS cruising experts to submit your sail-related question. |
|
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October 25, 2004 submitted
by Larry Green
I have a Tayana 52 with
a North full batten main with five battens. I removed
the battens prior to Hurricane Charley and now am not sure how to properly
tension the battens.
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October 21, 2004 submitted
by Pete Celone
I am considering
Marathon 3DL sails for a catamaran we are buying. I would
like to understand more about the lifespan of these sails prior to structural
or shape problems.
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October 14, 2004 submitted
by Lou Von Woglom
My current main on my
S2 7.3 is 20 years old and I am considering buying
a used J/22. Can it be fit to my boat?
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October 11, 2004 submitted
by Al Mellors
After reading Steve Dashews'
"Encyclopedia", I'm pretty well convinced that I could get
better cruising performance on my 47 ft. twin headsail ketch by changing
to a high roach main and sloop rig, the mizzen being little more than
decoration and a place to hang stuff. Read on...
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October 8, 2004 submitted by
Eric Swanson
I am trying to decide
between in-mast furling or not. Is there a trade-off between convenience
of hoisting/sail handling and overall sail performance?
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September 28, 2004 submitted
by Marc Lasserre
I have a Bavaria 32.
There is too much slack in the forestay tension even when tightening
the backstay. There is no turnbuckle to adjust it. Could you tell me
what I could do to remove some of its slack?
- September 28,
2004 submitted by M. Fox
Looking to purchase
a Catalina 350 with full batten mail and am concerned about ease of
flaking-Dutchman system?
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September 21, 2004 submitted
by Peter Ramsden
I want to fit a 42 foot luff
length asymmetric spinnaker to a 37 foot cutter with a masthead rig
and 46 foot forestay. Is the sail too small & what are the normal
sizings for asymmetrics?
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September 21, 2004 submitted
by Don Parker
I'm writing to learn more about
a unique storm jib/staysail, rumored to have been developed by Dan Neri.
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September 20, 2004 submitted by Lamar
Walter
I
sail on a San Juan 28 and the owner recently purchased a North RF 150%
headsail and a ProFurl system. When racing, we had trouble with the
external spinnaker halyward getting wrapped around the furler. Is there
a solution to this problem?
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September 20, 2004 submitted
by Michael Goddaert
We
are currently developing a 56ft blue water cruiser and as we are planning
to maximize the roach in the main to improve its efficiency, I was wondering
if there is a specific maximum overlap (with the backstay) in a single
mast configuration?
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September 17, 2004 submitted by Russ
Brown
I
have a fully battened mainsail that when hoisted all the way to the
top of the mast fouls with the topping lift near the peak. Am I setting
something up wrong?
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August 29, 2004 submitted by Richard
I
have a North furled 150 genoa with a foam luff. While the canvas itself
is in very good shape, the UV cover is in poor condition. Can the UV
cover material be replaced? Is it worth the expense?
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August 24, 2004 submitted by Tom Berkemeyer
My mainsail is two years old and getting dirty. It is Dacron / mylar
cloth. I have
a citrus-based cleaner that has worked for everything else on the boat
and
would like to know if it is OK for cleaning the sail?
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August 23, 2004 submitted by Hooper Sails,
Australia
Is
it an advantage to have a telltale window in a cruise laminate genoa?
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August 19, 2004 submitted by John Reid
Trying to select headboard shackle and new halyard for the Mainsail
on our
Tartan 42 - used for long-distance ocean cruising. Do you have any calculation
for the forces on the head shackle?
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August 16, 2004 submitted by Patrick
Carey
I own a Pacific Seacraft 34 with a 120% headsail and a full-battened
main. I
would like to point higher than the usual 45 degrees. Any ideas for
a headsail
re-design?
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August 13, 2004 submitted by E. Berns
What is the recommended wind range for a typical 0.75 oz nylon poleless
cruising spinnaker?
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August 10, 2004 submitted by Javier
I have a North 130% genoa that came with the boat and was in storage
for a couple of years. I washed it with mild soap and water to remove
most
of the stains. Is it wise to "steam clean" it to remove mildew
and oil?
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August 3, 2004 submitted by Lee Bartkowski
I have an Ericson 28+ which has a fractional rig. The mast was re-rigged
last Fall and a bail and block installed at the masthead. Do you recommend
a taller Gennaker hoisted to the masthead or the standard luff length
for headsails?
- July
29, 2004 submitted by John Purslow
What is the attachment called that goes on the bottom of a sail to give
extra depth?
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July 28, 2004 submitted by Don Albanese
I have a 100% jib from my previous J/35. Can this sail be made into
a Gale Sail
for my Tartan 4100?
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July 19, 2004 submitted by Steve Mathewson
I have North full batten main and a 150% genoa on my Catalina 34 tall
rig.
Please advise best design information for suitable cunningham for cruising.
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July 16, 2004 submitted by Dan Bochniak
I have been told that full batten sails are difficult to raise. I am
looking to buy
a Catalina 320 and they have full batten sails and Dutchman system.
Do you
have any advice?
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July 15, 2004 submitted by Gary Souza
Is there a basic rule as far as the maximum I can roll up my 135 headsail
and
still hav some sort of "workable" shape? There is no foam/rope
in the luff.
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July 1, 2004 submitted by Kathleen Toubman
I have a Columbia 8.7 with a new North main. I would like a diagram
of the sail rigged and reefed.
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June 27, 2004 submitted by Zan Marquis
I want to set up my 68-foot Peterson racer/cruiser for single-handed
sailing. How about an asymmetric spinnaker on a roller furler?
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June 20, 2004 submitted by David &
Linda Mott
When you refer to battens not extending beyond the backstay, do you
mean that the roach continues past the backstay, but the battens are
shortened to reduce the effect of fouling, or do you simply mean that
the
mainsail does not go past the backstay?
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June 15, 2004 submitted by Paul Richards
I saw your response regarding Paul Doughty's issue with the roller
furling main jamming in the slot. Occasionally, mine does the same.
Am I correct that when furling and unfurling, the mast should be straight?
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June 13, 2004 submitted by Steve &
Ruth Anderson
We have a new North main that we inherited that is too big for the boat.
Can I cut down the sail to fit?
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June 7, 2004 submitted by Miles
I have a Hylas 44, which I am in the process of adding a staysail stay
and debating whether or not to put roller furling here. We plan to cruise
short-handed.
- June
3, 2004 submitted by Tom Goebel
I bought a used North Sails jib and I am not sure it will work with
my boat.
I'd like to convert it to a hank-on, but I'm not sure if it's okay to
clamp the
hanks on over the wire?
- May
27, 2004 submitted by Ellis McKinley,
Jr.
I
have a Jeanneau 43, sail short-handed with my wife in a variety of conditions
and plan to do some extended cruising in the near future. What Gennaker
would you recommend for us?
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May 24, 2004 submitted by Ulrich Kesselring
Can
a "Dutchman" system be used on a heavy displacement cruising
85-foot ketch? And what is the best material?
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May 10, 2004 submitted by Paul Doughty
I'm
having problems with the in-mast furled mainsail on a newly acquired
boat. The sails gets jammed when trying to roll it out.
Is the mainsail simply
too stretched out to furl and then unfurl correctly, or is there something
wrong
with our technique?
- May
8, 2004 submitted by Gary Souza
Is
there any way to remove rust stains from a Dacron jib? Does your 30/1
bleach bath remove rust?
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April 23, 2004 submitted by Mário
Quina
I
have a 2003 Bavaria 38' with a furlex genoa and a full batten mainsail.
Can you advise me on the right tensions of the shrouds?
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April 23, 2004 submitted by Jim Easley
I
have a 150% furling genoa on my 31-foot cruising boat. I also have a
Gennaker, which came with the boat. What performance improvement
should I expect on the downwind points of sail if I fly the Gennaker
instead
of the genoa?
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April 1, 2004 submitted by Forrest E.
Joseph
I
have a Hunter 40 with a roller furling jib that is probably the original.
Which
135% roller furler would you recommend I upgrade to for the best overall
performance?
- March
22, 2004 submitted by Richard Lancaster
I
have a sunbrella cover which seems to have shrunk to the point where
I
can no longer fasten it at the front. The condition otherwise is great,
is there anyway for me to stretch it back out?
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March 22, 2004 submitted by Jorge Gonzalez
I
have a J/30 that is sailed and club raced shorthanded. Would a Gennaker
or similar asymmetric work for this boat?
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March 22, 2004 submitted by Ray
If
I put a jib furler on my O'Day 22, do I have to remove the hanks and
luff wire?
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March 5, 2004 submitted by Ted Steadman
I
have recently purchased a Cambria 44 with a Stoway main. I would prefer
using a full batten main with slab reefing. I am considering installing
the
Strong mainsails system. What mainsail would you recommend?
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March 5, 2004 submitted by Ian
Balmer
We
have a #2 genoa for our 50 foot cruising yacht and I am disappointed
with
our pointing ability. Would a 100% jib improve our windward ability
in moderate winds?
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March 2, 2004 submitted by Larry Stanley
I
plan to replace the main on my J/40 and need it to be lightweight, hold
its
shape and be durable enough to last 7-10 years. What do you recommend?
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February 26, 2004 submitted by Carl Hunt
I
usually hoist my Gennaker inside the fore triangle instead of in front
of the forestay as intended. As a result, I am concerned about the side
forces on the
jib halyard sheave. Should I be concerned about this?
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February 25, 2004 submitted by Tom
I
want to make the tack height adjustable on my Oday 272 by running a
lead
from the tack, through the block attached to the anchor roller and back
to the cockpit. Is this possible?
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February 9, 2004 submitted by Darrin
Sweet
Can
you suggest a Gennaker or spinnaker for my Catalina MkII for the
Halifax-St Pierre Race? It's about 2-4 days long.
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January 29, 2004 submitted by João
Santos
I
have a Dufour 38 Classic with North main and genoa and I would like
to
know how can I tune the rig.
- January
27, 2004 submitted by Dave Kusmik
I
am in the market for a new headsail for my Catalina 400. What size do
you recommend and which set of tracks should I be using?
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January 27, 2004 submitted by Robert
Smejkal
We
are buying a new Dufour 34 and are stuck deciding between an in-mast
fuling and full batten main. Which do you recommend?
- January
26, 2004 submitted by Frederick Feldbauer
Can
you give me the pros and cons of a self-tacking sail plan? My wife and
I
sail quite a bit by ourselves and I am intrigued by this idea.
- January
25, 2004 submitted by Gregory Smith
Looking
to replace my North Dacron main on my J/44. Can you suggest a cloth?
- January
21, 2004 submitted by Rich Schultz
I
have a terrible time trying to tack a 130% genoa on my Cabo Rico 38
cutter.
Would I be better off with a different cut genoa?
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January 20, 2004 submitted by Terry Shoup
Can
you explain waht the I P E and J measurements are?
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January 18, 2004 submitted by
Tom
Do
self-tacking jibs prefer lower aspect ratio sail numbers and what other
specifics need to be followed to make a main & self-tacking jib
plan most beneficial in a variety of conditions?
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January 5, 2004 submitted by
Jeff
Sigl
I
have a 1979 Hunter 27 that I sail in southern New England (Buzzards
Bay,
Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound)
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