Submitted on December 2, 2003 by Bob Schaedel 

Question: Hi, We have a 2 year old Pacific Seacraft 40 with the standard 120% jib (as well as staysail) which does not provide enough power when the wind is under 15 kts.  Also the jib alone without main when running downwind is inadequate unless the wind is over 20 kts.  Although we have found the 120% excellent in the Caribbean we expect to limit our sailing to the entire east coast and the Bahamas. Much of this area such as the Gulf of Maine, Long Island Sound, Chesapeake Bay is subject to light wind.   Do you think it would be worth having a 135% genoa built to be used as our standard headsail?  I do not want to get in the position of having to change headsails to suit the wind.  Consequently if it too frequently over powers the boat and does not set well when reefed going upwind I will have wasted some money.

Bob Schaedel  s/v ACADIA

Answer: Hi Bob,

You have actually done a nice job of summarizing the trade-offs between larger or smaller LP headsails in the course of asking your question.  There is no single headsail that will be completely satisfactory in all conditions.  If you replace your 120% headsail with a 130-135% headsail, you will have to accept compromised performance when roller reefed in 20+ knots of breeze.  There will also be a wind range between about 16 and 20 knots where the boat would be more comfortable with a smaller headsail, but your best look with the 130-135 sail will be fully unrolled rather than roller reefed.  A new, well designed 130% headsail will likely have much better shape holding characteristics than your current 120% (it will stay flat and draft forward in higher winds) and that will allow you to carry the mainsail a little lower on the traveler, helping to offset the extra heeling that comes with a larger sail in breeze.   But ultimately you will have to sail roller reefed.  Even with a new sail and a rope furling pad at the luff, the shape of the sail is not as nice when roller reefed so your upwind pointing ability will be compromised.   If you do convert to the larger sail, you will likely find you have a gap in your inventory of sails when sailing to windward between 18 knots (top end of the larger lp genoa) and 26 knots (low end of where the staysail might be an acceptable upwind sail).  If you have to go to windward to make a landfall in that wind range, your best combination will be a roller reefed headsail and mainsail while using some amount of auxiliary power.  On most 40' boats, using the motor at 1500-1800 rpm will make the difference between sailing at 6.5knots and tacking through 95 degrees, and 6.5 knots tacking through 80-85 degrees.
In any conditions below 18 knots, or reaching and running in conditions into the low 20 knot range, the boat will be much more lively with the larger sail.  Your 120% headsail is a good size for use with a spinnaker pole on the windward side of the boat when dead running. 

Regards,
Dan Neri
North Sails

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