NEW! Sept 11, 2007 submitted by Gary Busch
Hello, we just purchased a US yacht 21, and it came with a set of 3DLs, the headsail is made for a furler. We would like to go to a hank on set up, can the 3DL be recut for that?

NEW! Sept 2, 2007 submitted by Thomas Marr-Laing
I own a San Juan 24 and am having fun racing her on a large prairie lake in central Alberta, Canada. I have just replaced the standing and running rigging. Could you provide me with information on how to best tune her rigging for racing and cruising purposes?

July 13, 2007 submitted by John Marken
My brother and I race an F27 corsair tri in the northwest. We have a square top main of Kevlar with full battens. Could a sail be designed with shorter lower battens that would allow roller reefing without sacrificing the power of the sail we've come to enjoy? Would light air performance suffer?

June 20, 2007 submitted by Todd Bracken
I’ve seen a few North headsails (Jibs / Genoas) with an angle line extending forward from the clew of the sail towards the luff. I assume it denotes the ideal or neutral sheeting angle for corresponding genoa lead car placement. First, what’s the technical name for this angle indicator? Second, how is it properly calculated?

June 4, 2007 submitted by Conrad Jimenez
We are new to racing and have a 1977 Victory 21 that I just finished refurbishing. When we purchased her a year ago, she came with two, old (non-racing) sails. What kind of main and jib sails do you recommend?

December 16, 2006 submitted by Emily
I am the new owner for a J35 boat moored in Hong Kong. I got a difter from the ex-owner which is about 100% and materials look like 0.5oz spinnaker. Is it a standard size & area for light wind condition (below 5 kn wind)?

December 8, 2006 submitted by Joe McCann
Earlier this year, I purchased an Alsberg Bros. Express 34 with a full complement of North sails. To make the boat less tender when cruising with family, the prior owner added a 280 lb. bulb to the bottom of the keel. My local PHRF Race Committee hit me with an additional 3 second penalty for the bulb on the keel, giving me a PHRF rating of 102. I am having a lot of trouble sailing to my rating. Can you answer some questions for me? Read on...

December 4, 2006 submitted by John Davis
I have a Laser 28 racing on San Francisco Bay. The boat has a Lapper (106% with a big roach) that I have been using for the last couple of seasons. I was thinking about changing the Lapper for a #3 which would be a little smaller given that many races take place in 15 kts + wind. Read on...

November 29, 2006 submitted by Rich Magner
I have occassionaly come across comments about mast sag, where the recommendation is to adjust the mast so the middle sags to leeward in light air and conversely in heavier air, set it up to pop to windward. Is this a legitimate consideration? If so, what is the theory?

October 16, 2006 submitted by John Zienda
How can I clean my sails? Can I wash a spinnaker in the bathtub? If yes what cleaning solution can I use?

October 15, 2006 submitted by David Wood
I have just bought a 1990 Beneteau Oceanis 430. It has a furling genoa and a furling main (within the mast). I am interested in your advice on what sails I might buy to ‘race’ this yacht each Saturday at Mooloolaba and perhaps in the annual Hamilton Island Race Week. Does the furling main system prevent a ‘racing main’ being used? Would a racing main and genoa be bigger than the cruising ones I currently have? What spinnakers should I be considering?