We are planing to purchase a light air sail for our CD25 and would appreciate hearing of others experiences. We plan on using the sail for crusing, not racing, so are considering some sort of a drifter rather than a spinaker. Currently our largest sail is a 150% Genoa.
Comments?
jtstull@icubed.com
Light air sails
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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chuck yahrling
Re: Light air sails
My CD-27 came with a North Genniker, and I have used it a lot this year when conditions were 0-12 knots. It's easy to rig, launch and dowse with the included sock. It reaches very well and I can get as close as 60 degress apparent (indicated on Autohelm wind instr.)Jim Stull wrote: We are planing to purchase a light air sail for our CD25 and would appreciate hearing of others experiences. We plan on using the sail for crusing, not racing, so are considering some sort of a drifter rather than a spinaker. Currently our largest sail is a 150% Genoa.
Comments?
If it gets below 4 knots there isn't much energy for going downwind, but I discovered I can make the boat reach with a little trick: I rig the storm jib flying inside the drifter (or 150 genoa) using the bow cleats and a spare wire pendant to get the tack 3-4 feet off the deck. I use whichever halyard is left over; I put a Rig-Rite bail on and Harken airblock the masthead for the drifter before stepping this Spring. I run the working jib leads under the genoa leads on the drifter/genoa, but between the uppers and lowers, then under the winch brackets (a snatch block would be better) for a good lead angle. This rig gives me an extra half to whole knot and is good up to about 14kts apparent; above that you can easily hand the storm jib. It also looks pretty cool [Yeah, I suffer from cutter envy ;^)] and didn't cost anything extra.
You may occasionally have to walk the drifter around on a tack - unless you time your sheet slackening/hardening just right - but the 150 slides thru just fine. In such light air any tangle is easy to fix, even single-handed, providing you have something rigged to hold a heading.
yahrling@cybertours.com