CD30 Yankee

[Gary McDonough]

I need to purchase a new Yankee for my CD30. My sailmaker has suggested to me that the Yankee is insufficient in light winds and recommends maybe a 110 instead. Any suggestions or comments from other owners would be greatly appreciated.

Gary



garym@taxinvest.com

[Pete Zwiefelhofer]

I use a 130 on roller furling.



pete@zwiefelhofer.com

[Tom]

I need to purchase a new Yankee for my CD30. My sailmaker has suggested to me that the Yankee is insufficient in light winds and recommends maybe a 110 instead. Any suggestions or comments from other owners would be greatly appreciated.

Gary

Everything is a trade off, Gary. The advantage to the yankee as designed is that it tacks easily through the slot between the headstay and the staysail stay. It's also high cut so that you get good visibility under it and it doesn't backwind the main or staysail even when sheeted in tight. Are you unhappy with your light wind performance and admire the Pardees who would float outside a harbor for three days rather than turn on the engine?

Having said which I went to a 140% lapper on roller furling. It cured a slight weather helm and drives like crazy in light wind, BUT you have to roll it up each time you tack, it tends to screw up the slot so that you usually can't fly the staysail and jib at the same time. If you sheet in tight the staysail backwinds the main. So when pointing you have to choose between the head sails or ease up a little and sacrifice degrees for speed. It's deck sweeper so you can't see anything underneath it. My genoa is a heavy weight sail so it is hard to keep full in really light winds but in anything above 4 knots it's awesome. When it's really blowing I have to roll it up long before you would the designed yankee. You could get a lighter weight genoa if you're sailing in a light wind area.

There isn't any "correct" answer to this kind of question. It depends upon where you sail, what kind of sailing you do, and what kind of sailor you are. I do very little daysailing and mainly long distance crusing therefore don't tack back and forth a lot. This combo is fine for me and I wouldn't go back, but if I was taking the family out for a cruise around the bay a big lapper would be a real bother and when the kids get fussy I'd tend to turn on the engine and power in rather than play in light wind. It's a question you sort of have to anwer yourself based on what you're planning to do. Has your sailmaker sailed Cape Dorys enough that he knows about their light wind performance? Has he made larger sails for the other CD owners in your area and is trying to steer you right, or does he come from a racing background where speed is the prime factor? Well, there's enough choices to totally confuse you. Whatever you decide don't forget it can always be changed later all it takes is a lot of $$$$$



TacCambria@thegrid.net

[Carl Jones]

I need to purchase a new Yankee for my CD30. My sailmaker has suggested to me that the Yankee is insufficient in light winds and recommends maybe a 110 instead. Any suggestions or comments from other owners would be greatly appreciated.

Gary

I have found that my yankee-staysail combination performs very well in light air, and have kept up with and passed similar size boats flying 150's, plus you have the versatility of the two sail combination that can easily be reduced to just the staysail, when it pipes up. I sailed my boat for a year with a roller furling 150, then changed her back to her original design, and have never wanted to go back. When in doubt, it is usually best to stick with the designers plan, until you get more experience.
Carl Jones
Spanish Eyes CD30



GreatCells@aol.com

[Chris]

Gary - I bought a 140 (used) for my CD330 soon after I purchased the boat. I really thought I had to buy one. After all, I used my 110 and 150 on my previous sloop rig so often I could not imagine sailing without the big headsail. The 140 spent last year stored in my basement because I just never got around to bringing it to the boat. The combination of the Yankee and staysail provide ME with the perfect combinations for my various wind conditions and my available crew. The 140 needs to be furled to pass the staysail which requires the crew to lower their frozen drink. When I am shorthanded or have the family aboard I find the ease of the staysail / Yankee combination to be the best alternative. The windward performance is only marginally sacrificed while the need for constant sail trimming to avoid back filling the main is reduced. All in all - If I needed to pick a headsail the Yankee would definitely be MY choice. Your sailing desires may be different or your home waters may have different tendencies, but I would consider adding a larger sail in addition to the Yankee and not as a replacement.

Once again - I have given my two cents worth when only asked a penny for my thoughts. Feel free to disregard my comments, especially if you find a better solution.

I need to purchase a new Yankee for my CD30. My sailmaker has suggested to me that the Yankee is insufficient in light winds and recommends maybe a 110 instead. Any suggestions or comments from other owners would be greatly appreciated.

Gary

[Olli Wendelin]

Gary

I have a CD30 Ketch so my sail plan is not exactly the same. In the spring and fall I use a ~ 95% working jib. In the summer, when winds are light, I use a 155% genoa. Note that I use hanked on sails, not roller furling.

Olli Wendelin
BLUE MOON
Charleston, SC




wendelin@spawar.navy.mil