# 150% or 130%



## maestro (May 3, 2002)

I am going to be purchasing a new headsail for my 22 footer. I currently have hanked on 100% and 150% sails, I use both of them . Both sails are older and worn, especially the 150%. I am also getting a roller furler for this headsail too. My question is how much difference is a 150% over a 130%??? Will the 130% keep me close to the other boats in my fleet ( many do use a 130%) or do I go with the addage, get what I can afford and go with the bigger of the 2 sails??

Mike


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

I assume that you arn''t intending to race seriously or you would not be doing the roller furling - not an unreasonable decision , one many sailors (me included) make nowadays.

A key question is whether you sail in a predominately low wind area - such as LI Sound, if so you may want to go with a 150%. If not a 135% will be fine, I''d say the extra power of the 150% is needed only for 5 mph wind or less. Otherwise, it''s a lot more sail to heft around and trim.

Realize you will need to have the 100 taped, sunscreen cover applied, and a head pennant added so it''s full hoist - be sure this is measured very carefully. Consider whether the sail is worth the cost. The old 150% is probably history as you due to the cost to cut it down, apply luff tape and sunscreen - estimate $4-600. You will proably like your new sail so much you would rarely use the 150% even if you invest in taping it.

My advice is to have an experienced rigger or sailmaker install the roller furling hardware and advise on the new sail and cutting the old. Getting proper furling under all conditions requires the hardware to be installed exactly correct. 

(PS we have Furlex gear and it is bullet-proof - in my opinion well worth the extra cost over most alternatives...)

Good luck.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Here''s my two cents.

I installed roller reefing and modified an existing 150 genoa (used, but still serviceable, not a "race" sail) to it. Added protective covering to the edges, shortened the luff, and attached a luff tape suitable for the furler extrusion myself. Enjoyed doing it and am pleased with the results.

I sail and race (beer can racing) on the potomac river, notorious for light air, so the extra sail area comes in handy. As Jeff will point out, a roller furled sail will not have the best shape, and if you depower by partially furling, it will be impossible to keep a good shape in the sail (no luff tension, for starters). Nonetheless, we partially furl the genoa in wind over 15-18 knots to depower the boat (don''t yet have the capability to reef the main, which would be nice, and is a planned upgrade this winter). It''s not optimum, but it works, and the best thing is on downwind legs we can unroll it instantly to increase sail area on a run or reach. Don''t have to mess with sail changing (sailing with a pickup crew, you can''t expect them to do sail changes very quickly or well).

Now Jeff H. and others wary of roller reefing will point out that for sailing in really windy conditions, you can''t expect to depower the jib and still have a useable sail area by rolling it up, say, 50 percent or more. This is a valid point, I''ve never been out in so much wind that I felt the need to roll up the sail that much, but I''ll take their word for it. For the type of sailing I''m doing now, I''m pleased with what I''ve got (and, realistically, on my budget, a new sail, 1000 dollar furler, and paying someone to do the work wasn''t and isn''t an option).

A word about racing, since sailingfool brought it up: It''s certainly true that you won''t see a roller furler on many supercompetitive race boats. AC and other hotshot racing owners opt for changeable headsails, to extract that extra half, one, or two percent upwind speed you''ll get over a roller furled sail. In a handicap fleet, you do get an adjustment if your furler is mounted above deck, but you are still losing a little on boat speed. But an experienced sailor in our Hobie fleet always reminds new racers intent on cracking open their wallets to buy a lighter boat, new sails, and other gofast gadgets that the first component you need to work on is the one attached to the other end of the tiller (not the rudder). I''m sure you can find lots of smooth hulled boats with crackly new sails racing here and there that don''t perform up to their potential because the skipper/owner doesn''t know how to extract the most out of what they have. Probably 70-80 percent of boatspeed is not how new your equipment is, but how you use it. And racing results depend not only on boatspeed but tactical decisions as well.

Allen Flanigan
Alexandria, VA


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## maestro (May 3, 2002)

So, I''ve decided... I''ll be purchasing a CDI roller furler and after looking around, a 133% Headsail made by Rolly Tasker, which will replace both my 100% jib and 150% Genoa ( which I will keep in case something ever goes wrong with the roller furler)

The headsail is not a racing sail(it''s dacron)but it will do for my type of beer can races and weekend cruises.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Mike,

Good luck with your plan. I installed a CDI unit this spring and have been pleased with it. You can get the luff tape deduction (how much length the furling drum takes up that needs to be deducted from the forestay length) and also what number luff tape you need from the CDI website; give this info to Rolly Tasker if they are making the sail for you. Obviously, let them know you are planning on using the sail on a CDI furler, ask them to cut the sail to a shape suitable for roller reefing use (one loft calls it a "C-cut", for example, I guess the idea is to align the main thread direction with the loading the sail experiences: Along the clew in the case of roller reefing

http://www.crusadersails.co.uk/rollreef.htm
)

You will probably also want to ask them to install foam luff tape to improve shape as much as possible when partially furled, and decide whether you want sacrifical fabric on the sail edges, or to use a protective sleeve.

Allen Flanigan
Alexandria, VA


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

Maestro,

Good for you, a 133% should be a good choice - as to your current sails, you may want to have their luffs taped unless your roller-furler and headstay tube are practical to remove with the mast up. On my Furlex, removing the drum is easy, but the headstay extrusion is not removeable...

Good luck.


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