[Public-List] Main sail modification?

[Meinhold, Michael J.]

I am the guy with the new Working Jib that George mentioned.

It is the Chesapeake A30 One-Design Class legal Working Jib
Luff : 30'
Foot : 10' 3"
Leech : 25' 9"
Min. 7.25 ounces/running yard (min is 8.4 oz)
The A30 J is 10.5 feet and the Luff Perpendicular of this sail is 6
feet, making it a 57% jib.

I had Bacons of Annapolis make it.

I bought it for 25-35kts, but it works so well that this sail now goes
up when the breeze is above 18 or so.
It balances very nicely with a single or double reef, and trims very
well on the inside track. I recommend a second set of blocks to get a
good lead to the primary winches.
I have one snatch block and am trolling Ebay looking for another. I
think I would race with it if I were short handed.

Yesterday I tacked into the Magothy in 20-25 kts with a single reef and
this jib, and got about a 105 degree tacking angle. My main is a bit
baggy at the foot an looks better with a single reef.  I was doing 5.6
knots over ground upwind, and 6.3 and more on a beam reach up the bay.

On the fall cruise I and my two kids were screaming downwind down the
bay at 7+ knots in 25+ winds with big following seas with a full main
and this jib wing-on-wing. I decided to tack around and reef the main
for a beam reach into the Rhode River, and found my gooseneck track
falling off. I dropped the main, and thought it about time to try
heaving to after reading the techniques here. It was fantastic. It
steadied the boat, despite the big waves, and had us moving at about 1.5
knots. I was able to deal with the failing boom track and get the main
secured. We then reached in on the working jib alone at 5 knots!

Later on the fall cruise I tacked up the Severn in 18-25 double reefed
witht the working jib and had a great time. The visibility improvement
is great, and the shorter sheet length on tacks is another big
difference. Using this sail means my control of the main is "finer", and
I can mostly use the traveler to deal with puffs. Also, it is much
easier to drop and secure on the foredeck.

My recommendation would be to stick with the original main dimensions,
but make sure you have 2 or 3 reefs in the main. 

Mike
Rinn Duin #272


-----Original Message-----
From: public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org
[mailto:public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org] On Behalf Of David
Tessier
Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2010 9:12 PM
To: Alberg 30 List Start thread
Subject: [Public-List] Main sail modification?


Bruno & Elyse,
My understanding is that the largish A30's mainsail results in needing a
1st reef rather early, even with a new sail.  This has been our
experience with a new mainsail.  Apparently the current rather large
mainsail resulted from comments on Carl Alberg's first drawings of a
"30' Folkboat", in light of light winds on Lake Ontario, so he
lengthened the boom (not sure by how much), resulting in a boat that
others labeled a tender boat.  So a little less sail area, e.g., less
roach (full battens apparently still help sail shape) or shorter foot
might not be such a bad thing -- but then you do race some, don't you...
 
A30 "Grayling" in Midland was for sale it 2008.  It was fitted with a
Dragon mainsail whose foot is about 4' shorter than the boom.
Grayling's owner told me that the reduced sail area did not affect speed
as far as he could tell, and did not require that first reef to be put
is so soon.  I may have pictures of Grayling somewhere here...
 
Cheers,
David  #319
P.s.: Altoids makes a snappy ginger candy.

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