Roy Graves
New Member
I am considering sending my sails to a sail shop to have both the mainsail and furling jib made smaller. Does anyone have any experience in using sails that are smaller than the standard size?
Reason for change:
I am an inland sailer. On many days the windspeed can be 15 to 25 mph. With high winds, and my low body weight, the standard sail size is way too large. I already have reef points in the mainsail, to reduce the sail area to 70 percent of the full sail area. Secondly, even with the jib partially furled, a gust will unfurl most of the sail except the bottom section of the jib. My experience is that with high winds, the current sail area is too large.
The Plan:
To have a sail shop cut the sails, to make them smaller:
1) reduce jib area to 70 percent of the standard area
2) reduce the mainsail area by 70 percent of the standard sail area, plus put reefing points in at 50 percent of the original mainsail area.
Question:
Does a 70 percent sail area sound reasonable for both the jib and the mainsail?
Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thank-you for the help.
Roy
Reason for change:
I am an inland sailer. On many days the windspeed can be 15 to 25 mph. With high winds, and my low body weight, the standard sail size is way too large. I already have reef points in the mainsail, to reduce the sail area to 70 percent of the full sail area. Secondly, even with the jib partially furled, a gust will unfurl most of the sail except the bottom section of the jib. My experience is that with high winds, the current sail area is too large.
The Plan:
To have a sail shop cut the sails, to make them smaller:
1) reduce jib area to 70 percent of the standard area
2) reduce the mainsail area by 70 percent of the standard sail area, plus put reefing points in at 50 percent of the original mainsail area.
Question:
Does a 70 percent sail area sound reasonable for both the jib and the mainsail?
Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thank-you for the help.
Roy