[C320-list] Thoughts on Sails

[Jeff Smith]

Thanks to everyone for the good advice. Lot's to take in here, though I am requesting a quote from Precision Sails. My local loft was actually higher than Quantum, by the way.

If anyone has thoughts on 4 full battens versus 2 full at the top and 2 partials at the bottom, I am interested in this as well.

Since we have a Stack Pack, Dutchman pockets are not an issue for us.

Thanks again,

Jeff
S/V Sailmates, '94 #121

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.
  Original Message
From: Warren Updike
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2018 9:26 AM
To: 'Catalina C320 mail list'
Reply To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Thoughts on Sails


Jeff, we replaced our main a few years ago from a local sailmaker in Mt. Michaels and are pleased with it. We opted for a loose-footed sail and like it. Be sure the Dutchman pockets are sewn to the foot not kept on the boom. We paid about the same as your quote.

There are a couple of boats in our marina that have the Strong/Tides track system. My neighbor installed his by himself (remove boom from gooseneck.) He is very happy with it. I wanted to do the same but was talked out of it by sailmaker. Instead, he used better slides and batten slides with fully rotating hinges and that has certainly helped. My problem is cleaning and keeping clean the track to minimize friction. Sailmaker advised once a month spray the slides well with SailKote dry lube and immediately hoist sail. This helps too. That would not be an issue with the Strong/Tides Track. Go with the Strong/Tides Track.

As for the jib, we replaced our 150 with a 135 and are pleased with it. The only time I miss the 150 is sailing downwind especially wing-on-wing. The downside to that is rigging whisker pole to keep it out. I haven’t used the 150 since, nor have I needed the whisker pole. However, we sail on the Chesapeake Bay protected waters and weather is rarely a concern as we are never far from a safe haven.

Warren Updike
C320 #62 "Warr De Mar"
Maryland Marina on Chesapeake Bay

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Smith <jeffreyssmith at live.com>
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2018 5:36 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Thoughts on Sails

To all,

I am contemplating purchasing a new main sail and a new Genoa. I would like to benefit from the collective wisdom of the group, if you would be kind enough to share.

Currently, Sailmates has a 155% Genoa that will be 18 years old next year. The Main will also be 18 years old next year. It seems like this is about the extent of the useable life of a sail, but I could be mistaken. Mainly we daysail or cruise for the weekend, though I hope to expand my reach to the Bahamas and up the coast to New England. [Side note – I have all of Spring 2019 available for a passage to the Bahamas if anyone is interested in a trip. Seriously, let me know because I would love to travel down, but I do not have blue water experience.]

My questions include: 1. Has anyone installed a Strong/Tides Track system? If so, did you find it worth the expense? If you installed it but did not find it worth the expense, what are the negative issues? 2. Quantum Sails has recommended that I could get much of the benefit of the Strong/Tides Track by going to a 2+2 (upper full battens only) system with AllSlip slides for the Main. Does anyone have any experience with either AllSlip slides or a 2 batten main sail system? They also suggested that I could use Bainbridge Railman receptacles with a stainless steel universal joint, which is part of the Strong/Tides track system. Any thoughts here? 3. They recommended that I do not go bigger than a 140% Genoa for boat balance. Any thoughts on this? I will say that when we first bought the boat we would regularly roll out the full 155%, but now I tend to keep the Genoa above the lifelines.

I know there are a lot of questions above, so I appreciate any and all opinions. By the way, the price quote for a CrossCut CW 2000 Main with 2 reefs and 4 battens is $3,056 after a 15% discount. The 140% Genoa with Foam Luff, Spreader Patches, and UV Cover is $2,400 after the discount. So that is $5,500 for the two sails, which seems pricey, but less than the quote from an Ullman sail loft (and only about $800 more than the previous boat owner paid in 2001). I also priced an asymmetrical spinnaker ($2,500 with dousing sleeve), but I am not sure how much we would use this.

Thanks,

Jeff
S/V Sailmates, 94 #121