2-27 Genoa Size SF Bay?

[rickmartyn]

Can anyone provide information on genoa sizing for a Cal 2-27 that will be sailed in a fairly windy location (Santa Cruz Island) where the afternoon wind is usually 10-20 knots. The current genoa is falling apart and is also too large (150 I believe). SF Bay sailors, what do you use?

[rcvesselstyn]

We need a little bit more information. Do you have roller furling ,roller reefing ,or a hank on jib. What condition is your main in? Cals were made with a slightly Windward helm so you can carry a fairly big headsail and still have a fairly well balanced boat.

[rickmartyn]

Sorry for not including that information in my original post.

I have roller reefing for the headsail.

The main is quite old (original?), and has only one reef. It will need to be replaced soon as well, but I was planning on replacing the genoa first.

The boat is in Oxnard/Ventura and I sail to Santa Cruz Island, so I do a lot of upwind sailing. Being able to sail upwind, well, in 15 to 20 knots is a major priority.

Based on my very limited knowledge (this is my first keelboat), I was thinking of something like a 110 or 120% genoa/jib on the roller furler.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[rcvesselstyn]

Bill lapworth always said that he would Hank on a smaller headsail before he would ever Reef the main. Of course he was not sailing with 30 year old sails. Older baggy sails require some different techniques then what's described in the literature. I would like to offer some perhaps unsolicited advice. I know you are interested in your Genoa but we really should address your main. Considering the scenario of pointing in 15 to 20 and the bumpy Seas you have off of Santa Cruz I'd like to make the following suggestions. First and foremost flatten the main. With older sails you're going to be buried rail down and have a heavy weather helm. You'll have to first address that heavy weather helm. If you have a flattening ring on the main you should pull it in tight. If you don't have a flattening ring you should have your local Loft put one in, it should be cheap. If you're not familiar with a flattening ring it is just a outhaul a little higher on the Sail to flatten the Shelf in the main. I would strongly suggest you just Reef the main and get it as flat as you can. Move the traveler as far to weather as possible, and try to get the Boom midline so that the main doesn't block the slot. This should fix the weather helm. If you have an adjustable back stay I would tighten up the head stay as much as you can. Even though the jib is probably baggy this will give you a better Leading Edge and you'll be able to point higher. I would try this configuration before I would decrease the size of the jib. If this still didn't prove adequate then start rolling up the jib to different percentages and see what balances the boat. Some people complain that as they decrease the jib size with roller reefing the shape of the sail is ruined. However if you're dealing with an older Sail it is still going to give you a good idea of the right percentage to balance your boat. Your old 150 is probably made out of light weight cloth. Irregardless of the size of the sail you should probably Step Up the weight of the cloth to deal with the heavier winds. I would lean towards having a larger headsail with a foam luff and a heavier cloth and then just reef down if I was being overpowered. Good luck!

[rickmartyn]

Thanks for the useful feedback. When the wind has been above 15 knots I've had the main reefed and the genoa partially roller furled. Next time out in good wind I'll get a measure of how much genoa I have left out.