Hello all listers. I have a hypothetical for the racers among you. I need to replace my 3DL headsail--its mostly patches after ~ 5 years of club racing locally. This is about my 3rd laminate style headsail---and my last! I am probably going with the North 3D Nordac which has replaced the former 3DL technology with what they call a composite sail--not laminated but still built over a 3D mold of the sail shape desired--if I understand this correctly. I do not need the super light and costly Raw or Endurance. Anyhow, I plan to move to a new sailing area off Southport, NC near Bald Head Island at the mouth of the Cape Fear River--basically on the NC coast. All my club racing to date has been in the Pamlico and Neuse Rivers, occasionally racing to Ocracoke across the Pamlico Sound. For these areas, a 155% headsail is the largest you can race with locally without penalty and so that is what I have always used. The North sail maker suggested because of the higher coastal winds that I may not need a 155% since the wind strength is higher at the coast. OTOH, a racer there uses a 155% headsail and says he does well with it. I checked the historical average wind speed for Southport and New Bern and the coastal winds are from 20-25% higher than at New Bern. For instance, the avg. wind speed varies from 5.5-8.1 knots in New Bern vs. about 7-10 knots in Southport, or about 25% higher on average. Further, I know from experience that my masthead rig becomes seriously overpowered once the wind gets greater than about 12 knots true, when its time to reef the main(I only have 1 reef point) and if it goes above ~ 15 knots, I need to roll the headsail a few turns (or change down to a 135% or 90% headsail). I am not inclined to go less than the 155% allowed locally (PHRF) but maybe I should--the local North guy suggested ~ 140%. This might better match the local wind and is less expensive since less material is used. OTOH, I don't want to be under canvassed on the light air days. Further, there is the question of sail material weight to consider. I plan for this to be my last headsail purchase and may use it some for local cruising in addition to club racing. BTW, it will be used on a furler either way. So what would the listers do!! Charlie Nelson1995 C&C 36 XL/kcbWater Phantom
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