A large part of the mystery comes from the fact that there are few
substantive
measures of a sail's performance. How well a sail fulfills its mission and how long it
lasts is a subjective judgment based on four hard-to-quantify factors: (1) the quality of
its design and materials; (2) the sailing conditions; (3) its frequency of use; (4) the
way the sail is used or abused. How do you find the sailmaker and the sail that's right
for you?
While the march of technology has resulted in better sails, it's made choosing the
right sail, and assembling an inventory that's right for your boat and your kind of
sailing, more crucial than ever. In general, most sailors fit into one of three sail-use
categories: weekender, cruiser/ racer, or bluewater, each with specific sail needs and
priorities.
Weekender. If your sailing is limited to daysailing or close-to-home
weekend use, it's likely that your time and money commitment to your boat are limited.
Make low cost and ease of use your sail-buying priorities.
Cruiser/racer. Your cruising may run from local, weekend stuff to
several-hundred-mile, weeks-long trips; your racing may range from club nights to race
weeks to point-to-point races. Place your priority on sailing performance--sails that
deliver top boatspeed over a wide range--and performance life--sails that keep their shape
longer.
Bluewater. If your plans call for crossing oceans or spending months
cruising breezy or high-ultraviolet areas, make ultimate life your top priority.
Here are guidelines for minimum sail inventories.
Weekender
Mainsail: woven-polyester crosscut (standard or economy-grade fabric);
conventional battens; one reef; lazyjacks.
Headsail: 150 percent overlap woven-polyester crosscut (standard or
economy-grade fabric); leech and foot ultraviolet covers.
Next sail to add: .75-ounce radial-head cruising spinnaker, with dousing
sock.
Cruiser/racer
If you use your boat for both cruising and racing, make performance--in both sail shape
and shape longevity--a priority when assembling your boat's sail inventory. Here are
guidelines for a minimum sail wardrobe.
Mainsail: woven-polyester crosscut (standard or high-tenacity fabric,
fill-oriented); full-length battens or top-two-full battens; two reefs; lazyjacks or
Dutchman system (racing emphasis) or built-in sail cover (cruising emphasis).
Headsail: radial-paneled laminate or fiber-oriented (racing emphasis),
135 percent (cruising) or racing-specific overlap; foam luff flattener; head and tack
reefing patches or extended reinforcing; leech and foot ultraviolet covers (cruising
emphasis).
Cruising spinnaker: .75-ounce, triradial construction, dousing sock.
Storm jib.
Next sail to add: non-overlapping roller-reefing/furling laminate jib
with foam luff flattener.
Bluewater
When buying a sail inventory for bluewater cruising, place your emphasis on durability.
Mainsail: woven-polyester crosscut (high-tenacity, fill-oriented fabric,
1 ounce heavier than standard); either full-length battens (if the budget can include a
top-quality luff-car system) or (if the boat can afford a reduction in mainsail area)
battenless; two reefs; extended two-ply head and clew areas; triple-stitched,
"Seam-kote" (plastic coating) seams; extra reinforcing in batten areas,
tablings, and luff and foot slides; top-quality hardware; the most "bulletproof"
furling system.
Primary headsail: woven-polyester crosscut (high-tenacity fabric, 1 ounce
heavier than standard), 135 percent overlap; triple-stitched, "Seam-kote" seams;
two-ply head and clew areas; extended patching or head and tack reefs; extra reinforcing
in leech and foot tablings; foam luff flattener.
Jib or staysail: woven-polyester crosscut (high-tenacity fabric, 1 ounce
heavier than standard); extra reinforcing; foam luff flattener. Storm trysail and storm
jib: two-ply sections along leech.
Cruising spinnaker: triradial construction, .75-ounce with 1.5-ounce luff
panels (or entirely 1.5-ounce, depending on expected use).
Next sail to add: depends on your budget and your cruising plans (whether
you'll cruise trade-wind or high-latitude areas).
