135 v. 150

[Dave DeAre]

My last boat C-30 FK, TR came with a hi-tech 150. We did poorly in the Weds Beer Can races; 150 was too heavy for light air and too big for really heavy air.
I had UK make a new dacron 135 and in the 1st year of use won the YC Beer Can series jib & main. My 34 has a heavy Catalina 150 that exhibits the same as above. When I buy a new headsail it will be a 135.

[Kevin Henderson]

The PO of Pau Hana liked to race and had 150 with a really low cut foot.  That sail is now badly used and tired and In September I had ordered a new 135 to be delivered in March.  For our purposes (Cruising) I think we will find the 135 easier to handle and the foot cut a little higher to allow better visibility.

[MarkT]

I replaced my 150 with a 135 last year. The improvement in boat handling in gusty conditions is pronounced. Where with the 150 we would be fighting to keep the boat going in the direction we wanted when the wind gusted (even when dumping the main) now we just pick up more power. I know this is mostly the difference between an old sail and a new one. I couldn't be happier with the upgrade and it sure makes for a happier 1st mate when she is the one steering the boat. Our boat has the wing keel and is a mk1 with the original rudder.

IMHO
If it is about going fast - get the 150 and figure out how to get every bit of power you can out of it without too much rudder.
If it is about making the boat easy to sail and more forgiving - get the 135.

My $0.02

Mark Tamblyn

[claygr]

Thanks for the excellent input.  The 135 may well be a better choice for our every day use because we like to go out and play in the heavier air.  The 150 still has some stiffness left so we could bring that out in JAM conditions that require the bigger sail.  I have to say I would appreciate the better visibility of a 135 when we're heading up to the start line. 

[Stu Jackson]

I have to say I would appreciate the better visibility of a 135 when we're heading up to the start line. 

The size of the sail is not proportional to the view.

Forgive me for saying this, but : "It's the cut of your jib!!!"   

[marksutherland]

I concur with the reduce-the-main first chorus.  You can reduce the the weather helm a bit by simply "easing" or de-powering the main, but I really don't like my main luffing too much, so I generally reef it or drop it completely.  What I REALLY like a lot in 18-25 knots, is sailing with Jib only, as Stu said.  It kills the weather healm altogether which makes steering as effortless as an 8 knot wind, it reduces heel, and the boat still goes 7+ knots.  It turns an otherwise hair-raising sail into a comfortable one.  Caveat: I read somewhere that running jib only in over 25 knots can put too much stress on the rig. 

[Stu Jackson]

... It turns an otherwise hair-raising sail into a comfortable one. 

Caveat: I read somewhere that running jib only in over 25 knots can put too much stress on the rig. 

Urban myth.  Half the sail area reduces the load on the rig.

[Jim Hardesty]

I'm not a sail maker or a fabric engineer, just repeating what was told to me.  And made sense.  When sailing in strong winds (25-30kn) and using a single unreefed sail (dacron) that wasn't designed for the high loads, the sail will stretch and never return to original shape.  So, if the purpose is to have a given sail area for a wind speed, it is desireable to have the load spread over 2 reduced sails.  His point was even if the boat handled ok it was better for fabric sails to be reefed.

[Ted Pounds]

There was an article in Practical Sailor a few years back about running jib only.  They said it was not a problem, especially on stiff, sturdy, over-built rigs like the C34 has.   

[Hawk]

I recall that the issue regarding stress on the mast and rig when sailing with jib alone was more to do with the stresses on the mast caused by manging in big seas rather than wind speed.  The reefed main providing additional stability to the mast in heavy seas.....I took that to mean offshore largely.

Hawk