New Genoa. 135 vs 150/155

[RaymondP]

First season for me with a 1986 Catalina 34 MI tall rig, fin keel.  Foresail is in shreds due to age.  Literally coming apart at the seams.  Maybe the original sail?  Looking for advice to replace.  Planning to cruise NOT race on Lake St Clair, Lake Erie, Lake Huron and maybe further afield.

Pretty sure the current sail is a 130.  Have many years of sailing (racing) on other boats, first year of ownership and will most likely be light on crew.  Boat seems to move quite well in 15 knots, given the condition of the sails.  Will a 150/155 be overkill, particularly for the tall rig?  Assuming I can easily reduce size with the roller furling, but don't want to regret my purchase so reaching out for experiences from others.  Should I reduce my workout and go 130 again?

Any advice as well as resources on retailers/sources of new sails appreciated.

[WTunnessen]

I replaced my 130 with a 145 a couple of years ago and have been pleased with the results. I also had the sail made for reefing which helps when the wind kicks up over 17 knots / gust to 20.  I sail in the Chesapeake from March to December and the bigger sail is nice to have in the summer when the winds tend to be lighter or when running downwind.

[Jim Hardesty]

Raymond,
Shamrock is a little different than you have, a MKll standard rig with roller furling main.  I do sail the same area.  I'm very happy with a 140% genoa.  Original was a 165% and heavy cloth, I didn't think it matched the boat well.  If you use a whisker pole, I don't, you may want to go with the larger genoa and pole it out for downwind sailing.  For downwind I use an asymmetrical spinnaker launched in a sock.
The sailmaker that did my sails is semiretired, I do hear good things about the new loft in Erie. Americancruisingsails.com
Hope that helps,
Jim 

[Stu Jackson]

Jib Size Selection 101
https://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,7704.0.html

[KeelsonGraham]

Or you could go the other way like us, and have a significantly smaller foresail. We opted for a yankee. Superb visibility, easy to handle and to tack and almost no noticeable loss of performance. We happily averaged 6.4 knots broad reaching in 15 kts today.

[scgunner]

Raymond,

Since you're a racer you've probably already got a pretty good idea of what works for you. When I was racing I used a 155 deck sweeper which was good for local conditions. I continued with the sail when my racing days were over because I didn't want to spring for a new sail. I had no problem handling the sail even when singling the boat but visibility was not great, peeking around the sail was kind of a pain. When it came time to replace the the sail I opted for a 135 high cut sail. For what I'm doing now it's a good choice it's easier to manage and visibility much improved. And frankly in a stiff breeze the only way I can really tell the difference is by looking at the knot meter.

[RaymondP]

Thanks all for your VERY informative replies and for sharing your real world experiences. Will take a tape measure to what's left of my current Genoa.  At the moment thinking on the lines of a 140 with luff pad for better reefing on the furling.  Hoping this will give me heavier wind handleability in the spring and fall while remaining entertaining during the lighter summer months here on Lake St Clair, Michigan.

Was planning on going with a heavier 7+ Dacron for durability (don't want to be repurchasing in 3-4 years), but I see there are a number of other materials and Dacron hybrids to investigate.  Assuming the range in cost/value is also considerable.  Also starting to read about different cuts, flat or radial, as well as high vs regular vs low that can impact both the performance and the visibility.  Definitely staying away from the deck sweepers I am used to from my racing days....too many calls to "skirt" over the rails.

Anyway, maybe I am overthinking this (I tend to do that), but again any feedback appreciated. I do like the idea of a high cut for visibility from the cockpit.  Assuming a radial cut genoa will improve downwind performance but plan on purchasing an Asym. too, so maybe not necessary??

As always thankyou in advance for your assistance here.  The education never ends!

[Ted Pounds]

Sailed and raced my 34 for 14 years on Lake Michigan.  Get the 150.  The main is the first sail you want to reef.  For the few times you reef the 150 a good foam luff will suffice.

[Breakin Away]

Here's a Facebook post I made a few days ago. Let me know if you're interested and I can supply more details, however I assume you're too far away to inspect and purchase:

I have a 150 Genoa that came with my 2001 C34MkII tall mast boat when I purchased her in 2016. I wanted a smaller, easier to manage headsail, so I purchased a new 135 right away. The 150 has sat unused in my air conditioned house ever since. It was used for 14 seasons (2001-2014) and is in great shape with a Navy blue UV strip and 4mm foot line for my factory original roller furler. I'll be moving at the end of the year, so I am considering selling it. It's not technically for sale yet (I don't have an asking price yet), but thought I'd put the word out and see if there is interest. My boat is in Rock Hall, MD, and the sail is at my home near Philadelphia. I would prefer not to ship it, and would want to meet up somewhere so you could inspect the sail before purchasing, so I assume this would be for people in the northeast/mid Atlantic region with some willingness to travel to inspect/purchase. Let me know your thoughts.