New Main sail - what to consider?

[Ray Anderson]

We've now owned our 34 for a year now.  She's a 94 and still has original Catalina main with 4 full battens on slide cars, foot attached to boom and Dutchman furling.  We're relatively new sailors and wish some advise from all you oldtimers.  Hope to have her for 10 years.  We are looking to cruise the Bay and Pacific coast, hopefully US border to border.  Wish advice on sailmakers, loose foot or not, foot shelf, how many battens (full or not), how many reefs, material, cunningham and whatever other considerations you are aware of.  Thanks much.

Ray and Sue Anderson
Serendipity Too
Marina Bay

[rirvine]

Ray:

There are as many opinions on mainsails and sale makers as there C34 on the bay.  The common sail makers used by the C34 racing fleet boats are North and Pineapple.  Most of the mains are 4 full-length battens with a single reef point Dacron sails and a mixture of loose foot and non-loose foot mains.   The other thing you should consider for a new sail is a Dutchman Mainsail Flaking system - cost extra but making flaking much easier. 

My suggestion - Dacron, non-loose foot, 4 full battens, 2 reef points, Dutchman Flaking System, and Cunningham from a sail maker who makes their sails locally.

Crew's Nest races with a 130% jib made of Xtech15 and with a Dacron non-loose foot 4 full batten main with one reef point and Cunningham all made by Santa Cruz sails.

Hope this helps