Heavy Weather Jib

[Jimlad]

G'day all.  We're looking at purchasing a heavy weather jib.  Couple of reasons:
Firstly, we're looking at doing some Cat 4 offshore racing and the rules require that we have one!
Secondly, and a better reason, our current 140% on a roller furler is just not suitable for anything above 25kts.  We'd feel a lot more comfortable and sail better with a smaller sail in the inventory.

The Australian Yachting Federation rules define the Cat 4 requirement to be ""A heavy-weather jib  of area not greater than 13.5% x (height of the foretriangle (I) squared), and without reef points""  This equates to a size of around 20sq m. 

We've had a local sailmaker measure up and provide a design - see the attached.  He's designed it around the current track position and he reckons it'll be ""ok"".  But he does acknowledge that the relative positions of the jib-track and stays mean we probably won't get a real tight sheeting angle. Clew is going to be around head-height so viz wont be a problem. But we don't want to spend money on a sail that won't sheet well. It'll end up staying in the bag.

Question: What do others do?  We've seen some posts that suggest extending the track.  Others that have placed a small track on the coach-house top.  We're also mindful of the original design intent of the C34.  There's a reason why the track is the size it is.

Background: We sail on Sydney Harbour and coastal offshore.  It can blow a bit from time to time and we often find ourselves racing in 25-30kts.    Swells and very lumpy seas mean you don't want to be overpowered and you do want good visibility.     

Apparently it can also get a bit breezy on the Great Lakes and on SF harbour  so it'd be great to hear what others are doing. 

[Stu Jackson]

Dave, I'm a bit confused about your sailmaker's conclusions of "...and he reckons it'll be ""ok"..."

The forward end of the inboard track is a KNOWN position.

The length and position of the forestay is a known position.

The trigonometry of leading the sheet at a proper angle from the clew should be a given.

Shouldn't all he have to do is determine the length of the pendant at the tack of the new sail to be able to determine the correct arrangement?  Without resorting to a non-existent cabintop track?  Catalina30 has them, but I've never heard of one on a C34, and I've been here since 1998. 

I sailed on SF Bay for 18 years before I moved to BC in 2016.  I did fine with an 85%, but I understand that your rules require this new sail.  If so, perhaps you just have to bite the bullet on a small sail that may not be optimal, but he should be better than the "just OK" stuff.

Do you have an outboard track, too?

[Jimlad]

Hi Stu - thanks for the quick response!
I think what he's getting at is that we won't be able to sheet on as hard when close hauled because of the stays, and therefore won't be able to point as high as we might like. 
Yeah we do have a standard outboard track as well.  Not sure thats' going to help tho. 

[scgunner]

Jim,

The first thing I'd do is since you'll be racing is talk to some of the guys you'll be racing and get idea of what most of your competitors or running. That way you won't have to reinvent the wheel. It might save you some money in the long run.