I thought your boat was a mast head rigged cutter. Anyway plenty of boats
have the same characteristics, power from the headsail.


Capt.Mooron wrote:
masthead sloop...


I am kind of partial to frac rigs myself, but that's a
personal taste. Masthead rigs are generally stronger.



Many full-batten boats have to give the boom a quick pump to get the sail
re-cambered to the new side when they tack. Again, not really a problem.


I have never been required to do that... then again most novices overtighten
their battens.


Or people who want to force camber into their sails for more
power in light air or waves.



I can't understand the value in having to pump the boom to snap a batten to
the opposite camber.... when merely having it happen, smoothly , on it's
own, within a normal sweep of the boom would be any slower.


If you're racing, it gives you a free pump of the sail



How much sail area do you want? More roach is one way to get more.


I want a suit of canvas that my vessel will comfortably carry. They needn't
be woven from pixie dust and quantum filaments.


How about dinghy made from that


I can carry a 160% deck sweeper of a gen and full main in up to 22 kts of
wind.

Hmm, unless you sail in an area where that's an everyday
occurence, I would call your boat underpowered. Most of the
places I sail, a boat would have to be well powered up in 5
~ 8 knots of wind. That means changing down and/or reefing
as the wind climbs thru the teens.


At 45 + kts I can deploy the storm jib and drop 3 reefs in the main to
make ground to winward with minimal heel and max progress. I have a reefable
120 and a 100.


A reefable jib, especially one with removable panels, is
great but it seems out of favor nowadays. I used to sail on
boats with lace-on foot panels that were great in strong
wind. I also like a main with a triple reef.

Our little Hunter came with only one short reef, when we
ordered custom sails I got 2 with the height of the reef
planned so that the leach of the main would oppose the
headstay and then the spreaders & lowers. We sailed that
boat a couple of times under main alone in 35+ winds. Most
mass-produced boats aren't rigged all that well for reefing
& heavy weather sailing IMHO.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King