On Sat, 09 Aug 2008 06:06:35 -0400, Roger Long wrote:

Since it is harder to change headsails with a roller rig, I've found
that sail plan and size is more important than I've heard discussed.

My E32 came with big 150% Genoa on the theory that it would do
everything. The problem was that, when rolled up to the size appropriate
for the typical strong wind, it lost too much shape and had too much
bulk rolled on the head stay for the boat to go to windward well.

the guy down the dock has a Jeppeson x-102 with a 135% on a Harken
roller...he's been sailing longer than I've been alive...where we sail,
daytime heating and funneling in the bay produce regular conditions of
20kts+ steady, with frequent gusting in the 30-40kt range...he solos so
in these times, he'll drop his main and roll the jib way in well below
100%...his boat still moves well to windward...so I'm confused about the
claims of poor shape/performance when rolled way in...he says it's BS and
has the empirical evidence at hand...I guess it depends on context.


If you are ordering a new roller headsail, figure out the
jib size for winds in the low 20's and tell your sailmaker to make the
full size such that you will still have decent shape when rolled down
that amount.

Seems reasonable...I've bought a 3yr. old 135% that I want to get cut to
fit a roller. I've found out the hard way that a 135% is just too much
sail for my sailing grounds...every day around noon the big guy in the
sky pushes the blow-like-stink button and getting that hanked-on sail
changed is getting too exciting for the admiral!