Racing sails are faster than cruising sails. If you don't race, you don't
need them because you're only talking about a few tenths of a knot, and a
few degrees of pointing ablility. Racing sails won't help you pick up girls,
they won't help you join the RYS, they REQUIRE more care, and carefully
folded storage in proper bags, by trained crew.

If you do race anyone, please remember that where you are going is more
important than what you are doing, and how you are doing it, unless you are
right next to your competitor, i.e. the Americas Cup.



"Arturo Ui" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm about to place an order for a new genoa for cruising & racing on my
24' boat, and have received a bewildering array of styles and prices,
from a straight cut Dacron genoa to a tri-radial Kevlar laminate genoa.
Priced in the middle are materials such as Twaron, Polykote and Pentex.


A big deal is made of sail cut. The Dacron sails are usually offered
straight cut (Non radial cut) and the laminated fabrics seem to be
offered more radially cut than not.

Does the stretch of a Dacron sail produce the required shape (In the
middle of each panel) and outweigh the need to have the additional
radial panel pattern?

Am I best off going for a laminated genoa that is non-radial cut,
rather than a radial-cut dacron genoa? (Some sailmakers offer
attractive prices on Twaron laminate, not radially cut)

Am I better off paying more £ for a sail with a radial cut in Dacron
or a laminate, just the laminate or not for either? (Just going for a
sail in a laminate with a straight cut)

Many thanks in advance for your opinions and experiences

Artie