When You Are Upgrading Your Mainsail

A mainsail faces any things and when it has served you for a longer period, and there is a limit has been crossed for patches, repairs, re-stichings and tune-ups, it is obvious to consider buying a new one. But, getting a new mainsail for sail is not a simple thing and this purchase involves many choices and many related factors such as type of boat (racer or cruiser), sailing area (coastal, inshore or blue water)and your performance level (hobby, racer, amateur or adventurous). Here are some sail selection factors to be taken into account while purchasing a new mainsail.

Material

While usually the older mainsails are usually Dacron made, but at present polyester is the best choice that provides the best balance of price, longevity and performance. For the extreme performance you can go with premium grade polyester (Dimension 360 AP-MTO 88.4 ounce) that is regarded as bulletproof  and virtually maintenance. Because of tight weave it is enriched with nice shape retention and fine performance on different wind ranges.

Corners, clews and eyes

There are different opinions over corners, clews and eyes. Some prefer hand stitched elements at the corners and clews as it serves better in spreading the loads and can be easily repaired by the owner at the sea. But there are some others who prefer the stainless steel or aluminum headboard and pressed eyes. Both the methods are equally efficient and working well.

Batten banter

At the time of looking at main sail for sale  it is essential to know that what type of battens will be used he There are two types of batten banters, namely full length battens and  two partial battens. Both have their own specific pros and cons. You can choose anyone as per your own preference and  suggested by your local sailing expert.

Reef Points

When the batten style is decided, next thing is to determine the number and position of the reef rows to support the main sails to deal with heavier winds. Usually there are three reef points in a main to be adjusted according to situations, but the first two reefs are mainly and mostly used under the general circumstances.

Single Reefing Vs Separate Headsails

This is one of the most common dilemmas that our customers suffer from often. Although we always vote for a suite of individual headsails, many of them argue in favor of a single reefing one.

We are absolutely not against Rolling Genoas. Many new age sailors will always put their thumbs up for this option since it cuts many hassles.  

Both the options have some pluses and downsides but as we have mentioned many a times before in our blogs that the kind of sail you choose should be based upon your sailing itinerary. If you are new to sailing do consult with the sail supplier instead of just adding to your cart.

If you are going for an off-shore trip, it is not advisable to go for single reefing. A single sail cannot perform best in all wind conditions, specially when the chances of getting exposed to strong winds are high.

For off-shore cruising, you need a full inventory of headsails-- three large Genoas, one Working Jib, one Heavy Air Jib and a Storm Jib.

Are you doing mental maths now? Trying to figure out how much will it cost you? Borrow, if you can’t spend that much or find some used sail deals on the net but never ever play the risk unless you are an old man on the sea.

It’s true that we have seen a few experienced sailors managing with lesser number of headsails, for example say, if the boat is fractionally rigged, has got a large mainsail and a small fore-triangle.

If the plan is to simply cruising along a coastline, single reefing is a good choice since it is more practical and it will provide you with a variable sail area. But always remember that if you have a Rolling Genoa, it should have its clew much higher than the tack.

Headsails are designed to take advantage of varying wind condition at sea

The sailors need to equip themselves with a host of sails to sail the boat in different weather condition and wind speed. Headsails are secondary sails designed to play the primary role when the Mainsail is lowered down when the wind is smooth and the vessel is running very smoothly. Headsails are the first sails that the wind encounters in the boat. They are placed ahead of the Mainsail and further towards the end of the boat. The most common type of headsails is Genoa and Jib. The headsails are furled or brought down depending upon the situation. The position of the Headsail should be continuously adjusted depending upon the prevailing condition. It helps in controlling the boat and take advantage of the situation. If they are set right, can provide good speed and control to the boat and if not set properly they tend to hinder the progress of the boat and endanger the ship.

Genoa, Jib, Genoa Staysails and Yankee Headsails are the common headsails used for cruising. Among them, Jib is the most common sail used during the maximum course of sail plan. Genoa is used for sailing in the light wind in the range of 10 to 20 knots. Jib is an all purpose sail that is used when the wind is in the range of 15 to 40 knots. Genoa Staysail is an overlapping sail used in strong weather and helps in boosting the average speed of the boat. Yankee Headsail is used in wide range of condition and especially in reaching and upwind sailing.

Competitive racing use almost five Headsails for different situation. Wind Seeker or Drifter, Light Headsail or code 1, Medium Headsail or code 2, Heavy Headsail or code 3, Code 4 Headsail, Genoa Headsail and Jib top are different Headsails used in racing competition.

The performance of the Mainsail is very important while manufacturing it

Sailing is one of the amazing sports that uses nature’s power manifested in the form of strong wind in the open sea. As the name suggests, the Mainsail is the primary sail being used in the boat to provide the power required for propulsion. Wind power is trapped within the Mainsail which generates enough force to lift and drag the boat simultaneously. It can be considered to be the power house of the boat and does the most of the work. It is located behind the mast of the sailing vessel. It is very huge and has large sail area. It

can be either rectangular or square in shape. The Mainsail is not only about speed but they must be rugged, reliable and easy to handle.  They are made from very strong material like nylon or polyester which are strong yet vary light. The lightness of the Mainsail allows for easy handling. Strength of the mainsail is important to retain its shape when load builds up in strong wind and lighter weight decreases heeling and pitching movements. Usually, the colour of the Mainsail is white which have few coloured stripes and logo of the team or the sponsoring company is printed on it. When the boat is running smoothly, the Mainsail is usually lowered down and the task is taken from the secondary sails called as Headsails. Headsails are rather expensive but they can last for a decade if the material is of good quality and they have been handled with care despite the fact that the average life of the Mainsail is three to four years. The Mainsails are custom made based on the design of the boat in which it is to be used. Second hand Mainsails are also available in the market at affordable cost but good quality.

Storm sails may be the last item on the safety gear list but never avoided while sailing

Safety concerns are very important while venturing out in the open sea and all protective gears are put in place for the safety of the crew members. But, storm sail which are also called as storm jibs are given last preference despite their crucial role play in bad storm.  Most of the sailor keep go by the perception that the best safety technique while going for sailing is to plan the sailing during favorable weather and the storm sails will remain unused forever in some cramped corner. However, it must be remembered that storm sails are like seat belts or air bags in the car which play crucial role during bad accident and manage to save lives. 

The storm sail functions well in strong and disturbing winds as it offers very less sail area as compared to other sails making it easy to move the boat downwind. The other bigger sails trap more wind and generating more power which very easily stalls the boat.

Storm sails are used in storm to maintain just the minimum sale area required to maneuver the boat out of the situation because of its smaller size. They are made of bright orange colour so that the boat can be spotted easily in bad weather condition against the grey backdrop, so that rescue team can easily reach them and move them out of the life threatening situation. They must be made up of heavier cloth and must be heavily stitched, heavily reinforced in the corners and must be cut flat for strong winds.