Pearson Boats - Common Systems > Sails and Canvas

P323 What size Genoa works best?

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Valor:
I have a 135 and a brand new Doyle140 ish which came with the boat. They are both  fine up to about 12 knots then you need to start reefing it in. 135's have the absolute worst shape when reefed. The old 135 doesn't point higher than 60 degrees and the new 140 points to about 45 degrees.

I have since converted the old 135 to a 90% jib and I absolutely love that sail. I can point to 33 degrees with it and you can run a full jib to 20 knts all day. Do I lose downwind speed? Yes a little but I have an asymmetrical so it's a non issue. But the overall control and confidence you gain of the boat in snotty weather or blustery spring and fall sailing is worth the loss in downwind for me. As a solo sailer, It's hard for that sail to hurt you.

I will be purchasing a new genoa and main next year and it will probably be around a 110 or so as a compromise.

rkfitz:
I used a 140 in the Summer in New England and a 110 in the Spring and Fall. If I was feeling lazy or motorsailing into the wind I'd reef the 110 to 90 and use the spinnaker pole as a jib boom.

selene:
It all depends upon the wind...I mainly use a 95%, which works well in the 10kn-20kn range. With wind in the mid-teens up, I switch to an 80% "blade" (flat cut) which works very well. Under 10kn, I have an old 110%, which is too small (and did I mention old), so I am on the lookout for a 135%...

One of the reasons I have 3 jibs is that I hate a partially rolled jib, especially the Genoa. Unless very well cut you get an ugly sail shape, and an even more ugly bunch of sale against the roller which adds windage and spoils airflow (IMHO).

Incidentally, you probably already know this, but the 323 sails very well under jib alone. The few times when I have been out 25kn+, I found her more stable and well behaved - even pointing higher - with my blade, as opposed to a double reefed main.

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