Light wind sail for 26S

A forum for discussion of how to rig and tune your boat or kicker to achieve the best sailing performance.
Post Reply
User avatar
Stickinthemud57
Captain
Posts: 622
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:50 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Grapevine, Texas
Contact:

Light wind sail for 26S

Post by Stickinthemud57 »

As retirement nears I am planning to spend even more time sailing, likely to the Texas Gulf Coast, larger lakes, etc., and want to explore sails that will serve me in lower winds.

I sail a 26S. My current rig is a standard mainsail with 2 reefing points and a 104% jib (hanked on, standard forestay). I have a 150% Genoa, but I plan to sell it since in terms of square footage it is only 13% larger than my 104% jib and does not point as well.

For now I am leaning away from a spinnaker, and toward something that is easier to manage since I single-hand a lot.

Options I am considering:

1. Gennaker
2. Drifter
3. Code Zero
4. Cruising Chute?

What I think I know:
-Code Zeros can sail upwind or downwind, and are less expensive and easier to manage than a spinnaker, but best managed using roller furling.
-Gennakers are optimal for a beam reach and are less expensive and easier to manage than a spinnaker.
-Any of the three can be used to sail to windward.

I am not planning on using this sail for racing, nor to deploy it in winds upwards of 12 mph.

I am not yet ready to go to roller furling just yet, so I'm thinking the Code Zero might not be the best choice for me.

I prefer not to add any additional halyards or bowsprit, but am not entirely against doing so if it makes sense.

I'm looking for something that is:
-Easily deployed, managed, and taken down singlehandedly.
-Can sail to windward (not close-hauled, of course)
-Is useful sailing downwind as well.
-As inexpensive as reasonably possible.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice!
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
User avatar
dlandersson
Admiral
Posts: 4531
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Michigan City

Re: Light wind sail for 26S

Post by dlandersson »

I have one of these, it works pretty well. 8)

https://thesailstore.com/macgregor-asym ... p-732.html
KingRichard
Deckhand
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:48 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Reno, NV

Re: Light wind sail for 26S

Post by KingRichard »

I think I'm a little confused about something. How is a 150 only 13% larger than a jib?

My 26S came with a genoa that, by measuring, I've come to believe is a 130 or 135, which I thought was about 30-35% bigger than the original working jib. It looks about that much bigger and I think that's what crude math would say (not accounting for curvature or if the standard jib was 104).

The boat doesn't point quite as high, but it's not bad, maybe 5-10 degrees less. The additional power is quite noticeable and quite frankly I would be a little afraid of a larger sail that I would think of as a 150. At my current skill level it's about all I can handle singlehanded.
User avatar
Stickinthemud57
Captain
Posts: 622
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:50 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Grapevine, Texas
Contact:

Re: Light wind sail for 26S

Post by Stickinthemud57 »

My apologies if I am stating something you already know...

I used to think that a 150% sail would be 50% bigger in total square footage than a 100% sail. Not so.

Sail percentages are calculated using a formula which I won't bother including here. Easier just to use this calculator:

https://sailingfortuitous.com/jib-calc/

Using this formula, it is possible to have a foresail with significantly more or less square footage without a big change in percentage. Todd McChessney used this fact to great advantage when designing the "Big Jib" for the 26S and D models.

You are correct in pointing out that the curvature of the sail will affect the actual square footage of surface area.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
KingRichard
Deckhand
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:48 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Reno, NV

Re: Light wind sail for 26S

Post by KingRichard »

Wow, the math to find the clew isn't fun. I thought it was going to be, I was wrong and it got weird, so I gave up.

Does your genoa go to the top of your forestay, assuming you have it mounted higher than factory for the larger jib?
User avatar
Stickinthemud57
Captain
Posts: 622
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:50 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Grapevine, Texas
Contact:

Re: Light wind sail for 26S

Post by Stickinthemud57 »

KingRichard wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 6:23 pm Wow, the math to find the clew isn't fun. I thought it was going to be, I was wrong and it got weird, so I gave up.

Does your genoa go to the top of your forestay, assuming you have it mounted higher than factory for the larger jib?
Yes, I did not go into the formula for a reason! :D Thank goodness for the calculators.

My old genoa (142.5% or thereabouts, and 163.25 sf in 2D) was a true fractional rig, with the forestay about 5 feet down from the top of the mast.

My now "Big Jib" calculates to about 103%, with 135.5 sf. It required re-rigging, which puts the forestay about 1 foot down from the top of the mast. So, not a true fractional, and not a true masthead. Yes, my Big Jib foresail goes to the top of the forestay.

Full disclosure, I had my foresail custom made by Sail Warehouse just a tad bigger than Blue Water Yachts' version.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
User avatar
EvenKeel16
Just Enlisted
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2022 1:44 pm
Location: Florida panhandle

Re: Light wind sail for 26S

Post by EvenKeel16 »

I really like the difter sail i got this year - picture. But after this i'm kinda of interested in the big jib also.

question for you guys with drifters - I'm running mine outside the shrouds with (at least for now) the sheet running back through the rear cleat then back up to the winch and cam cleat. Does this sound okay?




Image
User avatar
Stickinthemud57
Captain
Posts: 622
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:50 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Grapevine, Texas
Contact:

Re: Light wind sail for 26S

Post by Stickinthemud57 »

Looking at your pic, I'm thinking the cleat you are referring to is the fairlead that the blue rope is passing through before going to the winch, correct? If so, it makes sense to me as long as you can trim it to your liking.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
KingRichard
Deckhand
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:48 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Reno, NV

Re: Light wind sail for 26S

Post by KingRichard »

Stickinthemud57 wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 9:08 pm
My old genoa (142.5% or thereabouts, and 163.25 sf in 2D) was a true fractional rig, with the forestay about 5 feet down from the top of the mast.

My now "Big Jib" calculates to about 103%, with 135.5 sf. It required re-rigging, which puts the forestay about 1 foot down from the top of the mast. So, not a true fractional, and not a true masthead. Yes, my Big Jib foresail goes to the top of the forestay.
I found the big jib review you did, very nice. Also, it explains why your having a tough time finding an appealing foresail that's more powerful :)
User avatar
Stickinthemud57
Captain
Posts: 622
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:50 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Grapevine, Texas
Contact:

Re: Light wind sail for 26S

Post by Stickinthemud57 »

KingRichard wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 6:54 pm
Stickinthemud57 wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 9:08 pm
My old genoa (142.5% or thereabouts, and 163.25 sf in 2D) was a true fractional rig, with the forestay about 5 feet down from the top of the mast.

My now "Big Jib" calculates to about 103%, with 135.5 sf. It required re-rigging, which puts the forestay about 1 foot down from the top of the mast. So, not a true fractional, and not a true masthead. Yes, my Big Jib foresail goes to the top of the forestay.
I found the big jib review you did, very nice. Also, it explains why your having a tough time finding an appealing foresail that's more powerful :)
Thanks for that. I was considering looking for a drifter or other light wind sail even before I did the Big Jib upgrade. In a few races over the last year the wind dropped below 6 mph, and boy would a bigger sail have been helpful!
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
Post Reply