SUMMER SAILING

[Bill]

Here is a photo of Maika'i as she crosses the SF Bay.

[commanderpete]

Great shot. Boat looks beautiful, Bill.

A real head-turner.

I couldn't imagine sailing SF Bay with your typical production boat. Went out recently on my friend's Oday 26 in 20-25 mph winds, virtually uncontrollable.

[Al Lorman]

Lovely photo, Bill.  What kind of headsail are you flying?  My Commander came with what I think is the class jib and a huge and ill-fitting genoa off another kind of boat.

Al

[Bill]

Al, the jib is a 110% deck sweeping headsail.  It's the class jib for our summer racing.  In the winter(PHRF)racing, the head sail is a 155% Genoa -- winds are usually very light. A local loft, Hogan Sails, cuts very competitive Ariel/Commander and other heavy displacement boat sails.  We've promoted them in the newsletter and he has a Web page:  //www.hogansails.com  I believe one of our Maryland skippers has purchased from Hogan.  

Bill

[Bill]

Oops.  Wrong URL for Hogan.  Try http://www.sfsailing.com/hoginsails/

[Al Lorman]

Thanks, Bill.  Anyone out there with a used genoa they'd like to sell?

[Bill]

Try posting your request to the calssified forum.

[Mike Goodwin]

Bill,
Is your main loose footed or shelf footed ?
Looks good !

Mike

[Bill]

Mike, Thanks.  The sails are about 16 years old!  The main is shelf footed.  If the crew decides they want to keep racing, we will get a set of Hogin sails with a loose footed main.  Seems to be the way to go on these boats.  Bill

[Dan Maliszewski]

To All Hands-

Could someone please explain shelf footed vs loose footed.  I don't race Adele M (Ariel # 199) but my main rides in a track the full length of the boom.

[Bill]

"Loose footed" means the sail is held only at the tack and clew -- the rest is hanging "loose."  Because Ariel/Commander main sails tend to overpower, the pressure release provided by the loose foot should mean less weather helm and more speed.  The #1 and #2 season leaders here on the San Francisco Bay both have loose footed mains.