Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
I see that many of you are located on or near the east coast. I would like to know, if I may, who is in Southern California. Or has Southern California coastal sailing experience. Sense I now know that I have all of the parts to my Alado roller furling system and 3-4 furling head sails, which sail size do you find most suitable. I am thinking a 135% or a 150%. I look forward to your in put. Thanks.
We sailed Confetti out of Ventura, CA, for a number of years, with the Pierpont Bay Yacht Club. Did a LOT of racing and cruising with the club (and others) from up to Santa Barbara, out to all of the Channel Islands and all the way down the coast to Ensenada, Mexico (including the offshore islands like Catalina, and others in the vicinity.
Beautiful water and mostly beautiful weather!! Confetti has two mains (cruising and racing) 110, 130, 140, 155 (light air), drifter, 2 symetrical spinnakers (light air and a heavier and flatter star-cut), and a tallboy staysail. When cruising, we would generally only take the 130, 110, drifter, and maybe the light air spinnaker since while cruising I generally tend to stay under canvassed and want to recover some stowage space. Confetti has a 1976 9.9 Johnson electric start long shaft motor (new with the boat and still running fine!). I did get a 10x5 power prop instead of the 10x7 standard prop since I was looking for power in waves instead of speed. It has pushed us all the way from Ensenada, Mex, all the way back up the coast to Ventura several times!!
Favorite spots were Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara, Catalina island (Moonstone Bay, the Isthmus, Avalon), all around the LA Basin (especially Marina Del Ray and Seal Beach) and Mission Bay down south.
The wind is generally nice, but like everywhere can kick up, so I have 3 small (2ft) reefs in my cruising main to be able to make small adjustments to keep things comfortable, plus a "Bimini Reef" (normal slab reef but using the cunningham grommet and a clew gromment the same height as the cunningham, to allow me to raise the boom a bit higher to clear the bimini without losing too much sail area (a tall rig normally carries the boom a bit too low for the bimini)
I had a Catalina 27 before Confetti, and always felt safe in any weather we encountered, and I always felt (and still feel) the same sailing Confetti.... Just have to use common sense in going out or not based on conditions..... Stay tied up if Santa Anna Winds are predicted up north. The wind can go from 10-12 to Gale Warnings in 20-30 minutes! Doesn't happen often however. In general the wind blows harder as you get out to the Channel Islands off shore from Santa Barbara, than it does inshore (the channel has the nickname "Windy Lane"). I found the opposite happens most of the time down south, where we would leave the LA area in a breeze and sail to Catalina where the wind would moderate a lot.
Southern California is a really great area to race and cruise in!!! If you can get linked up with a club, you will enjoy it just all that much more and make great friends too!!
Thank you very much Chuck, just the response I was looking for. I did look at the boat owners map but didn't see anyone I recognized from here. Thanks again.
OK, I'll try to post this again. I have a 150 but recommend a 135 unless you will sail a lot in very light air. The 150 makes an OK 135 and a just tolerable 100 with marginal shape and lots of wiindage at the furler
Dave B. aboard Pearl 1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399 Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle
Okay, a 135% looks like a good bet for my first new sail. How do you guys feel about a foam luff? My understanding is that it gives better shape to the sail when reefed down. Thanks again everyone.
You'll want a foam luff with the Alado. It isn't as important for furlers that have independent tack swivels.
Personally I find it a lot better to carry multiple headsails and just use the one that fits the wind conditions. It doesn't take very long to change a headsail on a furler.
Alex W Seattle, WA Express 37 "re-Quest" previously owned 1984 Catalina 25 "Lutra"
My philosophy is different from Alex's--to me, the beauty of a furler is not having to bend on a headsail, douse it onto the deck, fold/roll it up,... Just pull one string to fly it, and another to stow it away. The 135 is a very common choice for a furler--a nice size for 8-15 kts, reefable to 100-110 in more (with a pull of the string), and reasonably easy to tack.
Even though your headsails don't have Sunbrella sun strips, it's possible they have sacrificial Dacron strips--maybe 6" on the leach and foot. If so, wind the sail onto the furler so those strips are outside when the sail is furled--helpful if you leave the sail on as I did.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
While I know my existing sails don't have UV strips, I did wonder about the 8 inches or so of what looked to me like extra material. I believe Dave has it right. It must be sacrificial dacron. So, When I get around to buying my first new sail, I'll start with the 135% with UV strips and luff foam. Then I'll think about a 150% for the future. Thanks again everyone.
Were you not logged in when you started to add your response?
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
I've been out on daysails from Long Beach and Newport Beach, as well as Oceanside and Mission Bay, and I've learned from these sailors that it's important, like Chuck said, to avoid the Santa Ana winds that can be treacherous. I noticed that your boat is a tall rig, so a good idea is to make sure to set up your mainsail with reef points to reduce sail in the case of getting caught in some strong gales. Chuck mentioned 3 sets of reefs, but 2 may be sufficient to be safe. With a 135 headsail rolled up to a tiny triangle and a doubly reefed main, your boat can handle some big weather conditions.
I was also surprised to learn about the kelp beds off of San Diego that must be avoided. There's nothing like that in my sailing area on the east coast, and they are not well charted. Local knowledge is what you need.
For reducing sail, I have practised going out in 30 knot winds with my hank-on storm jib and singly reefed main, and that is challenging but safe, and gives me the confidence to know how it works in bad conditions.
At the other extreme, an asymmetrical spinnaker is a nice sail to add to your boat so that you can move in very light air.
JohnP 1978 C25 SR/FK "Gypsy" Mill Creek off the Magothy River, Chesapeake Bay Port Captain, northern Chesapeake Bay
All good advice. I know that I have a brand new main sail but I haven't had it out of its bag yet so I don't yet know if it is setup for single, double or triple reefing. If it only has single reef points, it shouldn't be too expensive for the sail loft to add another set or two. I do have a spinnaker and have had it out of its bag to look it over but having no prior spinnaker experience I don't know if it is a symmetrical or asymmetrical spinnaker. When I take all my sails to the loft for inspection that will be one of my questions. Thanks again everyone.
In generalities, your first reef is likely to be about equivalent to John's full main (standard rig), and your second reef (if you have it) might be about equivalent to his first. So I'd hope for at least two sets of points... and probably only use the second when it became apparent I needed to tuck in a reef.
Yes, I've seen those kelp beds--you need to know where they are. I recall we were comfortably outside of them at about 5 miles off the beach between SD Bay and Mission Bay, but don't take my word for that.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
That's not unreasonable I guess. And I would rather have them and not need them very often than to need them and not have them. Then of course I will need to rig up another reefing line. And while I'may at it, I'll have them install a grommet for the Cunningham. Thanks again.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.