A very useful catalogue of international suppliers based in the USA…
Espar Ltd., Eastern Hangar,Shaw Way,Mount Batten,Plymouth,Devon.PL9 9XH.
Tel:- 01752 491900 Fax:- 01752 491910
Espar Ltd.,Harleyford Marina,Harleyford,Marlow,Bucks.SL7 2DX.
Tel:- 01628 471368 Fax:- 01628 474819
Choosing the ideal sails for the ideal cruiser/racer
HOW JOHN CHOSE HIS NEW SAILS FOR MAGEWIND, HIS MAXI 1050
With their combination of comfort, build quality, seaworthiness and performance, the Maxi range seem to me to offer a perfect compromise between the needs of a cruising family and my desire to get the very best performance from a boat, whether racing or passage-making.
The original standard sails were made by Elvstrom, are cross cut and made of Dacron. A performance range were also available at an additional cost and are made from a Dacron and film laminate. Later Maxi’s are supplied with North Sails.
The original sails are a 105% Genoa and a 4 batten fully battened main sail. The Genoa has vertical battens to help support the leach. An optional spinnaker or cruising-shute is also available.
Apart from upgrading these sails with tri-radial cut sails made from laminates there is the option of adding a Code Zero, Flat Asymetric Spinnaker, a large roached 105-110%, 140% or 150% Genoa.
Some of the more recent boats, hull/sail number 43 onwards, have aft sheeting tracks or the facility for these built into the deck to allow for a 140% or a 150% Genoa. Boats prior to this do not have the deck-strengthening plates and retrofitting is much more difficult due to the need of removing interior woodwork and strengthening the deck from inside the saloon / heads. The initial boats fitted with the aft tracks had the tracks positioned for a 150% Genoa, later boats had the track moved forwards 18″ (450mm) for a 140% Genoa. Currently it seems that the tracks will only sheet the Genoa they were intended for.
The 140% and 150% Genoas would probable only be needed for racing or when large crew ballast is available. The 140% and 150% Genoas will increase your racing rating to somewhere in the region of 1018, this may well mean that the boat is un-competitive in stronger winds when using the 105% Genoa.