Yeah. it's always tuff to know what's right...

Posted By: Ramblin' Rod s/v SeaQuell (Mac 26D) & Silhouette (Douglas 32) ON
Date: 3/18/10 9:50p.m.

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In Response To: Thanks........... (link) (pic) (Sumner & Ruth)

Silhouette (Douglas 32 Mk II), came with original main (fair), a new main (fantastic), 2 x 135's (one poor, the other fair, both with high clew), a light 165 (good), and a symmmetrical (like new). As it was, with new main and fair high clew 135, the boat heels excessively despite being quite a heavy, full keel, bluewater boat, due to design to CCA rules. So we had no working jib, storm jib, but we intend to race Lake Ontario for a few years. We pretty much used up the fair 135 last year. Despite already being tender, we decided to go with a new 7 oz 150 deck sweeper and pair of Harken 44 2 speed self-tailers. A pretty sizable investment. The hope being, that despite the greater sail area, the better sail shape and lowered CE of the new genoa, will help her stand on her feet and go faster, instead of just heeling even more and having to furled all the time. Well, we'll know in a couple months if we guessed right. Hope so, as we may have been happier getting only a working jib, at a third of the cost. As it is, even if the new 150 doesn't help her stand up, it will be great off-wind, we can add the working jib later, and the winches will be a blessing, no matter. We intend to sail Silhouette south in 7 years, by then, we'll likey replace the main again, get a storm jib, and add the new working jib (if we hadn't already). Adding new sails and equipment, is almost always a good idea, and a regular part of owning a boat. We tend to go light the first year to decide what she really needs, go nuts the second and third, and start settling down to one major upgrade per year, from then on.