100-110% JIB

[Richard Thabit]

Some years ago I switched from a 135% to a 150% Genoa for club racing and have not use the 135% since. Has anyone had a 135 cut back to 100-110% or have any experience using a 100-110% jib with the C350?
My thought is that it would make sailing very easy when out alone in spring and fall when winds are stronger in the north east. How would the C350 perform? I have the wing keel and in-mast furling main, so it is not a race machine.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Richard
Three Sheets
C350 #111
Sailing the Hudson River most of the time.

[colmitch]

I've also upgraded to a 150 and found that it did not improve my performance. I regard to cutting down the 135, wouldn't furling the sail have the same result?

[russp]

My experience is that going to windward with a furled jib is an unhappy experience, it is impossible to get good sail shape. I recently had foam stitched onto the luff of our 135% to roll it flatter and pull the belly out and it is better, and OK for cruising, but useless for trying to point anywhere near the wind and go fast.

Russ Peel
Avalon #150

[Richard Thabit]

I was no longer using my original 135% and my 150% had poor shape when furled in heavy weather so I had my 135% original jib cut back to 115% and it has made my short handed sailing much easier and performance has been satisfactory. I had it done by my local sail loft, Samalot Marine, located in Haverstraw Marina in West Haverstraw, NY along the Hudson River.
The original L.P. was 19.44'
New L.P. is 16.5' making the jib a 115% (needed for PHRF)
George Samalot approached the re-cut from the luff so he did not have to remove and re-install the suncovers.
The new luff is 41', so a pennant was added to make up the difference so the upper furling swivel still goes to the top.
At about 60-70 degrees true with 6 knots of true wind I can do about 3 knots SOG.
At 8, 10 and 12 knots of true wind, SOG stays at about 1/2 true wind speed depending on sea conditions. I can flatten the jib better than I ever could the 135 or 150, so I am OK in strong winds with just my wife as crew. Quite honestly, my wing keeled C350 never moved well in winds below 5-6 knots even with my 150% jib, so I am very pleased with the re-cut jib. We recently cruised for 11 days in Long Island Sound and never felt like we should switch to the 150% which is kept on board. The cost of the re-cut was $411.
Richard Thabit
"Three Sheets"
C350 # 111
Montvale, NJ