Sail confusion

baseman

baseman

On the Water
I read more here than I post because I don't have a Sunfish. I have a Phantom. I find the advice very good as it works for both boats.

I'm thinking about getting a new sail. I've done some research and I have couple of questions.
The sail I'm using now is a Sunfish sail from FX Sails. The dimenions are 13'4" luff and foot and 14"4" Leech. SLO sells a Phantom sail which is 3" longer at the foot than the luff(which would fit my spars better).
I understand the Sunfish racing sail has more draft than the recreational sail.
The sail I have now does not perform well in light air, but it's good when the wind picks up.
I race, but it's a handicap race and I don't have to be class legal (the Phantom has no class).
Any advice is welcome.
 
My advice? Seek therapy - Anyone who owns a boat AND claims it has no class has problems with self esteem (just kidding - I knew what ya meant).

Sorry - no sail advise. Just feeling a bit funny.
 
personally, I probably get the Sunfish racing sail from Intensity Sails. at $135, it is half the price of the Phantom sail from SLO Sails. especially since you have no class rules to follow, I'd just get the cheaper sail and then work on light wind skills.

do you use a wind indicator? I don't race, but I just made one this summer, and have been really happy with it in light winds.

cheers,
tag
 
If you are on a budget, I would go with tag's advice. However, as tag also pointed out, being competitive in light winds requires a lot of skill (time in the boat).
 
Agree with Tag. The APS racing sail is high quaLity, likely better than the SLO sail. And if you want to go fast, why buy a SLO sail??? BB
 
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Thanks all. I was leaning towards the Intensity sail option. The fact that the SLO sail comes with the Phantom logo and I get sail numbers (neither of which I need) doesn't justify the expense. I do handicap races, I'm the only Phantom, and everyone knows me.
As for the light wind. I may have had the outhaul too tight. I rigged the boat in my driveway the other day and loosened the outhaul to make the sail a little less flat. I'll test that theory next time I go out.
 
you can always make your own logo - I did that this summer, too. it's pretty easy if you have a logo to copy from.
I used this adhesive backed insignia cloth (I have enough to make probably 4 pairs of logos... the minimum order should be plenty for you).
img0207_005.jpg
 
Tag, I had thought about that too. I have the original sail that came with the boat, so I can trace the logo.
 
Belder, guess I wasn't paying attention this morning. I didn't get your SLO comment the first time I read it.

A note about sailing skills. The regatta I race in runs 8 or 9 days one day on weekends. We usually get in 2 - 3 races depending on the wind. Points are totaled at the end of the season. I've been doing this for 3 years and I have 2 firsts and a second overall for my division.
 
One more piece of advice, unless there's a racing stipulation not to, I highly recommend a window, well worth the extra money! (maybe $40 more). I have one in mine, but raced yesterday in another boat which did not have a window and found it very difficult to keep an eye on the other racers, especially if you keep your sail in a lower position. For what ever it's worth.
 
John, good point. The sail I have now does not have a window. The Intensity sail has a window. In a way, I'm fortunate because I'm small and it's not difficult for me to look under the boom to watch for other boats. Also, based on the way the Phantom is set up, the sail is fixed. Gooseneck is not adjustable and there is an eye-strap on the upper boom for the halyard.
 
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