Best Combination of Sails for a new 23

[Zappple]

If you were buying a new set of sails (and money was no object), what sails would you want for each of the following conditions:
0-5 knots
5-10 knots
10-20 knots
>20 knots

Here's my first stab at it:

I would buy a radial cut main, a 150% furling radial cut genoa, and a 170% drifter in a bag

0-5 knots
full main with 170% drifter flown in front of the furled headsail.

5-10 knots
full main with 150% genoa totally unfurled

10-20 knots
reefed main with 150% genoa furled to 100%

>20 knots
reefed main with 150% genoa furled to 60%

Your thoughts? What would you buy and how would you use it?

[brackish]

If you have no experience with a furler, keep in mind that sails can only be effectively reefed to about 80% of their full capacity on a furler.  after that position and shape are not so hot.  You can improve reefing with the addition of foam luff panels but still it is limited.  That is why I have two sails for my furler, a 110 and a 135, both with foam luff panels.  It takes about a half hour to change them out at the dock, so I usually only do it seasonally.  Winter to late spring for the smaller, and the larger for the rest of the year. 

0 - 5  -I generally don't bother, these boats are not considered light air boats. Iron Jenny time.

5- 10 Assy Spin broad reach to run, full main and big jenny for all other points.

10-20 Too broad a category.  start out with a wing and wing for broad reach to run, or full main and large headsail for other points.  Above 15 steady with gusts I'll put a reef in the main and roll in the large jenny to 110.

> 20 I come in if I'm single handling, or use a single reef main and the 110 set to about 80.

Keep in mind I'm 71 have sailed for fifty years, single hand a lot, have raced GORC (not on my 23) and some one design primarily Hobie 16's, and don't need speed any more, so comfort and safety is most important to me.  Your needs may be different.

[Potcake boy]

Brackish - well stated, and supports my long standing assertion that it is a mistake to decide on a particular boat before you analyze your needs/wants. If you want speed, buy a race boat, but if you require comfort then buy a cruising boat. If you acquire the vessel matched to your requirements then the tweaks to make it personal should be minimal. I have enjoyed many boats of different styles, but all have been true to their design purpose. Com-Pacs remain faithful to their design criteria of being a reliable and safe family cruiser, no pretense of amazing performance, sedate being a more appropriate description.

In a way, the same philosophy applies to sail selection. These boats aren't designed for big powerful sails, and will let you know that when the wind picks up. It will be a scramble to get the extra canvas under control, and that elevates the tempo of the otherwise pleasant sail. I have a 110 on furler, main with StackPac, and 3/4 oz. nylon asymmetrical spinnaker in a Shaw Chute Scoop. I can handle the boat by myself with ease, and have yet to experience the panic of an overpowered boat. To me the extra stress isn't worth the extra knot. Sailing my Corsair 24 at 15 knots was much less stressful than trying to squeeze out that 6 knots sailing on the edge with the ComPac. Besides my wife has taught me the virtue of operating the diesel engine when needed to provide her a comfortable ride. Considering that the 23 hull is a legacy design and is less beam than more modern boats suggests that she is not a stiff boat to windward, but is a very good boat off the wind. She is easily driven off the wind from a beam reach to DDW, so off wind sails are an important consideration. I like a Nylon asymmetrical because I can sail deep and not have it collapsing at every change of AW. I can buy a lot of diesel fuel for the price of a top shelf high performance array of sails. I am not ashamed that some refer to my pilot house as a motor sailor, although she is clearly an auxiliary sailor, because she provides a level of comfort absent in many other designs.  Since she is so comfortable it is a pleasure to spend more time getting where I am going.

Personally, down the road I can see another Suncat, a boat that conquers the compromise between designs, and offers both fast and slow, with no drama.

[Gus]

I woudn't overthinking. I used my old boat for a long time with 3 basic sails. Too windy, lower the jib and reef, not enough wind, get the drifter off the bag or motorsail.

[Potcake boy]

Gus,
I like YOUR way of thinking. Keep it simple and enjoy the essence of sailing.

Seems that many folks get confused and think that sailing is just another way of adding unnecessary complications to their life. I feel that the prize is not making sailing the way you wish it to be, but rather enjoy it for what it is. Kind of of like what the ideal relationship is, and that's one more reason boats are commonly named for our special ladies. My wife's name isn't GladRags, but I suppose I could get away with calling her that. GladRags (dressy clothes, especially as worn to a party or other social event) just seemed to fit the pilot house design, and I was just tired of names that broadcast what I thought others should think of me so GladRags just seems to be a name that identifies with the boat. Besides, just as I have come to accept that as I am to my wife I am also subservient to this boat. One of my favorite names was that of my last trimaran "TriAngel" which was in tribute to my three daughters.

[Gus]

I like the KISS principle myself. The most complex thing on a sailboat should be the GPS and the radio. Heck, having an tiller pilot it's a luxury, but I've gotten away for a long time using some line and rubber tubing. Once the old sailboat found its track, it'll stay on it.

[Potcake boy]

Gus,

I confess to have given into the seduction of electronics. They make beer drinking so much easier, sometimes I even feel like a guest on someone else's boat.

[Gus]

Gus,

I confess to have given into the seduction of electronics. They make beer drinking so much easier, sometimes I even feel like a guest on someone else's boat.

Oh, I have too! I went to college to study electronics, and I work in factory automatization (Programmable Logic Controllers). I'm trying to get my butt back in gear and get the credits I need to get my Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering.

[Potcake boy]

Gus,

Can't imagine a better time to hit the books than when gliding along to the steady hand of your auto pilot.

Sorry Zap I realize this thread has become little or nothing to do with sail selection, but I do think that if you read between the lines you'll discover the true driving force of most ComPac owners, and it's not an infinite search for that America's Cup speed advantage. IMHO the short and sweet of sail selection for many of us is what ever makes the experience more enjoyable. We don't need to prove anything because leisure sailing has already been proven to be enjoyable. Trust me, 5.5 knots is not that much more exciting than 5.0 knots. If you really have your sights set on getting somewhere earlier, leave earlier.