DOWNWIND SAIL CHOICE
David Mcleman made two rigging changes for running dead downwind in the ARC. “We installed a preventer for the boom, led from a Dyneema loop at the tip down to a padeye behind the shrouds to hold the boom down as well as forwards. This reduced twist and chafing from movement of the main on the shrouds as well as preventing an unforeseen gybe.”
He also added a specialist running sail to the existing wardrobe of a furling Code 0 and large asymmetric spinnaker with snuffer. It was a prototype of North Sails’ new Tradewind sails, resembling twin headsails on a furling cable stay tacked to the bowsprit, flown without the mainsail. “Very stable when dead downwind, they are easy to furl quickly when a squall approaches, especially at night,” Mcleman reports. “We had some chafe issues on the cable stay, but North shipped a production quality replacement stay to meet us in St Lucia.”
Interestingly, North Sails France’s Hughes Destremau says the Tradewind sails can be hit-and-miss with two hulls as they are harder to sail goose winged. “The catamaran is not always wide enough to stabilise the windward sail. For this type of sail, you need a pole,” he says.
“A symmetrical spinnaker is useful, sheeted to the tip of each hull.” This reduces the boat’s performance, he admits, but allows you to sail nearly dead downwind at 170°, even 175°. “That way you are in line with the swell, so the boat is more steady.”
For more performance, Destremau counsels a loose-luffed asymmetric spinnaker. “You can put more angle on the boat – around 150-155° true. Then the boat goes faster at 12-13 knots. It’s fun and exhilarating, but it’s not so comfortable, because the swell isn’t so square.”