We are about to purchase a head sail for Velocity Girl and the sail maker asked me if I wanted a window in it. I wasn't sure. I have sailed J-24's with windows, and of course Lightnings and other small boats, but I can't remember seeing a window in any large PHRF boats on Lake Ontario. My buddy tells me they hurt performance in the sail, while another friend who sails 24's says you have to have it to see what it coming. I have been racing Velocity Girl for 4 seasons without a window,but I can see the advantages especially considering some of the racing I do in mixed fleets. I would welcome thoughts on this.

The other question I have for you is the fore-stay shiv box. I know that the J-30 varied a bit in construction, but I have two shivs above the fore-stay but only 1 below. I am concerned that this might be changing my fore-stay measurement to the deck for max fore-stay length. Does anyone else have the two shivs above? None of the 30's or 29's around me seem to have this.

HHSA
Velocity Girl
#278

Hi I have two sheaves above the forestay which are for starboard and port spin halyards,

Check this post with a good picture of the stock J/30 sheave box
http://j30.us/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/9405/Re_Replacing_spin_halyard_shea.html#Post9405

Thanks for the pics. I am glad to see that everything is up snuff on the head stay. Any thoughts on the window issue?

Thanks
Canaan

Canaan,

I would speak with your sail maker. I could justify where it might be ok for a panel sail. In a 3DL sail, I would think that it would weaken the sail due to how the strings are run for strength.

with a 163 or 155? that would have to be a big window to see traffic. especially if you are moving around the cockpit during a tack. it wouldn't be too much help during a start.

But they are now starting to make gennies with nearly clear plastic fabric.

Is it possible that the sail maker was talking about a round window for the bottom woolies? That's what my North guy calls it.

LET ME ADD ONE NOTE RE J24ers giving advice:
Take everything J24 sailors say with double grains of salt, unless of course they have raced on a J35. They will have you tacking on 5degree occillating windshifts, playing jumprope with the traveller, keeping the backstay adjustment in constant motion, and honking the vang down so tight it breaks the boom. But other than that I think they are good on foredeck. {the j24 crew on Sundance 20 years ago managed to break two booms and one pole in one season}

^True story.

It was all I could do to convince one of my younger hotshot crew not to drop the traveller all the way down in every little puff. I do not know if he has J/24 experience but I wouldn't doubt it

We are getting the 163%. That is what we all sail with on Lake Ontario with a good #2 as a quick change for windy wavy conditions. I decided to just stick with the small window for the telltales. Thanks for the input!

Canaan
Velocity Girl
#278

Sorry a bit late to the discussion HHSA. We have had windows built into several of our #1 Genoas all panel sails. The joke is on a close crossing the skipper can see the competition just before you hit them. There is no visibility in the sector covered by the #1 particularly in the top of the wind range. The window makes it so you don't need send crew too leeward to check for traffic quite as often. From the skippers normal position, if boats on the opposite tack are aft of the leach you may be crossing, but if they are in the window you'd best be on starboard or ducking. The window needs to be quite a bit higher than you think, since it gets the most use when you are at maximum heel angle.