I need to begin to update my headsail inventory and would like some advice. Most of the sailing I do is short handed cruising and day sailing, but I have some interest in beginning to do some double or single handed racing on Long Island Sound? It seems I have three choices.

1. A traditional #1 that would work with my existing luff track. the advantages are it is the least expensive approach with the least amount of retrofitting or hassle
2. A new #1 with hanks and convert my other headsails to hanks. The advantages are ease of handling on the foredeck for shorthanded crew.
a bit more expensive to retrofit other sails
3. A new roller furling headsail. advantages are obvious. disadvantages are that it is significantly more expensive (new harken furling unit, rigging costs and several hundred dollars in UV protection etc.) and would probably make the boat less competitive for any racing.

What would others do in this situation?

Would a new assymetric, in addition to the new #1, be something that would add significant flexibility?

I thought about a roller furler last year and ruled it out based on cost, weight aloft, increased inertia, wear on the sails (at foil junctions). Most of my single-handing hassle is with the main: I switched to slides - I think the performance hit is very small compared to the handling advantage and the refit is not too expensive. Foresails have not been a problem raising if you use a feeder and the sail is flaked properly, and you pick a reasonable size for the conditions. I like hanks (although I don't have them on the J/30) except sail changes obviously are a pain. Folding #1 alone is a bigger headache. Note, most furlers require #7 luff tape; a costly upgrade for your sails if they are currently #6 tape.

Correction on the luff tape size: Harken and other rollers take #6, my boat happened to have #5 tapes & Tuffluff. You can ID luff tape size by color-coded threads in rope; #5-black/orange, #6-black only.

Seth pretty well says it all.I added slides to my main and a used Harken Furler last year.It came with a 140 % dacron jib and is great for cruising and the odd race if conditions are right and I am really short handed.Fun but not too competitive.I`m having an older 163 cut to fit the furler but won`t put on any anti uv stuff so it will have to come off the furler at the end of the day.I think the furler is great and ,yes,the expense is there but what else is more fun to dump money into.Clive Johnston

I agree, the #2 is a nice short-handed cruising sail. We use ours mainly for that purpose. The other advantage of the J/30 is that you can sail it under main alone and it balances relatively well. I converted an old mainsail to slugs and made up some covers for the sail track slot. So we can trade mains easily when we want to go cruising.

Has anyone used a code zero sail for racing or cruising?

For double- or single-handing, leave all your genoas home and revel in the extra storage space. Just take the #3 jib. In any breeze worth sailing in, the loss of speed is only significant if you are racing. On reaches and runs, get your sailmaker to turn an old spinnaker into an asymmetrical cruising chute. Alan Drew of the UK-Allen loft in Annapolis did it for me years ago and it's a great cruising sail.

Tom Donlan

I agree with Tom, If you are just cruising the #3 is great. It handles so well - is so easy to stow, and tack and mine is a great performing sail in most conditions. Also go with the slides on the main to make stowing the main a one person job.

I just installed a new Harken Unit 0 split drum furling system. Yes, the hardware was not cheap (about $1500) and I cut down an old 163% mylar genoa to about 140% and had a sunshade sewn on for about $200. It is worth the investment and the drop in performance is not an issue as the split drum design makes taking it apart and hauling up my newer 163% a snap.

We have a harken rollerfurling unit and the 163% genoa and have not taken that much of a speed hit. We still pretty much hit and exceed the polars without a problem. It is also much easier to use. If you are double handed or single handed racing the norm is to have roller furling for the obvious advantages.

In terms of Code 0 we got one for the express 37 I race on. It was a lot of $$, and the A-kites are better for a wider wind range and better angles. When you are in range to use a Code 0, however (which is a pretty narrow degree range for sailing) the boat takes off and you can completely wax all other competitors.