Friction Loss Pac Cup recap - dont know how I missed this previously - great rundown on taking our boat offshore!
John - how exactly did you modify the Melges 24 kite? I've read about using this kite as-is on the 30 in these forums. My sailmaker in Charleston even recommended trying one as-is to see what I think about it (flying it off the pole with the pole all the way down). He sailed the J/30 for many years and says I'd have no trouble with the rig.
Our Atlanta/Lake boat is a Melges so I have a couple older chutes laying around I plan to try. I'm a bit concerned that I'll quickly blow the thing in a decent puff...the M24 of course "gives" a lot more when the pressure comes on and I would expect lighter overall chute construction.
We rarely buoy-race the J (all point-to-point) so I think we are perfect A-sail candidates...no need for versatility, frequent need to be fast on a reach. If you compare the two chutes we are only talking about ~30 ft/sq more area, but would expect more shape efficiency.
I suppose if I got rid of the extra size, I wouldn't even have to tell the measurer.
-dan
