Large roach headsails / Tweeners / Masthead genoas

[1sailor]

Many of us now have code zero's, in my case a fractional FR-0.  It's great for light air close reaching, and quite rangey as the breeze builds

In light air, upwind or reaching, we really struggle and an option i'm looking at is one of the many 'large roach'  masthead genoa options.

if you get your conditions, i'm sure it's worth any rating hit whatsoever, if it's the difference between sailing vs. parked up.  But--- you 'pay' for the rating all the time.  ORC deals with this.  But----

How is PHRF handling this in different regions ?   Is the "hit" experienced under the distance racing DHCP (only) or also for the all-purpose rating ?

 

[A3A]

How is PHRF handling this in different regions ?  

Randomly and with little common sense I'll wager. 

 

[Irrational 14]

If it's going on a Farr 400, check with Farr and the builder to see if your sprit can handle the calculated loads. These kind of sails can be taxing on the structure/s.

 

[jackolantern]

ORC treats it pretty fairly, though I disagree with the fact that they get rated in your Windward/Leeward rating. Tacking a J0 in a short course is a pretty painful experience.

PHRF in our Region treated it as a -6 change on our distance rating and no change in Windward Leewards - because you don't use it in those conditions.

 

[zenmasterfred]

An old friend was remembering when we set the chute on a race and a number of roaches fell out of the spinnaker and I don't mean the insect variety.  Those were the days!

 

[Reference]

For our boat, the code zero hit in ORC is fairly light and seems fair for reaching legs in moderate conditions. However, in our testing the ORC VPP overestimates the angles you can realistically carry a 75% code, at least above 8kts TWS.

For example, our ORC speed guide believes has the crossover from from jib to code zero in the high 50s-low 60s TWA, in 8-12kts, which is off by at least 10-20 degrees.  And ORC believes we can carry a full masthead code in 20kts TWS at 90 TWA (approx 42 apparent), which is unrealistic - we'd be on the J2 with outboard lead, or rounding up.

So we're definitely paying a penalty for this inaccuracy, reflected in the random course / AP rating, both in the single number, and especially in the moderate and high triple numbers.

 

[ryley]

In PHRFNE if your code measures as a spinnaker there's not hit for it. not sure about these tweener sails, but since phrfne is a single number system, they *might* treat them as an oversized genoa and you'd carry the penalty always. I've asked the question though and will let you know if I hear anything.

In ORR/ez they're allowed and factored into the VPP but similar to ORC the hits occur in the wind ranges and angles where it would make a difference.

 

[ryley]

In PHRFNE if your code measures as a spinnaker there's not hit for it. not sure about these tweener sails, but since phrfne is a single number system, they *might* treat them as an oversized genoa and you'd carry the penalty always. I've asked the question though and will let you know if I hear anything.

In ORR/ez they're allowed and factored into the VPP but similar to ORC the hits occur in the wind ranges and angles where it would make a difference.

From PHRF-NE:

PHRFNE only treats sails attached to the headstay as headsails.

 or sails designed to be staysails behind the headstay.

Sailmakers are making furling sails forward of headstay that we treat as asysmetrical sails even though they do not measure in what sail requirements designate as a spinnaker.   It would be good to see the sail plan put I'm pretty sure  we would just list as another spin.  Lots of the new boats I'm selling have what is called a crossover sail that is some between a headsail and spinnaker but because its not a real headsail we treat as a small spin.

so it looks like as long as the area is smaller than your largest spinnaker and you're not carrying more "spinnakers" than PHRF allows, you get no ding.

 

[climenuts]

From PHRF-NE:

so it looks like as long as the area is smaller than your largest spinnaker and you're not carrying more "spinnakers" than PHRF allows, you get no ding.

Not quite; the mid-girth needs to be 75% to count as a spinnaker (unless PHRF-NE has a unique interpretation). Once you start getting a 55%-65% mid-girth "Tweener" code sail it's not measured as a spinnaker anymore in PHRF.

 

[ryley]

Not quite; the mid-girth needs to be 75% to count as a spinnaker (unless PHRF-NE has a unique interpretation). Once you start getting a 55%-65% mid-girth "Tweener" code sail it's not measured as a spinnaker anymore in PHRF.

PHRF-NE has a unique interpretation. I specifically asked about sails without a spinnaker's midgirth and the answer I quoted is the answer I got. Since they only treat head sails as sails on the headstay, what other choice do they have than to treat LRH as a spinnaker - especially since they only have the one number and not 3 like So Cal.

 

[vtsail]

I was under the impression that a sail that didn't measure in as a headsail or a kite (IE your LRH or tweener or whatever you want to call them) wasn't legal at all in PHRF.  Didn't think you could use the LRH while sailing under that rule system.

 

[ryley]

I was under the impression that a sail that didn't measure in as a headsail or a kite (IE your LRH or tweener or whatever you want to call them) wasn't legal at all in PHRF.  Didn't think you could use the LRH while sailing under that rule system.

Depends on the area. I can only speak to what PHRF-NE is doing.

 

[sailman]

Rylee,  it sounds like PHRFNE has a pretty big loop hole for some boats like the Pogo’s and SunFast 3300’s

 

[Dacron]

YRALIS has a section in the rule that specifically deals with these.  -6 for a tweener.  -3 if its no bigger than your biggest headsail. Only applies to the spinnaker distance rating, not the windward/leeward.

Sounds similar to jackolantern.  Not sure if we’re referencing the same rule.

 

[1sailor]

OK thanks for the replies everyone.   Dacron and Jackolantern gave numerical replies, much appreciated.   Maybe not quite enough yet to be considered 'consensus' but it's helpful

surprising to me that sailmakers all over the place, who sell these sails, don't know the answer.    Are there a lot of variables in the answer ? I doubt it.   % of mid girth, total area, overlap.  what else is there ?

 

[jackolantern]

It’s a pretty big box to work in and there’s two widely differing edges of the box to work into the middle from. 

 

[ryley]

Rylee,  it sounds like PHRFNE has pretty big loop holes.

FIFY

 

[dacapo]

YRALIS has a section in the rule that specifically deals with these.  -6 for a tweener.  -3 if its no bigger than your biggest headsail. Only applies to the spinnaker distance rating, not the windward/leeward.

Sounds similar to jackolantern.  Not sure if we’re referencing the same rule.

Special Reaching Sails The measurements of all specialist reaching and downwind sails shall be declared. These are defined as any sail set forward of the headstay with an SMG/SF ratio of 90% or lower. Examples of sails in this group include Code Zeros, Large Roach Headsails (LRH), Free-Flying Headsails (FFH) and many cruising spinnakers. Adjustment is based on dimension and SMG/SF ratio and will be applied to the spinnaker distance racing handicap only.  Sail Type Adjustment Spinnakers - 75% SMG/SF ratio and higher, (but note that all sails with an SMG/SF ratio of 90% 
 or lower need to be documented on the certificate for their use to be permitted)  0 Free Flying Headsail (FFH) - a sail set flying free, forwards of the headstay, and of LP and overall area no larger than the largest headsail used to establish the handicap -3 Any sail set forwards of the headstay with an SMG/SF ratio of 75% or less, except FFH  -6 Specialized reaching sails may incorporate battens in the leech. If battens are used they must be declared and will be subject to an additional adjustment.  -3 When a boat carries only a single off-the-wind sail, whether that be a spinnaker, Code Zero, Free Flying Headsail, or Large Roach Headsail, the -6 adjustment for SMG/SF ratios of < 75% may not apply. Owners must declare this configuration to the handicapper and the Committee will consider requests on a case-by-case basis. These specialist reaching sails will be measured as asymmetric spinnakers for the purpose of defining the maximum dimensions and as a headsail when LP is required to be declared in the case of an FFH. Specialist reaching sails exceeding the standard unpenalized sizes will be adjusted by the Committee on a case by case basis.  Special Note - In cases where the 2020 YRALIS PHRF Certificate included a FFH that measured into the zero-adjustment bracket in that year (specifically, a Free Flying Headsail set flying free, forwards of the headstay, and of each dimension and overall area no larger than the largest headsail used to establish the handicap) the owner may elect to include that sail on their certificate for the 2021 and 2022 season. If they do so that sail will receive the same zero-adjustment for the 2021 and 2022 season. From the 2023 season onwards, this grandfathered relief will be eliminated. These grandfathered sails may not be transferred (sold or reassigned to a different boat via any means), nor replaced if damaged beyond repair. 

 

[ryley]

Special Note - In cases where the 2020 YRALIS PHRF Certificate included a FFH that measured into the zero-adjustment bracket in that year (specifically, a Free Flying Headsail set flying free, forwards of the headstay, and of each dimension and overall area no larger than the largest headsail used to establish the handicap) the owner may elect to include that sail on their certificate for the 2021 and 2022 season. If they do so that sail will receive the same zero-adjustment for the 2021 and 2022 season. From the 2023 season onwards, this grandfathered relief will be eliminated. These grandfathered sails may not be transferred (sold or reassigned to a different boat via any means), nor replaced if damaged beyond repair. 

Clearly this is a "caution: coffee is hot" rule. Were people flying their genoas as ffh's from the ends of their sprits?

Also, just to clear up the paragraph from dacapo:

Special Reaching Sails The measurements of all specialist reaching and downwind sails shall be declared. These are defined as any sail set forward of the headstay with an SMG/SF ratio of 90% or lower. Examples of sails in this group include Code Zeros, Large Roach Headsails (LRH), Free-Flying Headsails (FFH) and many cruising spinnakers. Adjustment is based on dimension and SMG/SF ratio and will be applied to the spinnaker distance racing handicap only. 

Sail Type                                                                                                                                                                       Adjustment

Spinnakers - 75% SMG/SF ratio and higher, (but note that all sails with an SMG/SF ratio of 90%

 or lower need to be documented on the certificate for their use to be permitted)                                                          0

Free Flying Headsail (FFH) - a sail set flying free, forwards of the headstay, and of LP and overall
area no larger than the largest headsail used to establish the handicap                                                                          -3

Any sail set forwards of the headstay with an SMG/SF ratio of 75% or less, except FFH                                                -6

Specialized reaching sails may incorporate battens in the leech. If battens are used they must be
declared and will be subject to an additional adjustment.                                                                                                  -3