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anxiety in buying a boat
From talking to sail makers, and from my observations, (I have actually had quite a few chances to see sisterships underway one with and without a furling mainsail) the difference in performance is quite dramatic throughtout the entire wind range. The lighter air side of the equation is quite obvious but to explain the heavier air problem, the better in-mast furling sails will have a pretty good shape when first furled but over a pretty short period of time the leech creeps toward the foot resulting in a pretty poor heavy air sail shape and an increased likelihood of a jamb. If this boat is in lower San Francisco Bay then I would say that the in-mast furler is definitely out of the question. They will need to reef reliably and end up with a good heavier air flying shape. An in-mast furler just will not do that.
Jeff
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