Use for Old Headsail ?

[hoppy]

Over the winter i will buy a new main and headsail. The current main has suffered from UV and is brittle in places and will be binned, but recently a sailmaker who did a repair on the headsail suggested it has another season in it.

I will replace the headsail regardless so i might keep the old headsail but i am not sure how i can use it. Obviously if i manage to trash my new sail then it is handy to have a spare.

I am wondering however if it would be any good for down wind sailing, dropping the main and running two headsails? I assume that the sail is a 150% and the replacement would be the same. Is it possible (comfortable/safe) to run with two 150% or am I better off with a smaller second sail?

Assuming i am better off with a smaller sail, would recutting the sail be a sensible thing?

If the old sail is bagged up and stored away in the cabin for a couple of years will I still get a "seasons" worth of sailing out of it?

[nwdiver]

Cut it down to a shade cover for the whole boat, that a good use for a near bagged sail to live out a couple of years until a stiff breeze shreds it Or that’s what I did with an old headsail, I couldn’t see carrying it around on the off chance I may use it again so I carried it around and rigged it from bow to stern as a shade to cool the cabin.

[Jamel]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

Cut it down to a shade cover for the whole boat, that a good use for a near bagged sail to live out a couple of years until a stiff breeze shreds it Or that’s what I did with an old headsail, I couldn’t see carrying it around on the off chance I may use it again so I carried it around and rigged it from bow to stern as a shade to cool the cabin.

If it's reasonable nick a second headsail for downwind work is sensible.

But only worth it if you have days and days of ocean tradewind type sailing. Pole out one to windward and the other can be controlled via a block at the end of the main boom, vanged right out on the other side...works well!

[Bash]

Originally Posted by hoppy

I am wondering however if it would be any good for down wind sailing, dropping the main and running two headsails? I assume that the sail is a 150% and the replacement would be the same. Is it possible (comfortable/safe) to run with two 150% or am I better off with a smaller second sail?

Look up "twizzle rig."