sails

I will reply as a owner of the smaller ones.

Indeed with the selftacker I also have to put in a reef. This due the high mast (and high sail sqm). So it is no problem at all. The other brands just have lower mast and therefore don't reef at the time we want to do this. However with windforce 2-3 you can upgrade with a Genua. I personally think that a 135% is almost perfect. Bigger ones will touch the spreaders and smaller ones will be not much better than our selftacker. With the 135% you will have to put in a reef earlier than normal but he what do you want.

Better is it to leave the selftacker as your headsail and buy something for lightair and upwind sailing. Please see www.quantumsails.com for a code zero sail. This one you can unfurl with a furler as the ones they used in the Volvo Ocean. Easy to handle when saling singlehanded. The price is not cheap but this sail you will use. And when buying a genua you will have to think before setting sail. To big, you will have to reef and with really licht winds you want power = code 0

Frank

Good lightwind luck!

Frank 

After sailing the boat now in most conditions, it is my opinion that the most valuable sail to supplement the 90% self tacker is a 110-115% Genoa. I am trying out a North 3DL. The 411, like many modern fractional rigs, does not seem to require a larger Genoa - especially if you have a nice code 0 or genneker (that you can use downwind)  like Bandy. A few techinical notes: Hanse calls the self-tending ib provided a 105%- I think. But since the available J is actually 15.08- the sail is rated at 90%. If you race the boat, the bonus for a small jib disappears over 110%-  you will give more time to the other boats if you go over 110- And clearly, if you race with the 90% you will not be able to sail to your rating. One has now been rated, by the way, and the Hanse 411 shoal keel has a base boat rating of 102 PHRF. Incidentally, the bolt rope specified by Facnor for the SD 200 furler (standard equ on the 411) is 7mm or 7/32"- the jib provided by Hanse has a bolt rope of 6mm or  3/16". Personally, I think the 6mm bolt rope works fine- but a sailmaker might have a different opinion.

Hi Alan, how does the V3 confined? I am also in doubt, a V0 or V3. Personally I think that the V3 can be used in more ocasions. The V0 is indeed for upwind sailing. I have seen it here and it works on it's own furler. You can look this op at harken.com under genaker furler I believe. It cost a lot but I think it will ease the use of the sail instead of hoisting a snuffer with all the ropes etc. Now you just hoist the V0 walk back and unfurl the sail..... just like our own headsails. Good luck!

Frank