Current Sail Measurements

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robin0...@gmail.com

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Nov 16, 2025, 5:25:34 PM11/16/25
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Wakey, wakey, rise and shine!

Hope all you Swifties are keeping well! I am still sailing CAN048 weekly in season, although I seemed to have peaked out in terms of agility and ability! The peak was never high, so falling off has not caused much mental anguish:) Basically, I'm not getting any faster, although I don't capsize much any more! I will keep sailing the Swift until I cannot recover from a capsize.

It is time for a new main and jib on my boat, and I am thinking of using my favourite local sail-maker, who has made two excellent spinnakers for me over the years. I'm not too worried about class rules these days, but I would like to get sails that fit the boat properly.

So of course I am looking for current sail measurements. I recall that Phil was looking into this deeply following the last Huntington regatta. Has anybody ordered sails recently and were happy with the measurements used? 

The sails on CAN048 were always a little too full (draft) for my liking, requiring a ton of cunningham bend even at low wind speeds. CAN001 ( I chartered it once upon a time), had far less draft then my sails. Mine were made by Banks maybe 8 years ago.

All comments greatly appreciated,

Robin Smith

Paul OSullivan

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Nov 16, 2025, 6:02:26 PM11/16/25
to swif...@googlegroups.com, Philip Ryan
Robin I will get the sail measurements from Philip and send them over .. great update … see you next year at the nationals ?

All the best Paul 


Paul Osullivan
CEO, AMP RE Consulting. 
Paul.osu...@gmail.com
916 224 2374 

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Robin Smith

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Nov 16, 2025, 8:37:50 PM11/16/25
to <swiftsolo@googlegroups.com>, Philip Ryan
Nationals? What Nationals?

Robin

Paul OSullivan

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Nov 17, 2025, 12:41:42 PM11/17/25
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Time to arrange ?! 


Paul Osullivan
CEO, AMP RE Consulting. 
Paul.osu...@gmail.com
916 224 2374 

Philip Ryan

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Nov 18, 2025, 5:32:31 PM11/18/25
to swif...@googlegroups.com, robin0...@gmail.com, paul.osu...@gmail.com
Here is the most recent rules doc (2016). Apologies, I never got around to cleaning up the spinnaker and Jib rule

International Swift Solo Class Rules, 2016 edition.docx

Philip Ryan

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Nov 18, 2025, 5:59:40 PM11/18/25
to swif...@googlegroups.com, robin0...@gmail.com, paul.osu...@gmail.com
Hi Robin,
Here's the most relevant mainsail information, in the attachments.
- All these screenshots are from the rules document, but have been the tripping points for sailmakers and sailors buying sails.
- the Quantum mainsail on #001 never showed evidence of being up to the performance of the Banks, never winning a leg of, or a race.
- the mainsails that violated (less curve than) the Banks luff curve distribution by any significant amount, never set correctly on bendier, or stiffer masts, and were slow (example, North)
- I remember, Robin, that your banks main was odd in some way, and that my old Banks backup/spare sail worked better for you
- the Swift rig is based very closely around the earliest version of the 49er mast/mainsail system, and anyone making a mainsail needs to have a clear understanding of, and experience in making a MK1, bendy, auto-rig style skiff sail. Otherwise you get the ineffective mess that I got from North. By this I mean that: I got better results than North, just screwing around with a pair of scissors and a sewing machine. And I know almost nothing about sailmaking. That should probably be laid at the feet of that individual, specific sailmaker, and not the company. Just be wary of anyone who is certain that they can "do better" if they only have experience with standard dinghy sails.
- the best mainsail I've seen is the original cut down Niel Pryde 49er mainsail originally from #001
Let me know how it goes! - Philip
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