Lapper vs 155 genoa

i just added a #1 to Voila which took my BC PHRF from 147 to 141, about 30 seconds per hour which is a very stiff penalty for carrying this thing. I now owe time to C&C 35's, etc. We have raced with it only once. Speed was good, but I went the wrong way on a tack and never recovered the loss, so not a good test.

Having considered the in hauling idea, I have already removed the inboard tracks when I re finished the boat, however I plotted the outside tracks to find them situated 11.5 degrees off center. Most modern boats sheet to about 9 degrees and some even less. However, our little Laser is challenged with wide spreaders and shrouds that come quite far outboard, so I can see that inboard of 11.5 one is going to be fighting the foot against the shrouds. We find the speed of this sail sheeted to the lower deck to be very similar to the lapper. If I was still racing in Squamish I would definitely ditch the #1 because we average 20 kts and flat water, however sailing in West Vancouver, we often have light or dying winds with a left-over slop, and we are trying a #1 for this purpose. Otherwise, under PHRF, I'm thinking it is a waist of time and money. I see that many of the Lasers we hear of sailing in the North Americans, etc, sail largely against one another, so I'm guessing that rating is not an issue, but I seriously doubt that the #1 can give you sufficient advantage to over come 30 seconds per hour. The penalty is carried downwind as well, so going to windward I guess one must see at least a 45 second per hour advantage in order to break even on rating/speed/time. Perhaps only in sloppy conditions. I'm wondering if those of you who speak to reaching might consider an asymetrical for that leg and drop the #1. The #1 will not reach that well sheeted to the track. Let's keep this conversation going and hear some more from those who sail in PHRF fleets.

I've read this discussion with interest and it seems no consensus was reached as to lapper vs genoa overall, although there does seem to be agreement that the lapper definitely points better and is generally preferred in winds over 12 kts  whilst the genoa will do better in light air sailing on a reach.

What seems seems debatable is which is better for racing a windward/leeward course in light winds.

The genoa/lapper debate aside for the moment, my question, going back to Frank's comment above, would be whether to consider going with a lapper/reaching spinnaker (such as the North Sails S1 symmetrical) combination instead of a lapper/genoa for light winds.  The spinnaker won't point as high as the genoa (it's advertised at 60-120 AWA) but will it be worth it on those light wind days?  Bill Brock discussed this sail in another post within these forums and seems to like his.

Or do people see the S1 spinnaker and the genoa as not being mutually exclusive and it would be nice to have both (although budget does play a role here)!

Another option would be a Code 0 asymmetrical but this would involve adding a bowsprit.

Comments?

You tried the new sail today. Right? Lets hear the verdict!