J/35TUNINGGUIDE

NORTH SAILS

SOLUTIONS FOR TODAY’S SAILORS

4/00

The original concept of the J/35 developed in 1985 still holds true 15

years later. The J/35 provides excellent one-design racing as well as

casual sailing in the company of friends and family. The ongoing

strength of the class amidst a sea of new one-designs shows an admirable

commitment by sailors in the class. In the popular Sailing World/NOOD

Regattas, the J/35 class continues to have one of the strongest showings.

Race weeks at Key West and Whidbey Island are other top events for the

J/35 class. Today, more than 70% of the boats still actively race –– a

testimony to the enduring success of this design.

Winning ways in one-design racing form the very foundation of North Sails.

By placing knowledge in your hands we all become smarter sailors. Some of

the best and brightest within North Sails have contributed to this guide —

their names are listed with a page of helpful tuning tips on page 18.

We hope you enjoy the presentation of this tuning guide. North personnel

and many cooperative boatowners have invested a lot of time to make this

guide as helpful as possible for you. There are lots of photos showing sail

trim over a wide range of conditions and an overview of the sail inventory.

3DL sails are featured almost exclusively in upwind sails, both for weight

savings and use over a wider wind range. Our comments on sail trim are

written as if we were sailing onboard your boat with you.

As always, we want to know what you think. Call us and let us know if you

have some go-fast tips we haven‘t tried.We hope you enjoy the tuning

guide, and we look forward to another healthy 15 years of racing the J/35!

Tom Whidden, CEO North Sails

J/35 Tuning Guide

Sailplan and deck layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Setting up the Boat & Rig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Going Sailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Upwind Sailing - Light/Moderate Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8

Mainsail Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

The Trimmers View –– Moderate Air. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The Trimmers View –– Heavy Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Speed Tips for Heavy Air. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Upwind Sail Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Spinnaker Trim - Light/Moderate Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15

Spinnaker Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Sail Inventory Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Tips & Techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Sail Care & Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Sales & Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Boat Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-23

Thanks to the J/35 “Test Team” of (l to r) Andreas Josenhans, SharonBenton, Jody Lutz, Matthew Hirsch, Tom and Cindy Hirsch (owners ofJ/35 AIRBORNE ) and Jeff Heath. Thanks also to Perry Lewis of NorthSails Midwest and John Gladstone of North Sails San Diego.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RACING PREP� Race with a SMOOTH bottom!

Fair the keel to make it symmetri-cal with a perfect trailing edge.

� Speedo paddle wheel should be 3-4 feet ahead of the forwardpoint of the keel at the root.

� Stow all gear within two feet ofthe mast. Only bring what youneed, leave the rest ashore.

� If you are required to carry a raft,position it to be sure you can getit topside in 15 seconds (or less).

� Don‘t adjust any ballast after2100 the night before racing.(IYRU rule 22.2)

� 2:1 traveler control, 5:1 mainsheetwith 2:1 fine-tune for easieradjustments upwind.

� Mount primary winches even withforward edge of cockpit to preventoverrides. (Try using a sissy bar.)

� Genoa lead track, car, blockshould be low profile with a ratch-et block and 3:1 puller.

� Move the secondary winches, hal-yard jammers and pole lift cleataft to either side of the compan-ionway to clear off the cabin top.This helps the crew get across thedeck faster when tacking.

J/35 Tuning Guide

4

SAILPLAN and DECK LAYOUT

to CL of pin at masthead- top end of forestay

to CL of pin atstemhead

Secondary winches on cabin topwith controls for lead puller,

twing, foreguy, & cunningham.Sawed-off tiller with telescoping extension.The helmsman should be

able to move between the traveler &tiller without getting hit by the boom.

48'11"

Rig Tension (# of turns past hand-tight)CAPS ..................18.0 turnsD1s ...................... 4.0 turnsD2s ......................Hand tightThis is a good baseline tension whichoptimizes speed and shape for a

Headstay length — Headstay shouldbe 48’11” from centerline of the pinpassing through the upper mast tangto the centerline pin of the tang atthe bottom of the headstay (see pho-tos at right). The headstay should beadjusted according to increases inwind speed. The range setting fromlight air to heavy air is 2”.

Centering the spar —Center thespar with the main halyard to the capshrouds. The mast should be placed14’8” from the stem sheer line to thefront face of the mast.

Mast butt location — Move themast collar max-aft. The mast buttshould be max-forward to produce1.5” of pre-bend. This opens the slotbetween the main and genoa makingit easier to generate more tension onthe headstay with the limited amountof backstay adjustment permitted bythe class. Be sure to lubricate the stepand bolts.

Tensioning the Shrouds — Installthe cap shroud on the aft outside hole,the lower diagonal shroud (D1) on theforward hole, and the diagonal shroud(D2) on the inside hole (see photo) .Since we want to encourage the mastto bend forward down low, we put theD1 on the forward hole.We put thecap shroud on the aft hole to helpkeep it as tight as possible. Once handtightened, add the following numberof turns to the verticals and diagonals.For tuning purposes, tie the shroudstogether before you go sailing, whichallows easy adjustment. Once finaladjustments are made, be sure to pinthe shrouds and tape generously toavoid chafe.

J/35 Tuning Guide

5

SETTING UP THE RIG

headstay length of 48’11” in a windstrength of 0-6 knots true. In 7-12,shorten the headstay to 48’10”. Forwind speeds over 12 true, shorten theheadstay to 48’9.5”.Mastbend — Five factors controlbend; Backstay tension, runner load,prebend or headstay length, mast buttposition and finally partner holeposition.What happens when wechange any of the five factors? Forexample, if we:a) Make the headstay 1” longer

- we are adding prebend whichflattens the main in the lower-halfand softens the headstay.

b) Pull the runner/checkstay -total bend is reduced, the headstay istightened, and the mainsail getsdeeper.

c) Move the butt aft - we addprebend.

d) Bend the mast with backstaytension - bending increasesheadstay tension.This flattens bothsails and moves the draft aft.

CAP

D1

D2

6

The information contained on thesticker has been developed based onlaminate testing, yarn modulus anddensity. This information does notprovide any safety factor. Remember,wind force increases at a rate of thewindspeed3. When your sails areused within their designed windrange, you will maintain the designedshape longer, which translates intomore fast races.

All North sails include an adhesivebacked sticker applied at the clew.This contains critical structural redlineinformation. If the sail is used outsidethe posted zone, there is a significantlikelihood of permanent damage.

AIRBORNE sailing in 14 true. Mainsail is hoisted to the black band, and thegenoa lead is perfect, allowing the sail to be trimmed in next to the chainplateand top spreader. 3DL sails are designed to optimize wind ranges, in the J/35class with two headsails permitted, range is paramount. It‘s also critical to sailwith the halyard taut to prevent mid-leech sag. We recommend a large diame-ter uncovered 3/8” (core) Vectran or T900 for a centerline halyard. Halyardstretch accounts for much range robbing mid-leech sag. Equip your boat with agood halyard to get the best out of your 3DL sails.

GOING SAILING

J/35 Tuning Guide

7

Sailing toward the Newport Bridge in 14true and smooth water. The main istrimmed perfectly with the boom oncenterline and top batten parallel to theboom. The genoa is at the top of itsrange just touching the chainplates andapproximately 2” off the top spreader.

The heel angle is shown by the bridgeabuttment. This is a little too much forthe highest pointing angle, but good foroptimum VMG , especially without anyother boat on the lee bow. With a boaton your lee bow, 18° of heel angle willbe better.

UPWIND SAILING - LIGHT/MODERATE AIR

AIRBORNE (right) is sailing with optimum heel angle for thebest VMG. In a fleet start and close quarters it will pay to

point higher, trim the sails in harder and reduce the heelingangle. NOTE: The nice, light touch on the helm. Cindy Hirsch(owner) steers with minimal tiller motion and is looking for-

ward at the open water between the hiking crew and themast. Her focus must be well in front of the bow to see waves

and puffs early enough to respond.

HIKE! The difference between sittingand hiking on a J/35 is just under1000 ft./lbs. IF you are hiking hard,and feel this isn’t contributing toanything except a sore butt, here‘s ashort list of the positives of hiking.Allows harder sheeting... more point-ing, will cause the keel to be deep-er...more pointing, less pitching...more pointing and less rudder anglewhich contributes to more speedand.... you guessed it, more pointing.So when you‘re out on the rail,encourage your crewmembers toHIKE! First to finish means first backto the dock for all the shoreside fun.

25°

J/35 Tuning Guide

20°

HEELING ANGLE

J/35 Tuning Guide

8

UPWIND SAILING - LIGHT/MODERATE AIR

155% Medium #1Genoa 8820 dpi(high modulusKevlar)Range is 0-15 (14true). The mid-leech at the top ofthe range is 6”away from thelower spreader.

AIRBORNE is showing good fore andaft trim sailing upwind in 14 knotstrue wind speed in flat water. Heelingangle, crew placement and hiking arecrucial for speed-building. The firstcrew should sit just aft of thechainplate, with the rest hikingcheek-to-cheek. Here are some otherfast notes based on this set-up:Genoa Trim Touching chainplate, leech is 4”away from the top spreader.Mainsheet tension sufficient tobring the top batten parallel to theboom, or 2° open, since boom is 6”below centerline.Checkstay tension to positiondraft ahead of center - this equalsjust under 1000 lbs.Mastbend curve is even.Cunningham tensioned to carryonly a few 1’ wrinkles from thebottom 1/4 to the tack.Steering to 4th telltale (4th gear)

This is what FAST looks like.

Headstay - 48’10-1/2”Backstay - 3200 lbs.

Outhaul- Tight

True Wind Speed =14 knots

TWS 14 knots TrueTop 17% @ 44%Middle 14.3% @ 39%

9

MAINSAIL TRIM

Perry Lewis, (l), of North SailsMidwest with Bob Alice, (r), owner ofJ/35 MIST APPROACH reviewingBob‘s onboard sail log and racingnotes. Keeping a photo log of yoursails will provide you with a“sailmakers eye” for trim, shape,draft position, mast bend, rig tensionand headstay sag which helps torepeat fast settings. A log is a greatmotivational tool to keep the crewinvolved, especially when gearing upfor the new sailing season.

Maintaining a log is especiallyhelpful to your sailmaker whenevaluating your sail inventory. Noteson wind speed, wind angle, numberof hours and your comments are justa few suggestions of items toinclude.

On the next page are photos of themainsail and genoa taken from“thetrimmers view” to give you an eye formax speed set-up. Your Northsailmaker can show you how tomeasure chord depth and draftlocation of sail photos taken from thecorrect angle. In most cases, adisposable camera kept onboard issufficient for all the pictures youneed to keep a sail log.

3DL 12600 dpi set-up for 12 true, flat water at the Newport NOOD Regatta.The sail is sheeted very hard for highest pointing angle. All telltales are flyingand there is no backwinding present.

The same mainsail as above, but note the backwinding. This is caused by twothings; genoa trim and traveler position. In this photo, the genoa is sheetedextremely hard. The backwinding is not hurting performance...yet. You canminimize the backwinding by setting-up the mainsail flatter with the travelerpositioned high. The top batten is beyond parallel by two degrees. Tighterheadsail trim minimizes the slot and reduces twist. As a result, the sail setsstraighter vertically, without closing the leech and applying the ‘air brake’. Trythis in 8-14k true, no chop, no pitching. And don‘t forget to hike hard!

J/35 Tuning Guide

TWS 12 knots TrueTop 15% @ 44%Middle 11.9% @ 52% Bottom 8% @ 49.6%

TWS 12 knots TrueTop 14.3% @ 52%Middle 12% @ 51%Bottom 8% @ 53.6%

J/35 Tuning Guide

10

SAIL TRIM - LIGHT / MODERATE AIR

155% Medium #1 onboardAIRBORNE in 15 knots true. Here‘s alook at the leading edge of the sailfrom the feeder back to the sail num-bers. The telltales are installed in a rowin order to provide a guide when steer-ing in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gear. This sail isat maximum loading for the denier perinch (dpi). Even at full load, you can seeminimal vertical curvature or “sag”away from the rig.

155% Medium #1 genoa at the Newport NOOD Regatta. The top spreader iscreating a dimple, but is not hurting the sail. As long as the pressure is occurringin the middle of the patch, it‘s O.K, but not recommended. Onboard TomHarrington‘s OBSTREPEROUS, this sail was instrumental for upwind speed, andwas a key to their J/35 N.A. victory. This sail is sheeted hard for flat water andmax headstay tension. This is the same design as the sail shown on page 8.

GENOA TRIM - MODERATE AIR

Fatal Attraction’s Dacron mainsail powered up in 8 knots true. These numbersare too deep for a generic sail, but it sure works on a J/35. This sail is set-upperfectly for lighter wind. Sail trimmers are speed doctors...they can adjust boatspeed through varying conditions - a good mainsail trimmer knows how theboat will perform in a wide range of wind and sea conditions and knows whatadjustments are necessary to achieve the best shape for pointing, heel angle,speed and power.

TWS 8 knots TrueTop 12.9% @ 31%Middle 16.5% @ 40% Bottom 12.0% @ 36.9%

TWS 12 knots TrueTop 14.7% @ 43.6%Middle 14.3% @ 39.1% Distance from bottom spreader - 3”

11

THE TRIMMERS VIEW - #3 JIB - HEAVY AIR

Left and below are two views of athree year-old 103% #3 jib in 24knots true. We don‘t normally chooseto sail in this much breeze for a tun-ing session, but this sail is function-ing perfectly. The top stripe is twistedapproximately 15 degrees off thecenterline. The leech is clean andopen and the luff telltales from 1/4to 1/2 to 3/4 are tipped upward pro-gressively. The sail construction is nottoday’s North “state of the art,” yetthe shape still delivers the goods. Wealso like this sail for its straight, flatexit from the leech which helps mini-mize mainsail backwinding. The bot-tom half is nice and flat which allowsthe helmsman to steer in high pointmode. The knuckled entry providespower when needed, especially inreally big waves. A sailmaker sittingto leeward trimming this sail,mightthink “Wow, there is minimal curva-ture from 20% of the chord length tothe leech.”( Translation: Nice shape,feels fast, good power.)

J/35 Tuning Guide

Another test of a good #3 is, howclose does the sail fly in front of thespreaders? The set-up of this sail isperfect; the halyard is taut and thelead position is set to allow the topchord to twist while keeping the bot-tom half relatively flat. The high-aspect ratio of the #3 (4.0 vs. 2.21for the M#1) places a premium onsheet tension. The differencebetween blistering fast in 22 trueand unbearably slow can be as littleas 1.5” on the sheet. Try setting-upyour #3 like the pictures and makesmall sheet adjustments to keep youin the fast groove for the sea state.

12

J/35 Tuning Guide

SPEED TIPS FOR HEAVY AIR

RUNNER & VANG

The use of boom vang in heavy air(over 18 true) comes very naturally tosome sailors and raises objectionsamong others. Here is why it workson a J/35. The downforce generatedon the leech allows mainsheet playwith less resistance. When you usethe vang, you bend the spar forward.In breeze over 18, we suggest youshorten the headstay to 48’-10” or9.5m. This eliminates prebend andcreates the impression the main hastoo much low luff curve. The vangadds just enough mastbend to fairthe mastbend curve back to theoriginal design.

North 3DL Mainsail 12600 dpi in 24k True (29k approx.) This sail is handlingthe loads nicely. The top is flat, open and twisted. The draft is located forward inthe bottom half of the sail, and not too far aft up top. Cunningham is loaded toposition the draft. The vang is aggressively loaded with 100 lbs. (with feetbraced, use both hands!) on the tail of the purchase system. The most critical element is sheet tension.A good rule of thumb is to sheet the sail harder until the boat heels too much,or has too much helm. When this occurs, flatten the sail and move the draft for-ward. The old rule of when in doubt, let it out may be O.K. Since this makes thesail less powerful, you may want to adjust other shape controls first, then easethe sheet as little as necessary.

Small speed gains generate big wins,especially when sailing in heavy air.The 3DL mainsail (at left) is nicelypowered up, showing a clean leechwith linear twist from the boom tothe head. Tensioning the checkstay orrunner on the J/35 produces exactlythe opposite sail adjustment com-pared to a fractional rig. When youtighten the runner, the mast becomesstraighter. Mastbend flattens themain, added runner deepens it.The best way to get this right is tobend the mast with the hydraulicbackstay, then add checkstay/runneruntil the sail is shaped right for theconditions. The desired sail shape hasthe draft ahead of center. Do this byjuggling cunningham and checkstayload. Don‘t forget to pull the outhaulto the black band. In wind speedsabove 18 true, take-up 3 turns on theD2s, and 2 turns on the D1s.

Using Vang in Heavy Air

13

J/35 UPWIND SAIL SETTINGS

MAINSAIL

Backstay

Outhaul

Boom Position

Cunningham

Vang

HEADSAILHeadstay

Halyard

Genoa leadsTop Spreader/Shroud Base

Headsail Choice

Very Soft

NONE

NONE

Max. length-48’-11”

Eased with smallwrinkles

Top 5” to 8”Base 6” to 8”

Class / 155%Medium #1 or AP1

Class / 155%Medium #1 or AP1

Class / 150% Genoaor AP1

Class / #3

Top 3” to 0”Base 4” to 0”

Top 0” to 12”Base Touching base

2nd batten down isparallel to centerlinefor #3 Jib

Eased with smallwrinkles

Firm - No wrinkles Firm - No wrinkles

48’-10” 48’-9.5” 48’-9.0”

NONE Slack removed Aggressive for vangsheeting

Remove 50% ofwrinkles

Remove all wrinkles Remove all wrinklesplus 1”

Eased 1.5” fromblack band.

Eased 1” from blackband

Eased .5”from blackband

Maximum

Centerline 3” above centerline to even with center-line

Centerline to 4”below centerlineAmount of helm dic-tates location

Boom 6” and below centerlineHelm dictates exactlocation

800 to 2000 psi 2100 to 4200 psi 3100 to 4200 psi

0-6 kts true 7-12 kts true 13-19 kts true 20+ kts true

J/35 Tuning Guide

CheckstayTension - %

Heel Angle

NONE Increasing 0-50%deep draft to standard draft.

50%-90% Standard draft

90%-100% keepingdraft standard rela-tive to backstay ten-sion

10° - 12° 5° - 10° max 15° - 18° max 20° - 22° max

Crew weightDistribution

Low - Dogs in houseand forward

Forward, sitting closetogether hiking hardenough to flattenboat.

Hiking Hard Hiking even Harder!

TRUE WIND SPEED

Spinnaker trimming is an art which is improved by the level of concentration ofthe trimmer. After a really fast downwind leg, the best trimmers will say theydidn’t see anything that happened on that leg. Sailing in these conditions, thepole height should be set to generate a 4” to 6” curl - short enough to be con-trollable and long enough to let the sail breathe. Once the pole height suits thetrimmer, pull the leech down hard with the twing to make the leech mirror theluff. If you are not sure when to twing, look back at a competitors sail and look

for asymmetry. Also, make sure theboat isn’t heeling, and watch thespeed carefully. When sailing deaddownwind, heel the boat to wind-ward and keep the weight forward,just like light air.

If you are reaching, the .75 oz.does a great job. Move your crewweight back to control heel and keepthe rudder immersed, and pull thepole back as far as possible, butdon’t let the lower part of the spin-naker luff sag aft and to leeward.Adjust the power with the mainsheetand vang tension, and try to keep aslight windward helm.

J/35 Tuning Guide

14

SPINNAKER TRIM - LIGHT/MODERATE AIR

Running in 12 knots true (6 appar-ent). The driver has a clear view ofthe water ahead - important forkeeping the boat up to speed down-wind, avoiding kelp, and staying insync with wind variations and thecause and effect of tiny steeringchanges.

The clews are even height, but tomaintain sailing at the best VMG, theset-up could be improved by;� Squaring the pole until the luff

rises vertically to fly with maxi-mum projection and balance.Extremely critical in light air.

� Pulling the twing will make thecross-section at the radialhead/belly joining seam moresymmetric. This reduces some ofthe lost energy being vented atthe leech. This works best in con-junction with weather heel.

The inboard end of thepole could be raisedapprox. 12” which willpush the outboard endaway from the mast andproject more sail area.

Onboard AIRBORNE flying a .6 Polyester spinnaker in 12 true (left and below).The spotter looking aft from below the boom is in the best position to see thepuffs tracking toward the boat from astern. The communication from the spot-ter to the driver is critical. The discussion might go like this,“Puff is six lengthsback and will track 1.5 lengths to weather. How about going up 5° and catch-ing it?”. Or, “Now we are in the puff, let‘s bear away 5° to stay in the puff.”

15

SPINNAKER TRIM - Judging the curl...

J/35 Tuning Guide

.6 Polyester in 14 knots true The photos (above and right) highlight the trimmers view of the spinnaker. Jody(at left) is trimming the spinnaker - gauging luff curl as one of his trim indica-tors. When sailing in VMG mode, the spinnaker luff should fly vertically off thepole–in this case the pole could go forward by 1’. In the photo (above left), youcan see the luff rising vertically from the pole and the amount of curl. This is themax amount of curl since any more would cause the spinnaker to rollerfurlaway some speed. In the photo (right) the curl is just a bit small for optimumbut it will rebound with a nice snap, which is fast.

AIRBORNE in great downwind trim.There are only two people in thecockpit, and the remaining crew areseated down low facing aft. For morespeed, the rig could be pulled furtherforward by easing the backstay 5”and aggressively tightening thegenoa halyard which should besnapped to the tack.

Action Effect

Sheet Trim Increase angle of attack; reduces depth

Guy Trim Reduces angle of attack; increases projected area

Pole Height Raise Reduces depth; reduces twist; destabilizes sail

Twing Tighten Reduces twist, increases depth, stabilizes sail

Spinnaker Controls

J/35 Tuning Guide

16

SAIL INVENTORY

UPWIND SAILSCloth Weight (denier/in.)

Regatta 3DL Mainsail .....................................................12600 dpi Aramid

Dacron Mainsail ...................................................................7.8 oz. NorDac

Regatta 3DL 155% Medium #1 Genoa........................ 8820 dpi Aramid

Regatta 3DL 155% All Purpose #1 Genoa ..................12600 dpi Aramid

(If you are going to sail with one overlapping 155% genoa, we recommend this one.

The heavier dpi will help maintain the original designed shape after many hours of use

across a wide range of sailing conditions.)

Regatta 3DL 150% #2 Genoa ........................................14700 dpi Aramid

Regatta 3DL 103% #3 Jib...............................................16800 dpi Aramid

103% #3 Jib ..............................................................................225TX Kevlar

SPINNAKERS.6 Nylon or Poly Runner Design

The combination of the 2-sail rule in the class and the use of windward-lee-

ward courses make this the sail of choice in most conditions.

.75 Nylon All Purpose Design

Used primarily in wind speeds over 18k true, and closer reaching angles.

Set-Up your Medium #1as an All Purpose GenoaIncrease the range of your 3DLMedium #1 to perform as an AllPurpose Genoa by shifting gears tomatch a wide range of conditions,from 8-18 true. If you are going topurchase a single overlapping 155%headsail, we recommend the 3DL-12600 dpi Medium #1 Genoa. Hereare a few suggestions on how to getthe best speed and range from yourMedium #1.

� By changing the headstay length,backstay pressure and lead posi-tion, your boat will have that extrabit of speed that is so crucial ingaining the advantage in classracing.

� Use the range of headstay as post-ed plus 1/2” either way. In verylight air, go to 48’-11.5”. The boatwill go really fast if steering andcrew motion is minimized. Forwind speed to 19 True, use 48’-9”.

� In ultra-light situations, use justenough halyard tension to have 1’wrinkles.

� For windspeed over 15 knots true,set the lead so the bottom 1/3 ofthe sail touches the upper shroudand the leech is 15” off the topspreader.

� Make sure the backstay tensioncan hit 4300 psi and use it wind-speeds over 14 true. Sail with mini-mum heel and maximum hike!

TWS 8 knots TrueTop 18.2% @ 45.5%Middle 13.1% @ 38.7%

The photo (above) of the Medium #1 onboard Bob & Kathy Patterson‘sFastlane.* Same design as shown on page 8.

17

JIBING AND DOUSING THE SPINNAKER

DOWNWIND SAIL TRIM SETTINGS

BACKSTAY

ADJUSTMENT DESCRIPTION

CUNNINGHAM

VANG

Completely off, allowing mast to go forward. Sighting along upper shrouds, straight mast is ideal. Takethe genoa halyard forward and clip it to the tack bar and tighten to bring the mast all the way forward.

Off. If the mainsail still has a ridge running vertically directly behind the mast, ease the main halyard 3”.

Play vang, keeping telltales near top batten flying on both sides of mainsail. Do not stall upperleech. The top batten should be parallel to the boom.

HEEL In light air, position half the crew to leeward, half to windward and forward. Crew should be seatedon the deck instead of the cabin. As wind builds and apparent wind angle exceeds 90°, boat shouldbe heeled to weather. This increases luff projection and effectively raises spinnaker area into morewind velocity aloft. It also decreases pressure on the helm for best VMG.

Jibing1. Foredeck crew takes lazy guy to the

bow, facing aft. As pole is trippedby the mast person, the pit creweases the pole down. Foredeckcrew shouts “MADE”,as soon asthe guy is fixed at the pole end. Themast person assists the pit to raisethe pole on the opposite gybe.

2. The sheet trimmer releases the oldsheet, allowing the new guy to bepulled around on the other side.While the pole is being tripped, it isO.K. to free-fly the chute throughthe gybe. In heavy air, the trimmershould judge on the side of over-trim to keep the boat under con-trol. The guy trimmer should squarethe pole to the wind, bringing it aftas the boat turns downwind.

3. The mainsail trimmer should bringthe main to centerline.As the polegoes up on the new gybe, the sail iseased and trimmed for speed.

4. The driver should make sure thespinnaker is full and drawing, steer-ing the boat slowly and smoothly

through the gybe. It is better totake a few seconds to complete aclean jibe than to rush and befaced with a tangled, contortedspinnaker. Not to mention thescreaming and shouting, while thespeedo plummets.

5. The remaining crew should moveacross quickly to keep the boat bal-anced and up to speed.

6. Helmsman and new trimmer fine-tune trim for new jibe and course.

Leeward TakedownThe difference between a great

takedown and a mess is coordination,communication, and practice. Eachperson should have a clear under-standing of his own tasks. A “heads-up” approach to understanding theoverall sequence in the takedown alsoprovides each crewmember the neces-sary time to react in case of a fire drill- there could be a crowd at the markforcing a late gybe, boats roundingthe mark can tack unexpectedly, etc.When the takedown is a well-timed,

effortless maneuver, it can mean bigspeed gains at the leeward mark.Each crewmember can focus on thenext leg more quickly and move on tothe rail for the upwind leg.1. The bowperson opens the forward

hatch and with the lazy guy inhand led under the headsail footand over the lifelines, pulls the saildown when the halyard is released.The mast person hoists the genoa,tightens the outhaul, cunningham,and assists in the takedown to besure the headsail is clear to tack.

2. As the genoa is hoisted, the trim-mer should not trim the sail beforethe spinnaker is released – this willcause the spinnaker to collapse. Themast and pit crew work together tohoist the genoa, release the spin-naker halyard and lower the top-ping lift/spinnaker pole once theguy trimmer eases the pole for-ward. If the competition is hot onyour tail, you may want to get theboat up to speed before doing theclean-up.

J/35 Tuning Guide

J/35 Tuning Guide

18

TIPS & TECHNIQUES

When running in less than 20 knots,keep the crew weight forward, lowand wide to lower the CG and damp-en the rolling moments.”

Jack Slattery, North Sails Northeast

“To get the best downwind VMG, askone of your crew to face aft andposition the boat in the lanes ofstrongest wind and clear air.”

Dan Neri, North Sails Rhode Island

“When tacking downwind, memorizehow far the pole is from the headstayso it can be duplicated on the oppo-site gybe.”

Benz Faget, North Sails New Orleans

“If you put more than three people inthe cockpit, the boat does a wheelie,and there is no room to move.”

Chris Shining, NS San Francisco

“Best running VMG is achieved bysetting the twings low and carrying2°-5° of weather heel allowing therudder to develop slight lee helm.”

Perry Lewis, North Sails Midwest

“If another boats windex tail ispointing at you, reposition your boatto clear.”

Hugh Beaton, North Sails Toronto

“Taping the spinnaker sheet to theguy will allow you to put both intothe pole preventing a lock-out.”

Ken Read, North Sails Rhode Island

“Spinnaker halyards can be uncov-ered, small diameter 9mm Spectra,but using high-modulusVectran/Technora (9mm) for the mainand genoa halyards works the best.”

Jody Lutz, North Sails East

“When running, positioning the crewweight forward to keep the knuckleimmersed to maximize runninglength. That‘s fast!”

Ron LaNeve, North Sails New Jersey

“If you need to add weight in orderto meet the float lines, fill one tankat a time right to the top.”

Dave Miller, North Sails Vancouver

“On a windward-leeward course, youdo not need to release the vang togo downwind.”Henry Little, North Sails Rhode Island

“When sailing upwind (under 11knots true ) with full crew weight onthe rail, keep the lower mainsailleech touching the checkstay toinduce weather helm.”

Will Keyworth, NS Chesapeake

“In winds over 14knots true, you losethree boat-lengths per tack. Comparethe number of tacks you do to theboat which won the beat.”Jack Christiansen, North Sails Seattle

“ Keep the main and genoa halyardsin the self-tailing winches so theydon‘t slip and can be adjusted duringa tack.”

Jon Gardner, North Sails San Diego

“Storing all loose gear aft of thebulkhead on the floor improves theCG.”Henry Bossett, NS New Jersey

“Did you know, every antennae, hal-yard and external block carries aweight and windage penalty?”John Gladstone, NS San Diego

“Keep a log of your headstaylength/windspeed relationship to beable to repeat fast settings.”

Jeff Madrigali, NS San Francisco

“Pulling the rig forward downwindstabilizes the spinnaker, reduces therudder motion to maintain a steadycourse and tightens the vang.”

Jim (Fuzz) Foster, North Sails Hawaii

“When you tail the genoa sheet hardenough and tack slowly enough it ispossible to keep the genoa clewinside the lifelines.”

Bear Hovey, North Sails East

“When sailing upwind in under 6knots, ask your crew to stay belowto condense the CG and controlpitching.”

Chris Shining, NS San Francisco

“Tie the D1 and V1 together tightlyto minimize windage.”

Bill Herrschaft, NS Marina del Rey

“For windward spinnaker takedowns,use a bow bag in the forward hatchwhich eliminates the need to re-packthe chute. You are ready to go for thenext hoist.”

Jeff Holstrum, North Sails Seattle

Thanks to everyone who contributedto this tuning guide. There’s lots oftalent racing in the J/35 class, if youneed help with speed, give any oneof these guys a call, they are happyto help.

19

In Use� Keep sails out of sun when not in

use by using sail bags and main-sail cover. If you are a cruiserusing a roller furling genoa, aleech cover is recommended forthe genoa.

� Look out for exposed cotter pinsin the rigging or other sharpedges to tear the sail. Tape upwhere necessary.

� When leaving the boat, ease thehalyard on a roller furling headsailto prevent permanent luff stretch-ing. Similarly, ease the main out-haul if the foot is not a loose footor shelf design.

� Avoid letting sails flog. This dam-ages the cloth and reduces sailperformance. Adjust the genoafairlead and the leech cord to stopleech flutter. Do not motor directlyupwind with the sails flogging.

� Dry sails before stowing them toavoid mildew. Nylon spinnakerscan bleed color between panels ifstored wet.

� Storage on board should be in adry, ventilated space away fromhot items such as the engine,heater or cabin lights. Laminatedsails can be ruined by soaking inpetroleum products such as dieselor gasoline. If they becomeexposed, clean gently with deter-gent and water, allow to dry andkeep your fingers crossed that youcaught it before the adhesive wasweakened.

� Excess heat can distort or weakensails. Do not keep them in aclosed car trunk or other closedcontainer which can build up heatin the sun.

SAIL CARE & STORAGE

Cleaning� Cleaning sails annually to remove

dirt and salt before winter stor-age. Take sails to your sailmakerfor washing or wash them yourselfusing a mild laundry detergentand a brush. Do not use excessiveagitation. Dry before folding forstorage.

� Oil stains can be treated with anumber of industrial solvents andeven some household spray clean-ers. For laminated sails, however,do not use any cleaner more pow-erful than a household detergentsas they can break down the adhe-sive in the laminate.

� In very damp climates, sprayingLysol into the sail bag before clos-ing will help reduce the chance ofmildew.

� Mildew should be killed as soonas it appears to stop it fromspreading. Small areas can besprayed with Lysol spray. Largerareas can be washed with a 25%solution of Clorox Bleach andwater (NOTE: Kevlar or Nylon sailsshould never be exposed toClorox!!!). Soak for 15 minutesand then rinse thoroughly with ahose. Stains will fade slowly withsunlight exposure once themildew is dead. Storing sails dry ina well ventilated area reduces the

J/35 Tuning Guide

chance for mildew. Wet roller furl-ing sails should be rolled uploosely to allow them to dry.

Maintenance� Small tears in lightly loaded areas

(not near the leech) can be tem-porarily patched with sail repairtape or even duct tape to stop thetear from enlarging.

� A few broken stitches probablywon't cause a failure unless theyare near the leech. If they are there,have the sail restitched before theseam lets go completely and makesthe repair more difficult.

� Take your sails in for an annualinspection and maintenance. Ifthis is not practical, spread themout and look for wear, brokenstitches and rips.

Storage� Store sails for the off season in a

warm dry space away from hotitems like furnaces, hot waterpipes and electric heaters.

� Sails should be folded rather thanstuffed to avoid unnecessarycreasing which breaks down thematerial.Look out for exposed cot-ter pins in the rigging or othersharp edges to tear the sail. Tapeup where necessary.

J/35 Tuning Guide

20

At North Sails, we view each sail purchase as the beginning of a long andrewarding relationship. We base this expectation on a strong servicecommitment that includes preventive maintenance, sound advice, educationand expert repairs. Your nearby North loft offers a wide range of servicesincluding...

� annual checkover � sail tune-up � educational� sail washing � retrofitting resources� winter storage � seminars

North Sails is a network of over 100 lofts in 28 countries around the world.Each offers knowledgeable, friendly, personal sales and service. Our size andworldwide reach also means North has the world’s most expansive sailmakingdatabase. It would be hard to find a sailboat for which we cannot make a fast,durable and long lasting sail.

North Sails LoftsUnited States

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One-Design Zenda . . . . . . . . . 262-275-9728Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503-282-4282Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 787-863-3761Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401-683-7997San Diego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619-224-2424San Francisco . . . . . . . . . . . . 510-522-5373Seattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206-632-5753South Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . 843-744-7245Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281-334-7559Vermilion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440-967-9576

CanadaAtlantic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 902-634-3343Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416-259-9644Vancouver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 604-271-2111Quebec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514-748-8368

EuropeAustria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43-7666 7997Benelux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-3-325 67 20Denmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45-39-20 40 90Espana (Pontevedre) . . . . . 34-98-654-8132Espana (Palma) . . . . . . . . . . 34-71-725-752Finland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35-82-247 10 00France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33-297-53 78 58France-Mediteranee . . . . . . 33-493-36 66 17Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49-40-745 77 78

Germany-Bodensee . . . . . . . 49-7543-16 89Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-1-417-4669Italy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39-0185-3526Norway-West . . . . . . . . . . . 47-66-79 89 14Norway East One-Design . . . 47-67-53 77 29Sweden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46-8-765 15 30Sweden-Gothenberg . . . . . . 46-31-29 11 52Sweden-Kalmar . . . . . . . . 46-480-41 12 99Sweden-Malmö . . . . . . . . . . 46-4-015 4101Switzerland . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412-278-23222Switzerland (Schweitz) . . . . . 417-168-68525Turkey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90-212-696-99 15UK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44-2380-453109UK One-Design . . . . . . . 44-1703-45 52 20

InternationalArgentina . . . . . . . . . . . 54-1-147-250200Australia-Melbourne . . . . . . 613-953-40363Australia-Sydney . . . . . . . . . 612-999-75966Brazil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55-12-472-2607Chile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56-32-970-504Guadeloupe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590-908044Japan (Kanagawa) . . . . . . . 81-45-770-5666Japan (Kansai) . . . . . . . . . 81-79-826-7771New Zealand . . . . . . . . . . . . 649-359-5999South Africa, Capetown . . 27-21-511-2154South Africa, Durban . . . . . 27-31-332-3624

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