This is all (kind of) sorted now, after sailing with the original jib for 4 months, and fitting the "new" jib last weekend for the forthcoming season....

The opinion of the guys on catsailor.net in Australia who race competitively with class 5.8 pin and squaretop is that the square has a slight advantag...

Definitely going to try that! Thanks. Opened up a 2" slot between mainsail and boom by letting tension off and it helped not at all. When on the w...

Thanks - I'd probably prefer to either tighten the bolt rope by an inch, or move the head plate down, but I can get it tight enough (just) at the mome...

This project is now finished. The hardest part was making new tapered battens with a maple core and 500 gsm unidirectional outer. pic below Sails ...

Here's a std P16 headplate (i.e., mine) for reference The squaretop adds maybe 20% area, almost all in the top 1/3rd.Edited by damienb on Mar 01, 201...

No - it's aluminium, and was OK, but was broken when my crew lost their footing. I'm using PVC at the moment, which completely sx since it's too flex...

There's no real problem with the existing sail (pictured). I just want to get the luff right when cutting down the P18 sail. Yes, the way it is now,...

I'll do all that except no Murrays for me, since I'm in Australia. Thanks for the help!

OK so the jib luff is definitely way too long - probably by 4". Compared it to my old jib and got it tight putting lots of rake on and tying directly...

Thanks. Might just check the stay geometry first..., and maybe set it up tied to the shackle/ring before I go modifying the jib. I've also got an ol...

Mainly luff in the top 1/3. My jib is too long to use the hook for some reason (aftermarket but relatively new jib) so I just tension the halyard and...

Well, set it up so that the jib attachments were just on the inside of the tramp straps, and much better tension & jib feel upwind, but I still can't ...

Yes, I don't have the ports or the hole, so will need to go direct off the shrouds. Based on your pics etc it's about 23" from the shroud (18" from t...

Too late 🙂 already started. I'm still using 20mm ply but glassing on top to get it out to 23 mm. The weather aspect should be the same due to the...

Thought about cut-downs but I think it would result in a heavy weather helm, and probably loss in effect. I've thought it out, but not sure if the th...

Thanks guys. I'll set it up just forward of the stay. The previous setup had bungee running over rollers running under the gunwales the whole length...

This is relevant downwind or reaching. Upwind the wind dominates the hydrodynamics of the boat (particularly a cat) even at high speed. To flatten t...

Thanks all - very helpful