My experience with the nylon 180 & assymetric
Steve,
My E36RH came from the west coast with a "twin jib". A 1.5 oz nylon headsail with two plys and one luff groove. The LP is ~ 170 and it fits on my furler. (You pole out each ply running downwind and it's like flying twin headsails but without the need for the second headstay.) I tried it several times last summer as a light air headsail in Annapolis. It flys in light winds down to 2-3 kts but not as low as a special Drifter with lighter nylon, smaller LP. It stretches beyond it's design load wind range in 6+ kts up wind. My sailmaker (Quantum) said NOT to cut off the second ply and use it as a Drifter - just use it for downwind cruising when it's too windy for spinnakers. This year I have a new high tech 150, it's built heavier than a "light" 150, and it's better in light air on all points upwind to reach than the "twin jib" and can go way higher in wind speed.
I also have an old North Gennaker assymetric spinnaker which I've finally gotten to use this summer. I tack it to my bow anchor roller using my pole downhaul as an adjustable tack line. The shape is pretty full so it doesn't reach very far up past 90, but it is easy to use and especially gybe without the pole. It powers up the boat reaching in light-med air but not much more than the 150 as the wind builds. I will use it downwind when I don't have crew to gybe symmetrics. I have a snuffer for the Gennaker which I'm 50/50 on whether it helps (yes on hoists, no on drops). The a-sail furlers like in Loren's link are the way to go and I will get one and ditch the snuffer at some point.
If you are determined to stay with the 95% as your jib and can find a place to attach the furler ahead of your forestay (anchor roller, prod, removable sprit) than an all purpose assymetric would give you more reaching and downwind sail area. I would not recommend a large LP nylon headsail and I think you would get much more use out of a 150 genoa for upwind/reaching - but harder tacking and need to switch the 95% on/off furler for windy spring/fall days (like today!). With the 150, you could add a more downwind oriented a-sail later - depends on how simple you want to keep it.
Mark
