With more than 4,000 nautical miles to cover in a wide range of conditions, a Pacific crossing—whether undertaken short-handed or with a full crew, as a family cruising adventure or a performance-oriented passage—comes with its own set of requirements. How do you choose sails that balance efficiency, ease of use, and durability? We asked David Allouch, organizer of the Pacific Puddle Jump and long-distance sailor, and Samy Villeneuve, Sales Manager at Incidence Sails.
The first decision to make before ordering sails is the choice of fabric for the mainsail and genoa. On this point, both experts agree: while laminated sails may be attractive from a performance perspective, they are strongly discouraged for bluewater cruising. “Especially in our tropical climates,” notes David Allouch, founder and owner of Sail Tahiti. The Pacific’s heat, humidity, and UV exposure quickly take their toll on these materials, and repairs on remote atolls far from any sail loft can quickly become a major challenge.
Samy Villeneuve identifies two clear options depending on budget. His preferred choice is Hydra Net® Radial, a fabric developed by Dimension Polyant that combines polyester and Dyneema®. “Dyneema® has excellent UV and chafe resistance, so your sails simply won’t deteriorate as quickly. You can even sail around the world with this material without any problem.” Proof of its durability? Philippe Poupon logged more than 120,000 nautical miles with Hydra Net® sails aboard his exploration vessel Fleur Australe before contacting his sailmaker—not for new sails, but simply to have the stitching renewed.
This longevity comes at a price, however, as a Hydra Net® sail typically costs 40–50% more than an equivalent Dacron sail.
If budget is a concern, Dacron remains a very sensible choice.
“In that case, it’s better to choose Dacron and keep some budget available for downwind sails,” confirms Samy Villeneuve. It’s also the option David Allouch chose for his own crossings, opting for a reinforced Dacron mainsail. While he acknowledges that Hydranet’s longevity helps maintain a boat’s value, he notes that: “For a one- or two-year cruising program, it may not be justified. For a circumnavigation, however, it makes perfect sense.”
Reefing: Which System Should You Choose?
While furling genoas have long become standard equipment on bluewater cruising boats, in-mast and in-boom furling systems are less common.
“The problem is that they make reefing more difficult when sailing downwind,” explains Samy Villeneuve.
That can be a significant drawback during a Pacific crossing, where sailors often spend days sailing off the wind.
A traditional setup with ball-bearing cars and, ideally, a dedicated downhaul line therefore remains the preferred offshore solution.
To extend the life of reefing lines during long passages, Villeneuve recommends:
“Traditional reefing systems with a reefing line at the aft end, combined with either a separate line forward or a strop around the mast. These simple solutions avoid friction everywhere.”
He also advises periodically moving the position of the reefing line a few centimeters within its clutch during long passages to prevent wear from occurring in the same spot. The same recommendation applies to gennaker and spinnaker halyards.
Headsails: Prioritize Simplicity
When it comes to headsails, the genoa/staysail combination receives unanimous support for long-distance cruising. David Allouch favors an overlapping genoa because: “A self-tacking jib is easy to handle, but it lacks power in light winds.”
The staysail, when the boat can accommodate one, is considered essential by Samy Villeneuve. “If you only have a genoa and you’re sailing partially furled in stronger winds, the sail’s shape will deteriorate much faster. With a staysail, the sail plan is more efficient and you preserve your genoa.”
Catamaran owners should note that many models lack the structural longitudinal beam required to install a staysail stay, so this should be checked in advance.
Downwind Sails: Choosing the Right Option
The choice of downwind sails is probably the topic that generates the most questions when preparing for a Pacific crossing. The route to the Marquesas is sailed predominantly downwind, in Pacific trade winds that are often lighter than their Atlantic counterparts.
For Samy Villeneuve, the most accessible downwind sail is the cruising gennaker: an asymmetric sail with a straight luff and a furling cable. “It’s an easy-to-use sail that you can furl and bring down onto the trampoline or foredeck with ease. You can sail between 110 and 155 degrees true wind angle in up to 20 knots of wind. It’s really the easy-sailing version of an asymmetric spinnaker.”
For more experienced crews or those seeking greater speed, a conventional asymmetric spinnaker provides more volume and power but requires greater skill to handle. David Allouch strongly advises against using a traditional symmetrical spinnaker on a catamaran. “When sailing downwind in waves, you risk overtaking the spinnaker and having it wrap itself around the forestay.”
For stronger conditions, Incidence Sails offers a Code 5: a smaller downwind gennaker built from heavier cloth with flatter shapes, designed for sailing in 20–30 knots of true wind. “It’s a sail that furls tighter and more cleanly,” explains Villeneuve.
The Priority: Adapt the Boat to Your Skill Level
Another sail type making a comeback deserves attention: the twin-skin gennaker, now offered by several sailmakers. “It’s a gennaker with two skins that can be flown wing-and-wing, like two gennakers, allowing you to sail dead downwind while still being furlable—unlike a symmetrical spinnaker,” explains the Incidence Sails sales manager. It’s an attractive option for sailors who want to run directly downwind without the complications of a spinnaker sock. Because sail retrieval remains a key consideration.
Between a sock and a furler, each system has its advantages. David Allouch points out that electric furlers offered by some manufacturers can be game-changing for couples or short-handed crews.”They provide tremendous assistance when using a Code Zero solo, even if your physical capabilities are limited.”
If our experts could take only one downwind sail?”I would choose a very versatile furling sail,” says David Allouch. “A sort of Swiss Army knife sail, made from stronger cloth than a spinnaker, more forgiving, yet with more volume than a Code Zero. What’s the point of having the perfect sail for a Pacific crossing if you’re only going to use it once?” For him, the priority for any Pacific crossing candidate is clear: “Adapt the boat to your skill level, not the other way around.”
Ease of handling, durable materials, and the ability to manage everything safely outweigh pure performance.
Photos: © Incidence Sails, Hydra Net®, Dyneema®
Planning a Pacific crossing? The right preparation can make all the difference.
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