talbot wrote:Sails are generally specific to particular classes.
The one I'm flying is supposedly from an "old" International 14. (That class changed spinnaker sizes at some point). I measured it, and it conforms to the class requirements as far as I can determine. The person who gave it to me is very experienced with a wide range of small sailboats and ventured the opinion that (no longer fashionable) spinnaker sizes for some other one-design classes would have worked just as well. As in each case the class had moved on to different sail designs/sizes, it probably wouldn't help to know which ones they are (were), because sails that size aren't made for them any longer, nor would one expect to see a lot of recently used sails available.
From a class rules perspective, it's not uncommon that they give only maximal dimensions, that means that if sailmakers decided that some values aren't optimal, they could choose to cut something that's slightly smaller in that dimension. There would be nothing that prevents a sailmaker from (truthfully) selling you any sail as "class-legal" even if it is undersized.
If you are not sailing in class sanctioned events, then you have considerably more freedom. If you were to find a used spinnaker that's (slightly) too tall, for example, you could raise the spinnaker block to adjust. (Best to keep that within reason, as to not overcanvas and all that). Similarly, if a sail was cut a bit wider in the foot, you could use a longer pole.
I count among my sailing friends some individuals who take a certain "Mad Max" type attitude towards putting boats together for sailing in non-sanctioned beer can events. "Hybridization" would be a genteel term. Watching them has taught me that a class design or builders configuration aren't necessarily the last word in what you can do with a boat - and that working with old, used boats you have a certain amount of freedom to try some odd things. This includes adding spinnakers to boats never designed to have them.
Here in the forum, K.C. Walker and others have fitted a sail that's between a code 0 and an asymmetric, called a Universal Power Sail. To get the best of it, you'd need to add a bowsprit with bobstay. Depending on your sailing style or wind area, some of these 'deviations' from the purity of the class rules might make your DS more enjoyable. Look for the UPS thread in the Sails section. If you are new to the game, stick with the tried and true (or close to it) until you've gained some experience - then you'll know what you like and don't like and it's easier to make some changes.