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Catalina 25 Wind Conditions and Sail Selection

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Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/08/2011 : 11:56:59

For those of us new to the Catalina 25, there is a wealth of information out there, except finding good information on what sails to set under various wind conditions. This information is scattered among many threads and you have to pick through them.

So, to you more experienced sailors with our lovely boats, what do you use and bend on for the various wind conditions? What winds do you consider too strong for the C25? Roller or hank on? Coastal or inland lakes?

Please share what you consider light winds, moderate winds, heavy winds and dangerous winds....also, what sail setup you would use for each. If you sailed on only one sail, would it be the main or jib? Why?

Scott

When we left, we had just enough fuel to make it to San Juan. And now... we are out of fuel!

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2011 : 12:22:05

I'm on an inland lake and I have a tall rig fin keel with a 135 on a CDI 4-6 roller furling system. My boat loves anything from 8 to about 20 knots. Over 20 is doable but not so much fun on a beat. If I'm looking at 16 and above, I'll typically go out with head sail only and then see how it goes. Two things that are great about the C-25 are that they:

Are really more driven by the head sail and as such they can get to hull speed quiet easily with head sail alone.

When they get over powered they pretty much round up automatically up into the wind.

Edited by - on

Prospector
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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2011 : 13:32:31

We have sailed Iris in everything from dead calm to howling gales. The highest recorded windspeed we've seen while out sailing was 45 knots. We broke stuff that day.

I find that once the wind gets humming above 20 knots, we can actually sail very well, at least compared to the boats we race. The trick is to have the 110 set well, a double reef in the main, and a well tuned rig. Also having a 13 yr old who thinks you are God, and she is invincible for crew is a good thing.

We have a fin keel, standard rig, and hank on sails. video of a couple of our races (but not necessarily us) are on you tube under this name: barrieyachtclub here is a sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FggQ2eXp0Nc

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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Response Posted - 04/08/2011 : 13:40:16

Not a racer, so dropping the main and sometimes rolling up some genoa is comfortable in the 15-25 range for my casual sailing, but 25 is busy and would benefit from switching to a smaller headsail.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Response Posted - 04/08/2011 : 17:05:18

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Joe Diver
 So, to you more experienced sailors with our lovely boats, what do you use and bend on for the various wind conditions? What winds do you consider too strong for the C25?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Everyone has their own comfort level, as some will sail with a full main and a 150 while the next boat's flying a working jib and a single reef. Some will reef early, but there are many techniques and sail plan adjustments that can be made to keep the boat under control before going to a reef. As for me, I tend to seek out a more spirited ride and am more likely to have a too much sail than too little.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
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Response Posted - 04/08/2011 : 17:35:11

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Everyone has their own comfort level, as some will sail with a full main and a 150 while the next boat's flying a working jib and a single reef.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
So true. You are much better off with less sail than more when you are seeking out your comfort level. No one can tell you how much sail to have up, but most of us agree that the easiest adjustment is dropping the main.

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
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1218 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2011 : 20:35:34

Yeah, one of the phrases drilled into me as I've studied various sources and talked to experienced sailors..."when in doubt, let it out"....but, I too tend to seek a more spirited ride and will push her....

Edited by - on

panhead1948
Captain

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345 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2011 : 21:33:34

I have an 84 SR FK and I tend to take it easy. When I took sailing lessons in Annapolis the main thing the instrutor told me was Don't worry about how much sail someone else is carrying. Sail where you are comfortable.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2011 : 06:13:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Joe Diver
 What winds do you consider too strong for the C25? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">It depends on where you're sailing the boat. Wind endangers a boat in two ways. It can make it difficult to control the boat, and it can create waves so big and square as to roll the boat or cause it to founder. On a small inland lake, the wind might not be capable of generating waves big enough to threaten the boat, but the wind strength might be such that you won't be able to control the boat, i.e., the engine might not have enough power or the prop enough bite to drive the boat against or across the wind. If the wind gets that bad, then you have two alternatives. First, get the boat into the lee of an island or point of land, so that it reduces the force of the wind enough to restore control to you. The last resort is to try to get an anchor down to hold the boat off the shore.

How much wind does it take to create these hazards? It depends on the size and shape of the body of water, and the surrounding terrain. Wind in excess of 25 kts generally becomes uncomfortable, with waves breaking against the bow and cold spray soaking the crew, but it usually isn't dangerous. At about 30 kts, it starts to become very difficult to control the boat with the motor running and under bare poles. Under sail, the boat can maintain control in higher winds, but you should have the mainsail reduced to a second reef, and the jib should be a storm jib. Also, it takes considerable skill to sail the boat in those conditions. Everything becomes much more difficult, such as tacking and gybing, and, if you aren't accustomed to it, fear can be paralyzing.

The best defense, of course, is to find shelter before the conditions become so severe. Get back to your marina and into your slip, or get into the lee of land and get an anchor down securely, and wait there until the conditions abate.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Please share what you consider light winds, moderate winds, heavy winds and dangerous winds....also, what sail setup you would use for each. If you sailed on only one sail, would it be the main or jib? Why?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> I consider light winds to be winds that are barely enough to lift the weight of the sails. In light air, the trick is to get the sails to assume the smooth, curved, shape that the sailmaker built into the sail. If the sails are hanging limp, they can't drive the boat efficiently. The way to make them hang smoothly is to move crew weight to the lee rail, forcing the boat to heel. When the boat is heeling, gravity causes the sails to hang smoothly, restoring drive to the sails.

Your sail choice is dictated initially by the sails you have to choose from. In light air, you should get as much sail area aloft as possible, and then, as the wind strength increases, reduce sail area before the boat becomes overpowered.

There's no single correct answer to which one sail you should choose. My general preference is to always carry some jib and some mainsail, because that provides the most balanced sailplan, and the best overall boat performance. But, when it's hot and muggy, sometimes you just want to reduce your physical effort, and an overlapping jib (something between about 130% and 155%) will work well. In very strong winds, I have used just a mainsail alone, and had a great sail. My suggestion is to try different sails in different conditions, and keep an open mind, because you might be surprised how pleasant a choice might be, if the conditions are right for it.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 04/09/2011 07:32:10

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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Response Posted - 04/09/2011 : 08:13:30

Thanks guys...that's great info so far....

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2011 : 08:25:39

On San Francisco Bay from 1987 to 1998, we sailed with an 85% jib, a 110% jib (hanked on, no furler) and main using the single reef point. During the higher summer winds we used the 85% and a reef. During the lighter winter winds we used the 110% and the full main. Reef the main first.

We do the same with our C34, with a furler, and change the headsails for the season. I refuse to sail with a partially furled jib, it makes no sense.

I've never had a headsail larger than a 110. A friend in Chicago has a 155% jib -- it looks like a spinnaker to me!

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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Response Posted - 04/09/2011 : 08:28:22

Well put, Steve. Going significantly to windward requires some sail area aft of the mast; that can be an overlapping head sail or a smaller headsail with a reefed main. In any other situation a head sail driven boat like ours will perform pretty well with just a headsail, but will be better balanced with a little of both. Downwind, a lot of headsail keeps the lift forward and the bow up making the boat easier to control because its being pulled rather than pushed by the wind. The main doesn't add much in that direction anyway unless it is far enough out to be chafing on the aft lowers. Less sail is the best way to start, especially when you are new enough to still be getting comfortable with your boat. Its always easier to add sail area than reduce it. I too enjoy a rollicking sail, but 40 years of experience didn't mean that I didn't need to explore a bit when we first got Pearl. Now I know what she likes and that she will take care of us unless I do something really stupid, and that is always a possibility.

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pastmember
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Response Posted - 04/09/2011 : 12:21:59

Well put Steve. As a high wind sailor on one of the windiest lakes in America I enjoy sailing when very few others will. I pinch and feather a lot to stay on my feet but it takes all the strings, good sails, (and a focus that most don't seem to have... to put it bluntly). My lake is great fun and the visible indicator that things are getting serious is when we have what we call blasters. A blaster is a gust that blows the tops of the already large lake wave right off and reduces that water into a blast of exploding water. Those conditions nearly always are marked with large wind shifts in the gusts, (headers and knocks) which can easily tack a boat over if a skipper is not really on top of it. In those conditions I sail with a working jib and a reefed main, the main is backwinded a lot but the trailing edge flows and provides the weather helm needed to go to weather, laminar flow is the the holy grail, making the aft part of the main an extension of the headsail and not worrying what the front of the main is doing is the secret for me.
I am "the picture guy" here is a photo at only around 20 knots. Note the trailing telltales on the main, if the wind were higher those telltales would still look like that but there would be backwinded sail along the main's luff.

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
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Response Posted - 04/09/2011 : 13:46:14

I generally sailed with my Admiral (until we lost her) on Long Island Sound, so we took a more casual approach than some... We had a standard rig, one reef, with a 130 on a furler. We flew everything up to about 12 knots--if we thought there might be more (up to 15), we'd tuck in the reef before leaving the dock. (It's easier to shake it out if you don't need it, than to tuck it in while under way.)

At about 15 and above, and especially if the wind was off-shore (which made it more gusty), we'd often leave the cover on the main and just pull out the genny. On the C-25, the headsail alone provides much more drive with less heel than the main alone. With a roller-furler, it was "pull one string and you're sailing, pull another and you're not--no muss, no fuss." With the genny alone, partially rolling it did not do much good for general boat handling--it moved the "center of effort" too far forward, inducing lee helm and making tacking difficult. We have gotten spray flying from amidships and a rooster-tail off the stern reaching with the genny alone, and gusts up to the high 20s just didn't bother us.

That said, if the forecast was in the 20s or above, we relaxed at the dock with our fellow "casual" sailors. On-shore breezes that strong meant short chop that was bigger than we were comfortable in, and off-shore winds were too shifty and gusty.

That was our story... On the other hand, I've sailed a Sunfish in 30s gusting into 40s, butt over the side, with the boat literally skipping across the water like a flat rock--once in front of a storm in Michigan, and a couple of times in the blast that often happens at sunset in the Arizona desert. In my book, that's a fun as it gets! And I go out in all of that stuff now--sometimes with the windshield wipers running full-time.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 04/09/2011 13:49:12

cshaw
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Response Posted - 04/09/2011 : 16:29:23

Good common sense suggestions being given here! I'll add my 2 cents worth to the pile:

First off, I have found an amazing number of cruisers pooh pooh things like boom vangs, reefing points, backstay adjusters, etc., relegating them to the "racers", with the result they either are way over powered, or way UNDER powered. Either way, it makes for getting anchored with your first cocktail in hand later than you could have!!! So after 49 years of sailing, I have found sailing "effeciently" makes for more comfortable crusing and faster racing (at least for me). Fighting the boat is hard on the boat AND me!

Confetti is a 35 year old fin keel tall rig, pop top, settee interior. Since I make my own sails, I got cartried away I guess... I have a 110, 130, 140 and 155 (I use hanks on all of them, and the 110, 130 and 140 all have single reefs in them), plus a 1.5oz star cut spinnaker and a 3/4 oz radial head, and a 1.5 oz drifter/blooper and a 3/4oz tallboy staysail The main is loose footed and has 3 reefs, plus a "bimini" reef to raise the boom up higher than the bimini when I am using it.

This all comes from racing over a lot of years so I can select sails to match the conditions as close as I can and how many crew are sailing with me (and the fact I LIKE to make sails!)

I do not like to let Confetti heel a lot, since I have found that is a LOT less efficient going up wind (obviously you HAVE to end up with some heel when generating power, but its a fine line between too much heel (with the subsequent excessive leeway), and being able to point and foot to weather.

I also make sure the help stays balanced when going to weather, carrying too much weather helm (due to heel or not having the sails set correctly with the draft pulled forward) is very important for good performance. I do not have a balanced rudder, and I like it that way since a balanced rudder can mask (at least for me) an out of balance sail configuration. One hand on the tiller (and usually only a few fingers) is always my goal, but is impossible on a spinnaker reach in seas and gusty breezes. Then its both hands to keep from rounding up sometimes!! (and a balanced rudder would be a GREAT thing then!!!!)

For sail selections, when racing I use my 155 and full main up to about 12-13 knots upwind, and up to about 14-15 on reaches, and up till when I get really scared on broad raches and runs (25-30?). When crusing or day sailing I use the full main and my 130 or 140 about 90% of the time. And as the wind kicks up I will pull in a reef in the main first, then change down to a smaller headsail, then another reef in the main, etc. With a crowd on the boat or a new sailor, I go with less rather than more since you can really turn off someone from sailing by scaring them.

Since I do not have roller furling (nice capability but kills efficiency when only partly rolled), I have a single reef built into each jib (except for the 155). It works just like a mainsail jiffy reef, and is a lot easier/faster in a race for me than to try to change jibs for most conditions. For cruising or day sailing, I change down size of jibs instead.

The boat balances really well and drives to weather well in 18-25 with a 110 and a main with one or two reefs. You cannot take away too much main or you cannot make her go to weather (like several others have said! That leech is IMPORTANT!!!) Feather into the puffs going up wind, drive up the waves, and bear off in the puffs when reaching and down the backside of waves. Keeping weight out of the ends of the boat really helps with performance and balance, especially in waves.

The most I have sailed Confetti in was about 55-60mph as a squall line passed over us. I had a triple reefed main up and no jib, and we did just fine (awesome conditions to experience by the way! Do NOT go out to do that on purpose however!). I had also had a reefed 110 up till the wind got over about 45, and then pulled it down and was glad to get it on deck!!!! (most wind sailed in for me was close to 100mph in a race from Long Beach to LaPaz in a Coronado 35 off of cabo San Lucas. What does not kill ya makes you stronger, or so they say! Can't say I was stronger, but sure have a deep rooted respect for heavy weather after that!!!)

I totally agree the boat sails better with headsails alone rather than main alone, but I found my loosefooted main REALLY helped performance when only using the main (like when stooging around before a race, or sailing into or out of an anchorage)

Frank really designed an easy to sail boat that is VERY forgiving!!!

This is just my 2 cents worth and your mileage may vary! This listserver is really a valuable asset!! Cheers to the folks that participate!!!!!!!

Chuck

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
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Response Posted - 04/09/2011 : 21:07:23

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by cshaw
 This is just my 2 cents worth and your mileage may vary! This listserver is really a valuable asset!! Cheers to the folks that participate!!!!!!!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">...and three cheers to having Chuck and Hull #1 in the community (finally)!!!!!!!!

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

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Response Posted - 04/10/2011 : 07:30:59

Lot's of great advice. My suggestion would be to learn to sail with little healing (5-15°). You'll sail fast and in control. JimB517 and Frank Hopper had some great discussions on actions to take with increasing wind, but I could not find them this morning. Anyone have a link on any of those? Your question was to what sails to use, but the broader issue is how to sail fast and in control without being overpowered.
When sailing upwind and feeling overpowered:
-plan ahead - particularly with hank on headsails - don't use too large a sailplan for the projected winds
-hands on the mainsheet to spill the air in the gusts
-lower the traveler to leeward and/or extend the mainsheet/tighten the boom vang to twist the top of the main sail to continually spill air
-harden the backstay (if you have an adjustable backstay) to move the main sail pocket forward
-flatten the mainsail - tighten the halyard; tighten the cunningham
-reef the main
-reduce jib size
-reef the main (second reef point)
-drop main (if using a jib that overlaps the mast - not necessarily if using a storm jib)
-stay home

sailing downwind....plan for a long run because gybing in brisk winds can be dangerous. Gybe slowly; pull the boom to center before crossing over and release the boom out slowly on the new heading OR turn upwind, tack and then turn back downwind to avoid gybing altogether.

the real experts should chime in here...

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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Response Posted - 04/10/2011 : 07:33:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by cshaw
 I have a 110, 130, 140 and 155 (I use hanks on all of them, and the 110, 130 and 140 all have single reefs in them), plus a 1.5oz star cut spinnaker and a 3/4 oz radial head, and a 1.5 oz drifter/blooper and a 3/4oz tallboy staysail.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I've heard about reefable jibs, but have never seen one in use. Often, the wind increases during a race, and it takes so long to change a hanked-on sail that other boats will pass you if you take the time to change jibs, so you opt to struggle with excessive heel and keep plugging along. You say it works like jiffy reefing. Does that mean, to tuck in a reef, you ease the jib halliard, and pull a new grommet down to the tack, using a downhaul? Or, do you go to the foredeck to do those things? Do you then have to disconnect the jibsheets, and reconnect them to a different clew? How do you do that quickly? Do you use a snap shackle, or other method? How quickly can the jib be reefed in this way?

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I do not have a balanced rudder, and I like it that way since a balanced rudder can mask (at least for me) an out of balance sail configuration.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> I had both types of rudder, but also preferred the original rudder, for it's feedback. Most of the excessive weather helm that people dislike can be eliminated by rig tuning.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I totally agree the boat sails better with headsails alone rather than main alone, but I found my loosefooted main REALLY helped performance when only using the main (like when stooging around before a race, or sailing into or out of an anchorage<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> I liked to use the mainsail alone when singlehanding and "just messing about" in winds around 25 kts, because the boat sailed reasonably well, and the mainsail is self-tending, so I could center the traveler and tack back-and-forth without having to haul in the jibsheets while steering with my knee.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 04/10/2011 07:34:58

Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
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Response Posted - 04/10/2011 : 08:20:28

I, too, am curious about jib reefing--heard of it but never saw it.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 04/10/2011 08:21:08

Joe Diver
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Response Posted - 04/10/2011 : 08:39:48

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Your question was to what sails to use, but the broader issue is how to sail fast and in control without being overpowered. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes, which sails to use and which configuration to use (main & jib; main only, etc) under which wind speeds....being new to the boat and all...most all boats can handle winds up to 15 kts or so with a full sail plan...but once the winds start getting stronger, when do you reef, which reef, change headsails, go with one sail...etc....all specific to the C25. My friend flies around the lake on his C36 under conditions that keep most other boats at home.

So, what I'm looking for, in addition to the great information shared so far.....are some general guidelines for us newbs to the C25:

Up to 15kts - both sails
15-20kts - 1 reef main, full head
20-25 kts - 1 reef main, reduced head
25 - 30kts - 2 reef main, storm jib
30+ kts - stay at home

The above is strictly an EXAMPLE I just pulled out of my butt to illustrate what I'm looking for....and a general consensus on these guidelines for newbs. I realize some will have a stronger constitution for a spirited ride than others...and some will consider risk in different ways, and there probably isn't a "right" answer, but with enough input from everyone on what you use and when, some generalizations can be drawn from all the comments.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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Response Posted - 04/10/2011 : 12:31:48

Try this post again. I think your example ranges are a pretty good starting set for exploring. A single reefed TR is about the same as a full SR, and about 15 is a reasonable upper limit for me. I usually drop the main above 25 unless I'm going to windward. I don't have crew for above 25 unless my daughter happens to be around, and its a lot of work in that range anyway. I don't singlehand above 20 by choice. A rough, old rule of thumb (we know what rules of thumb are good for) is 1 kt/foot of waterline for a moderately rigged boat under a full sail plan. Reef as you have listed for the planned winds before going out and maybe for the next level if you're near the upper end and sail a bit to see if you want to shake out a reef. You don't crank a 60mph corner at 60mph the first time you drive a car.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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Response Posted - 04/10/2011 : 13:59:58

It's good to have a rough idea of the wind ranges for different sails, but, when you're out there and the wind suddenly increases, you really can only guess whether the windspeed is 18 or 22 kts, because most of us don't have wind instruments that are that accurate. As a result, most of us rely on one of the oldest and best guidelines, i.e., the best time to reef, or reduce sail area, is when you first think about it.

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dlucier
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Response Posted - 04/10/2011 : 17:03:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 As a result, most of us rely on one of the oldest and best guidelines, i.e., the best time to reef, or reduce sail area, is when you first think about it.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Problem is, reefing rarely enters my mind.

Along with the numerous sail adjustments you can do to power down the sail plan when the wind pipes up, another is course selection. As just a daysailor myself, my course is selected by the prevailing wind on that day. If it's fairly windy, I'll just reach out then reach back, usually sailing as high as I comfortably can then turning around for a nice beam reach back.

I was out one day with a non-sailing friend, there were whitecaps and a good bit of wind, but since I never went hard on the wind, everything was more than manageable as we were hitting 7kts on occasion. My friend commented on how few boats were out on this nice sunny day, and I told him most wouldn't venture out in this wind, which he said, "what wind?" I said let me show you, I then hardened up both sheets then started bringing the boat into the wind where we suddenly were at 45 degrees of heel with a fair amount of apparent wind. I learned some new curse words that afternoon!

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
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Response Posted - 04/10/2011 : 18:52:47

There you go... Sailing to nowhere is different from trying to get somewhere (which always seems to be with the wind on the nose). But it takes a little planning, and sometimes a little luck, to be able to do nothing but reaches out and back.

Tate: You know what you're doing--know also that the C-25 is almost impossible to completely knock down, and very forgiving in all but tornado conditions. Beyond that, it's a matter of comfort and taste. Try all of the configurations and see what works for you in various conditions. Most of us started conservatively and worked up... Some put her on her ear right away and adjust down. YMMV.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 04/10/2011 18:54:30

cshaw
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Response Posted - 04/10/2011 : 20:14:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
[I've heard about reefable jibs, but have never seen one in use. You say it works like jiffy reefing. Does that mean, to tuck in a reef, you ease the jib halliard, and pull a new grommet down to the tack, using a downhaul? Or, do you go to the foredeck to do those things? Do you then have to disconnect the jibsheets, and reconnect them to a different clew? How do you do that quickly? Do you use a snap shackle, or other method? How quickly can the jib be reefed in this way?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hi Steve!
I have rigged the boat both ways, and each has its pros and cons.

Sailing shorthanded or solo (like a single handed race), I use the downhaul approach for the new tack (a line tied to the new tak, down thru a block and back to the cockpit). With crew, the foredeck guy goes forward and attached the lowered luf to a 2nd snapshackle I keep up there all the time. Happens very quickly.

The reefing clew has a second set of sheets attached to it already when I anticipate reefing. The reefing sheets are lead down and through a loop of line tied through the regular clew, and then aft to their own set of sheet blocks. As the luff is being shortened, we simply ease the regular sheets and take a load on the reefing sheets. The old clew gets pulled up tight against the reefing clew.

I have reefing lines tied in already along the new foot when I anticipate reefing the jib, and the foredek simply rolls up the excess cloth and ties it up. Or, if the conditions are nasty, we just leave it. Its ugly like when you don't neaten up the main when reefing, but the sail shape is perfect and that what counts.

The beauty is not reefing but being able to shake out the reef VERY quickly. After the start and weather leg, we can shake out the reef in seconds, and while everyone else is stuck with a smaller jib, we have a presto chango larger one for the reaches, etc.

I can try to take some pics next week of one of the jibs if you need them (I have to go clean up the boat after the 4 races we had this weekend. Had fun and the sunburn was worth taking starting line AND finish line honors in 3 of the races! A big O-Day 32 squeezed us out for finish line honors in one of the races that the seabreeze really kicked up)

Cheers!

Chuck

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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4593 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2011 : 15:13:53

I would love to see some pics of the jib reefing setup.

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