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Drew wrote:Neil - Forgive me, but I'm new here. You are sailing a 28, correct? I thought it was possible to keep the club-foot, working jib, and put a larger jenny on a roller fuller in front of it. Does that make any sense? Can you do it on a 25?
Thanks for any insight. I am looking at perhaps buying a 28 in the spring - we'll see. Drew
You don't need to be forgiven for being new.
Yes, I sail a 28. I have an inner, detachable forestay that I can use with the jib boom and hank on jib. I can also use the jib boom with the genoa furled down to working jib size. The only problem with using the working jib behind the furled genoa is the windage/turbulence caused by the furled sail. It works otherwise, though and I've done it, more for fun than anything else and for the tradition of the design. The rig would be good for twin headsails, I suppose.
Dick Barthel wrote:How practical is it to think in terms of changing the head sail?
Not that practical if you're doing it in a blow. The sail needs to be fully raised and unfurled. It's especially difficult in a slip if the wind is the wrong way. In lighter air, though, it's not a big deal. It's lots easier with a helper, btw.
rtbates wrote:
Another nice thing that can be done with a roller headsail. Roll out about 50-80% depending on wind and sea conditions. Back the headsail and set your tiller to leeward. You're now hove to w/o the main so she'll drift off to leeward. Want to set the main? Relase the main sheet and go to the mast let the boom fall off so that it's downwind and rise the main. Walk back to the cokpit and sheet the main in hard. Your now still hove to, but with the main so your attitude will be less OFF the wind. When single handing in high winds this is how I drop my main. Reverse order. It works like a charm and all the while Seraph simply sits and drifts. It what full keels do best!
Hey, Randy,
I never tried dropping my main like this. I assume you have lazy jacks to prevent the main from blowing all over kingdom come to leeward?
Yes I do have lazy jacks. Seraph is my first boat to have them and now, of course, I'm totally addicted to them. I started raising and lowering my main this way because I really hated going to the mast with the motor running and the auto pilot engaged in-order to keep head to wind. As an added benefit I found that in really heavy air the main doesn't flog near as much as powering head to wind. Conditions really moderate, especially in heavy air, as soon as you take up the hove to position. The more wind the less jib that should be used. If you're using too much jib you'll fall off pretty fast as soon as the main gets down wind. The last time I used this method it was blowing 25 constant, gusts to 35. I had a hanky sized jib exposed. What I do is experiment with the main still up by letting it luff totally and seeing how much I fall off. I keep reducing the jib size till she just barely falls off when the main is luffed.
Like Joe, I am in the market for a furling head sail that in my case will go on a newly installed Harken O Unit. I know there is a concern for not getting the sail cut to low to the deck for visibility problems but I came across this on the Harken site and thought it might be useful to others:
"By their very nature, efficient genoas are cut close to the deck and obscure visibility ahead and to leeward. Since most sailing takes place within a few miles of a harbor, visibility can be important for safety and peace of mind. Resist the temptation to permanently reduce your sail area by cutting the clew high to gain visibility. By reefing the genoa a couple of turns when you're near a harbor, sailing at night or approaching an area with navigational hazards, you'll gain visibility.
In my case I'm having the furling unit installed off the deck a bit to allow for deployment of a CQR off the bow so I'm probably going with the low cut anyhow. And besides it sounds so sexy!
I considering a North Sail at the moment - a 135 with the Rope Luff so I let you know how that turns out.
