Ty Weekender storm jib

[Hutch_north]

This is my second summer with my Ty - what a great boat! I have been out in a variety of conditions, trying different sail configurations. A few weeks ago, I was out on a day we had 20 - 25 kts, some heavier gusts, with no jib and the main sail reefed. Beam reaches and everything further off the wind were perfect, pointing not so much, coming about happened but I was never totally sure I had enough momentum to do so. I'm thinking about getting a storm jib for my Typhoon for days like that, and I wonder: would it help me point higher on upwind tacks, and is there a "standard" size for Ty storm jibs?

I have also seen references to a 75% jib up here - I assume smaller than a working jib but larger than a storm jib? Finally, my working jib may be the original from 1980, and gets pretty baggy in a good breeze. Which sailmakers have folks had success with?

Thanks!

[kerlandsen]

Fred,

Always best to balance the boat, that is similar sail area in on the jib and main.
I suspect that something along the lines of 90-105% will take care of any windy sailing you will desire to encounter. 75% is really small.

Certainly CD's don't go upwind as well as some other more efficient designs, but they most certainly do not go upwind without a jib. If you have roller furling, you will be amazed how much you can gain with only a small portion of the jib unrolled. The shape is lousy, but it helps upwind.

On my SS28, I have two reeef points on the main, then a 135 Furling genoa, but I also have a 102% jib which I can switch to. My thinking is that If I am going to the second reef, I goto the small jib. Of course I can alwasy furl in the larger genoa much easier than I can switch headsails.

As far as locating a good sailmaker, go with someone local who will understand you and your boat. You may pay more, but getting peice of mind and some good service/consultation is priceless. I have been using Doyle in Swampscott, but that is cause they are friends of mine. A new sail sure is georgeous compared to 20something old.

Kyle

[svreleaseme]

I agree that it is best to have a balanced sail plan. I don't know if you have the typical one or two reef main but if you have the typical one, the the working jib should work fairly well if its in good shape. i.e. flat. That would be the first thing to look at. The condition of your jib. The problem with going small with the jib is sheeting angles. The inside tracks on the ty are short to begin with and I would think that a 75% jib would have to have sheeting angles that are not available on the ty.
Also for more flexibility you might thing of a traveler for the main.

[Steve Laume]

One consideration if you are going to get a new sail is to have a reef sewn into your jib.

Raven has a stay sail with a reef and I have used it a couple of times. I don't know if this would work as well without the club boom but I don't see why it wouldn't. It works well on the club boom because you don't have to re run new sheets. All I do is ease the halyard, tie a short piece of line to the upper tack, tension the clew and the halyard then tie up the reef points. If the conditions got to the point that you needed a storm jib it might be easier to put a reef in the jib you already have flying.

It might be something to ask your sail maker.

When I was sailing the Typhoon I would drop the main and sail with the jib only if things got a little too blustery, Steve.

[Hutch_north]

Thanks, all,

I checked a local sail loft, and sent them an email. One of their cruising headsails is a working jib with reef points, which might be ideal. I'm going to check it out.

I agree about a balanced sail plan, but have found that even with the single reef on the main and the working jib, it's uncomfortable in heavy winds, especially with the gusty winds here. I came around a point and got knocked over by a stiff gust a few weeks ago, enough so that I had a bit of water over the coaming, into the cockpit, and LOTS of adrenaline! Granted, user error to some extent, I was distracted, not paying sufficient attention and a bit close hauled. But I would like that extra margin when I finally get cruising. Now all I have to figure out is how to change or reef the jib while singlehanded

[Hutch_north]

When I was sailing the Typhoon I would drop the main and sail with the jib only if things got a little too blustery, Steve.

Hi, Steve, I have heard sailing with just the jib can collapse the mast - how big a concern is that?

[Oswego John]

Years back, I once tried to sail my Ty with only a working jib. I had no luck. With the tiller hard over, I still kept falling off the wind.

I don't have a genny but I feel that if I had some foresail extending aft of the mast, it would provide some balance and I might get some progress.

I don't have any reefing ability with my jib. As Steve says, maybe I would have some success if my jib was reefed. The sail area would be less unbalanced. I wouldn't have to maintain a hard over rudder to achieve some progress to windward. A rudder hardover is like applying a brake which slows you down.

Sail on,
O J

[Steve Laume]

John, you are probably right about the TY not going to weather well with only the jib. I remember one particularly memorable trip around the outside of Fishers Island with the jib only.

We went through the Race with working sails. It was a reach and a run home that had us reaching hull speed with the jib alone.

Raven does not like to sail very close to the wind if she doesn't have at lest a scarp of jib flying either. It really is a matter of balance, Steve.