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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:	SAILING
Notice:	Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:	UNIFIX::BERENS

Created:	Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:	Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2299
Total number of notes:	20724

628.0. "genoa and no mainsail?" by RDF::RDF (Rick Fricchione) Fri Aug 21 1987 16:59

    When the breeze freshens to about 20-25 knots, I often see people
    sailing under just genoa, with the main completely tucked away.
    Now I'm not talking about downwind sailing, on occasion I've dowsed
    the main when I thought it was detracting from better headsail
    performance and gotten a knot or two more out of it.  These people
    are beating upwind and I've wondered about this often enough to pose
    a question here:
    
    "What benefit could this possibly have?"
                                                                         
    I've always thrown a reef in the main, and reduced headsail (either
    by roller/reefing or by putting up a smaller (say 80%) jib.  This
    to me seems like a nicely balanced combination, easier on the helm,
    and better controlled.  On the contrary, the few times I tried to
    go with just the full headsail, the boat seemed bow-heavy and really
    seemed to carry quite a bit of weather helm.  
    
    I thought the idea was to keep the center of effort in the center
    of the boat. Is it laziness, the rig, or am I missing something?  
    
    Rick

    * If you have a configuration that works well, mention that too

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
628.1		GRAMPS::WCLARK	Walt Clark	`Fri Aug 21 1987 19:46`	19
	My vote goes to lazyness. I'd be willing to bet the folks you see that way have roller furling genoas. On the way in from a solo trip, I often drop the main and fold it while the boat sails along on genoa alone, the last few hundred yards before the narrow channel leading to our cove. This is very nice for me since I usually plan the last leg so I am between a reach and close hauled, which makes flaking the mainsail on the boom easier. I also dont have to listen to the engine for a few more minutes, and talk the auto pilot into maintaining a steady into irons attitude while motoring dead slow. The boat speed sure does drop though, at least a knot, sometimes 2 or 3 (more in lighter air than in a breeze). Oh yea. The genoa is roller furled, and stows in about 10-15 seconds, so it is convient to do moments before motoring is a must. Walt
628.2	Those lazy days of summer	CSSE::COUTURE		`Fri Aug 21 1987 20:20`	9
	Laziness, absolutely. I'm afraid I'm among the guilty, too. Obviously, I can get her to balance much better with a reef and partially furled main. On the other hand, I can get her closer to the wind if I don't have to partially furl the genny (better sail shape). Mostly, it depends on how long I've got. If I'm trying to steal some evening time after work, I'll do whatever gets me out on the water the fastest.
628.3	How would Dickson handle it?	NRADM3::MITCHELL		`Mon Aug 24 1987 20:25`	16
	Laziness is part of it I'm sure. In my case though its due to lack of skill on the crew. My wife is a complete neophyte and some things require a sense or instinct..something she doesn't have yet. I drop the main so I don't get into a bad situation where I may have to be near the helm. I don't think I could bring my 27' rig into Marblehead Channel with Autohelm ,by myself, dodge the pots, the boats, drop the main and secure it, stroll back to the cockpit, reef the jib, turn on the motor, and not be a little worried about the wind blowing at 25 knots. ___GM___
628.4	more speculation ...	PULSAR::BERENS	Alan Berens	`Tue Aug 25 1987 16:50`	17
	We too have noticed many boats with only a large headsail up in a brisk breeze. Perhaps the reason is laziness since the mainsail cover is usually still on. However, we've also noticed that the headsail is frequently a large one (a 130 genoa or larger) that is roller furled. Perhaps the explanation is that it is too difficult to change to a smaller headsail (if there is even a smaller one to change to) and/or the sail shape when roller reefed is so poor that it is preferable to use an unreefed genoa and no mainsail. Or maybe the people on board don't know how to sail. Besides, if one believes the advertising wallahs, sailing is supposed to be easy. By the time the wind is blowing 25 kts, we are usually down to a 100% jib and a single reefed main. This gives good balance and enough drive to sail to weather through a chop. Alan