Storm sail

I'd be rather unhappy about trying to hoist it in any good gale, as the amount of friction between the "tube " and a wet, bulky, rolled up genoa might be too much.

If you need a storm sail, you need to be able to set it under any condition, and even if the genoa is torn and flogging itself gently to shreds.

A proper strong point for the tack, and a separate halyard; both set backaway from the stem head fittings. And at the very least, it should be made in bright orange.
 
Having been in the position of needing one three times, spend as much as you can afford.

I wouldn't like to try and put up one of the wrap around types in any breeze. If it realy is that windy that you need this small fore sail you want it bullet proof on very strong fittings. Crusader do storm sails in heavier weight cloth than the bright orange ones, I don't think colour is important. Weight of cloth is higher on my list, and size of fittings.
 
Given that in daylight storm conditions, there's going to be a fair amount of white water around the place, isn't it worth going for a high-contrast colour such as orange ? My stormjib and main trysail are both heavyweight and orange.

Anyone from the RNLI / MCA any views on storm sail colour ?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Given that in daylight storm conditions, there's going to be a fair amount of white water around the place, isn't it worth going for a high-contrast colour such as orange ?

Anyone from the RNLI / MCA any views on storm sail colour ?

[/ QUOTE ]ORC rules :

Storm & Heavy Weather Sails
4.26.1 Design
a) it is strongly recommended that persons in charge consult their designer
and sailmaker to decide the most effective size for storm and heavy
weather sails. The purpose of these sails is to provide safe propulsion for
the yacht in severe weather -they are not intended as part of the racing
inventory. The areas below are maxima. Smaller areas are likely to suit
some yachts according to their stability and other characteristics.
4.26.2 High Visibility
a) it is strongly recommended that every storm sail should either be of highlyvisible
coloured material (eg dayglo pink, orange or yellow) or have a
highly-visible coloured patch added on each side; and also that a rotating
wing mast used in lieu of a trysail should have a highly-visible coloured
patch on each side
4.26.3 Materials
a) aromatic polyamides, carbon and similar fibres shall not be used in a trysail
or storm jib but spectra/dyneema and similar materials are permitted.
b) it is strongly recommended that a heavy-weather jib does not contain
aromatic polyamides, carbon and similar fibres other than
spectra/dyneema.
4.26.4 The following shall be provided:-
a) sheeting positions on deck for each storm and heavy-weather sail;
b) for each storm or heavy-weather jib, a means to attach the luff to the stay,
independent of any luff-groove device. A heavy weather jib shall have the
means of attachment readily available. A storm jib shall have the means of
attachment permanently attached;
c) when a storm trysail is required by OSR 4.26.4 (g) it shall be capable of
being sheeted independently of the boom with area not greater than 17.5%
mainsail luff length x mainsail foot length. The storm trysail shall have
neither headboard nor battens, however a storm trysail is not required in a
yacht with a rotating wing mast which can adequately substitute for a
trysail;
d) if a storm trysail is required by OSR 4.26.4 (g) the yacht's sail number and
letter(s) shall be placed on both sides of the trysail (or on a rotating wing
mast as substitute for a trysail) in as large a size as practicable;
e) a storm jib of area not greater than 5% height of the foretriangle squared,
with luff maximum length 65% height of the foretriangle;
f) a heavy-weather jib (or heavy-weather sail in a yacht with no forestay) of
area not greater than 13.5% height of the foretriangle squared and without
reef points;
g) either a storm trysail as defined in OSR 4.26.4(c), or mainsail reefing to
reduce the luff by at least 40%.
h) in the case of a yacht with an in-mast furling mainsail, the storm trysail
must be capable of being set while the mainsail is furled.
i) It is strongly recommended that the heavy-weather jib does not contain
aromatic polyamides, carbon fibres and other high modulus fibres.
j) A trysail track should allow for the trysail to be hoisted quickly when the
mainsail is lowered whether or not the mainsail is stowed on the main
boom.
 
AS has probably already been said, the best storm sail solution is one that can be rigged on a separate forestay. I have a storm jib made for me by Jeckells of Wroxham which fits over the rolled genoa but uses a parrel bead arrangement, as on gaffers, to overcome the friction problem when hoisting. While it is probably a good thing to have a storm sail in your locker, it depends on your style of sailing and cruising ground as to whether you will ever get it out of its bag. Local cruising and coastal hops with trips based on short timescale weather forecasts should mean that you would not be out there in conditions that might merit the storm sail. However, as we all know, things can change very fast out there, so possibly it's worth considering this addition to the sail wardrobe. But perhaps you should wait a bit before buying the drogue!
 
The verbiage from the ORC is a bit OTT for most of us. For most coastal cruising you will never need one. That said it is always possible to be caught out, so get one. The exact details of the sail are less important than being able to hoist it. The wrap around type do go up quite easily, I have one from Hyde and have tried it in F6. A bigger problem is can you stand being up the bows when it's a little bouncy? (but that applies to the hanked on style as well.) Yes a removable forestay and hanked on sail represent the rolls royce of solutions but at an excessive cost for something that may not get used.
 
Dunno about storm sails, but I have a small high clew jib I can put on the inner forestay. I tend to put it on before I go out, though, if the weather is looking ponkey (technical term). Dancing round the foredeck on a 26 ft boat in F6 or above is only for the brave.
 
We don't have an inner forestay (in common with most newish boat owners I suspect) and I carry a wraparound stormsailwhich hoists out of a bag. Ours came from Saturn Sails and the whole sail wraps around the furled jib, having 2 clews that tie together with the sheets, then velcro up the leech. Although it was very hard work to rig the sail on the bouncing foredeck, it hoisted fine over the furled genoa in a force7 when I tested it. Unfortunately it is a bit small because we bought it for the last boat but if we get to a point where the heavy weather jib part furled is still too big it should be fine.

So... I wouldn't rule out wraparound storm jibs but I can't personally vouch for the one you mention - I think ours is about 5 sqm and was around £500 - so twice the price of those (but contains 10sqm of cloth)
 
In 30 odd years of coastal cruising, much of it around north of Scotland I have only used a storm jib on half a dozen occasions, if that - though my 42 ft charter yacht would be down to the heavy weather jib (F7 plus) two or three times a season. However, I aways look for one when joining someone elses boat because when you do need one there is no substitute. Last season I skippered a charter yacht which had passed the code of practice survey - it had a nice storm jib with hanks, but no stay that it could be set on! The owner was a bit short with me when I asked how he set it!

As to the problem of being bounced around on your fore deck - the only answer is to regularly move around the deck so that you get used to working up forward. There is usually a way of jambing yourself in the pulpit ahead of the stay when changing sails. We used to do it for every sail change before roller blinds became the norm.
 
When I came to get my last one there was day glo orange or heavier weight white as a choice. The sail maker informed me the heavy weights weren't available in the dayglo, maybe that has changed. I opted for the heavier weight as If I'm trying to be noticed I'd rely on a barrage of pirotechnics rather than an orange sail that would only be a couple of metres off the wave tops and shrouded by spray. I considered painting the mast top dayglo which is very effective for long range visibility.

Mine could be left hanked on to inner stay, bagged with snap shackle, one handed it could be released. I would set it up for anything over a 6 in case it was needed.
 
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