Strong wind rig protection

[Rob_Webb]

Looking for advice on a whether a habit I've developed is potentially dangerous for my rig. Have found that in strong winds AC sails remarkably well under headsail alone even on a beat. At, say, 25kts+ on the wind the textbook answer would be reefed main and partially furled jib - but I find a full jib alone gives me virtually identical performance. I can point well (no handicap from reefed jib) and even without drive of main I can still make great boatspeed. On several occasions recently I have outpointed and outsped other comparable cruisers who were sailing the textbook combo of two reefed sails. I'm convinced they think I'm motor-sailing as I creep past but it's not so. Am actually considering selling mainsail (joke).

But my worry is as follows: in a blow does the mainsail perform a vital stabilising role by being held tight in the mainsail track thereby reducing potential mast whip? And am I likely to come a cropper without it up? Boat otherwise feels nicely balanced and mast certainly doesn't appear to have any dodgy movement.

In case it helps it's a simple masthead rig with double spreaders and no runners.

Sensible advice appreciated!

 

[Ships_Cat]

We do the same Rob and no problem as far as I am aware. Some claim that the mainsail adds some sort of support to the mast but frankly I cannot see that (especially for a double spreader masthead rig with inners).

We have sailed to a little off close hauled in 50 knots on a scrap of the furled genoa (going through a tide race where I did not feel safe to go on the foredeck to set the inner foresail), but ordinarily in gale and above revert to the smaller inner foresail. We always sail downwind under genoa (or inner foresail) alone once the wind is sufficient to get us to hull speed on it (somewhere up around 15 - 20 knots on the genoa so is most of the time here /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif).

We do have runners for when inner foresail is set but find we really do not need them and would only feel a real need for those in extraordinary weather. You can see the inner forestay in my picture so that sail is not very large (around 120 sq.ft from memory - for perspective, around the same size as a Finn class mainsail I think).

While our boat is of much heavier displacement, etc than AC, we find that it goes well to windward under foresail alone, including driving through heavy rip seas (we are quite fine foreward though and purposely carry alot of weight in the bow to dampen pitching).

Regards

John

 

[Rob_Webb]

Thanks John. I'm hoping to head up towards the Bay of Islands tomorrow after postponing departure for couple of days cos of all these bloody cyclones hanging around. Had 'interesting' solo trip back from viaduct harbour to Gulf Harbour on Sat pm to position boat ready for departure and found myself thinking that I can probably leave the main at home for the next couple of weeks!

 

[Ships_Cat]

Have a good time away then Rob.

In our just returned from trip we did not use our main either. Foresail only going through in 30 - 50 knots until directly headed as we came clear of N Is then motored straight into it to get it over and done with /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.

Not a breath of wind coming back, so was a case of motor or drift off towards Australia on the tide!

Regards

John

 

[Jacket]

There was a report about 7 or 8 years ago in one of the mags about a number of boats that had lost their rigs as a result of sailing under just their genoa. However, all the boats involved were smaller boats that had aft lowers, but no forward lowers or babystay. The conclusion was that provided your mast is fully supported you should be fine without the main.