To lower sails in a calm or not...

[alant]

Another point is that even mid-ocean, the sails make the boat a great deal more visible to the ship homing in as soon as your guard is down.

I like Kelpies' idea of lowering the main and sheeting the jib tight for visibility, anti - roll and anti slatting main.

Who on a ship, would be eyeballing in mid ocean?

 

[alant]

I think we are going to have to disagree about this. Although I carry a SeaMe and Class B AIS, I still think that making one's vessel conspicuous is a necessary precaution when crossing the North Sea or Channel, where crossing in light airs is a regular event to those of us who do not carry a strong enough crew to cope with a stressful crossing.

Ocean?

 

[[70521]]

Often end up dropping the main when the apparent wind moves to dead ahead as the engine is used and I am not yet in the market for a new mainsail

+1

 

[NormanS]

I wind in the Genoa, otherwise it backs against the mast. With in-mast furling for the main, it's a moment's work to wind it away. That just leaves the mizzen, which if I think there's any chance of the wind returning, I'll just sheet hard in and leave it up. Simples.

 

[lw395]

I think we are going to have to disagree about this. Although I carry a SeaMe and Class B AIS, I still think that making one's vessel conspicuous is a necessary precaution when crossing the North Sea or Channel, where crossing in light airs is a regular event to those of us who do not carry a strong enough crew to cope with a stressful crossing.

I wouldn't go out of my way to be inconspicuous anywhere busy, but a mainsail is quite hard to see edge-on anyway.