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 Jib sailing		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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Travissails
Deckhand

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USA
6 Posts
Initially Posted - 11/11/2004 :  20:48:58  Show Profile
Hello, I have a quick question, what do you more knowledgeable sailors think about sailing in heavy wind w/ just the jib? I was out in strong winds today, and noticed, w/out the jib and just the main, the boat really had no control, it did not move. Just curious about your experiences.
Jeff
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bren737
Captain

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291 Posts
Response Posted - 11/11/2004 :  21:02:42  Show Profile
Jeff,

Try this link to an old thread from awhile back on this issue:

http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=1136&SearchTerms=jib

It deals with some observations on the same topic. It seems like I remember talking with someone at Catalina shortly after I bought my boat about this and they said that in strong winds, with only the jib, that the rig could be overstressed in some dimension. I don't recall the specifics of the conversation. They recommended to reef the main and roll in (completely, if necessary) the jib.
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Travissails
Deckhand

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USA
6 Posts
Response Posted - 11/11/2004 :  23:30:37  Show Profile
Ok, I have read the books and read the other posts, of good sailors sailing in strong winds with just the main. I too would prefer this, BUT, and it's a big BUT, every time I have sailed a relatively strong wind without the jib, or for that matter a light wind without the jib, I cannot get the boat to respond enough to even come about. Now I love this boat, and recognize I am less than novice, but what might I be missing.
By the way, any lessons or tips is greatly appreciated. Learning to sail is a blast.
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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5895 Posts
Response Posted - 11/12/2004 :  09:31:45  Show Profile
If you're sailing off the wind, the jib alone works fine, but if you want to sail to windward, the mainsail is necessary to drive the boat efficiently. I've tried it both ways, and if you are sailing on jib alone in strong winds, it's dangerous, because you can't reliably claw off a lee shore.

If you are sailing on the mainsail alone, the mainsail tends to cause the boat to vane into the wind. In order to get the boat moving, you have to get the bow away from the wind. If you have a jib up, the wind catches the jib and pulls the bow off the wind. If you don't have a jib up, then it helps to ease the mainsheet significantly and push the boom to windward, backwinding the mainsail. That will kick the stern to leeward and the bow will fall off the wind. After that happens, you can let the boom go, trim in the mainsail, and the boat will start moving.

I'll confess to occasionally sailing on the mainsail alone in strong winds, even though it really isn't a good practice, because I often singlehand the boat, and I'm not as comfortable working the foredeck as I used to be, and it's easier to raise one sail than two.

But, the best practice is to reef the mainsail and raise a smaller jib, because the sloop rig is designed to be sailed in that way. The jib generates power and pulls the bow off the wind, and the mainsail drives the stern to leeward (which points the bow to windward), but the mainsail generates less power than the jib. The two sails, working together, enable the boat to sail efficiently on all points of sail.

Some frequent reasons why people sail on the mainsail alone are because they don't know how to reef the mainsail while the boat is underway (or their reefing gear isn't rigged), and because they are afraid of uncontrolled jibes in strong winds. Those are good reasons to rig your reefing gear, learn how to use it while underway (it's not that difficult), and learn how to jibe with control in strong winds. (Once you learn how to control your jibes, you won't fear them anymore.)
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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts
Response Posted - 11/12/2004 :  12:04:39  Show Profile  Visit Frank Hopper's Homepage
If you are sailing under main alone you should find it much better to foot off a little. With out the slot effect you need the drive generated by footing. The additional speed generated by footing will allow you to make that tack. I will also twist my main by leting go the vang some or all together, it creates a much fuller and more powerful shape while keeping the drive down low.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.