Can anyone share their experience sailing a CY under jib and mizzen only? What wind speed is appropriate, how it balances and points to windward, bad behaviors, etc. Thanks!
Printable View
Can anyone share their experience sailing a CY under jib and mizzen only? What wind speed is appropriate, how it balances and points to windward, bad behaviors, etc. Thanks!
Based on my sailing many traditional small craft and reading between the lines a review at http://digitaleditions.walsworthprin...5/article.html
I'd go jib and jigger at the point where even hiking out does not keep the rail comfortably out of the water. That boat is gaff rigged, something I'me very familiar with, and would be my first choice as jiffy reefing is also easily rigged.
But But But . . . This boat is lucky to sail five or six points off the wind. More if you want power to get over waves. A moment recalling HS geometry will help you realize that you're committing to covering over the bottom more than twice a straight line course. I found with my gunning dory Leeward and with other traditional row/sail boats descended from working boats, that dropping the center board and lashing the rudder allowed me to strike the rig and row efficiently. Straight into the wind is too much work for this lazy sailor so I'd get the boat may 2 points off the wind and under oar tack up wind. This was almost no work, a good angle for the waves, and much faster than sailing the pleasing but inefficient rig.
G'luck
Thanks Ian. I should've explained a bit more. I'm more interested in how the boat sails in light to moderate winds with this setup. My thoughts are all over the place at the moment and I don't have a jib (lugsail and mizzen only rig)to experiment with for myself. But I'm contemplating a trip where I might want to leave the main at home for various reasons and if wind is too light or too big I expect to row or motor. So trying to decide whether there might still be some ok sailing with jib and mizzen. She sails not bad downwind with mizzen alone because she is so light. So is a jib worth it to get a little more upwind sailing?
Rowing to windward is "almost no work"???
Ian, you stud you. BY:D
I do it quite a bit, but in a 40 ft ketch -- usually when solo -- and when I don't trust the forecast -- which is often.
You lose a lot of power. If you want to go upwind it's usually better to have some mainsail, even if double-reefed. But you'll ride through the "Where did THAT come from?" gusts with much less concern, even if you end up taking longer to get to your anchorage.