Until it is really blowing, I always prefer to have both (preferably small) sails up. This provides for better balance and gives me more options for adjusting the sails. This is particularly helpful when going upwind, because the two sails work together. If I were in your place, I would try to take the second reef on the main and let some of the jib out. The furled jib has an advantage that you can reduce it or unfurl a bit, as the situation warrants.
If reefing the main was not the option (as you mentioned), I would do what Andrew suggested – I would drop the main and use the jib alone. Different boats behave differently in that situation (you may have problems tacking and you may have quite a bit of a lee helm), but again, your furled sail can be easily adjusted up or down, as the situation changes. To be completely honest, I would have dropped to the second reef at 20 kt. and adjust the jib (more initially, less eventually). I always subscribe to the idea to “do what is necessary, before it is necessary”. Additionally, at high wind, I prefer a smaller main – or you get way too much weather helm. Marek 1994 C270 Legato Ottawa, ON From: Andrew Burton via CnC-List Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 13:26 To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Andrew Burton Subject: Re: Stus-List Heavy weather sail trim In those conditions, you should be good with just a small jib and no main. That's a lot of breeze. I bet you were kind of lonely out there! Andy Andrew Burton 139 Tuckerman Ave Middeltown, RI USA 02842 http://sites.google.com/site/andrewburtonyachtservices/ phone +401 965 5260 On Tue, Jun 18, 2019 at 1:21 PM Shawn Wright via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: Yesterday we experienced our first heavy weather in our new 35 mk2, and in spite of only being able to put one reef in the main, she handled the sustained 35 knot winds closehauled for over two hours with minimal drama (according to the graph at Trial Island that I checked this morning). A few breaking waves pushed the bow over, before I started steering into them and the wind to prevent being knocked down too far. I didn't like seeing the main flogging so much, but going forward to add a second reef (no line was in place) was an option I quickly discarded as my wife was not confident taking the helm. (although she did a few times when I had to add the first reef around 20 knots, and tighten the dinghy lashing on the foredeck). I suspect she would have been much easier to handle with a double reefed main and maybe part of the inner foresail unfurled. I considered unfurling a sliver of the foresail but decided to just keep feathering the main and also had the motor going the while time to help plow through the waves. This is one instance where having extra engine power on tap is nice. I'm interested in what tactics work best for sail setup when winds increase to 25+, as these conditions are not unusual around here, and I want to be more prepared next time. We had a bit of water in the bilge, but a 2 liter plastic water jug broke, so it's hard to tell how much was from that, and how much from other sources. I know that some will have come down the windlass. My job of cleaning the decks after 10 days of cruising is now done... just need to spray the salt off :) -- Shawn Wright shawngwri...@gmail.com S/V Callisto, 1974 C&C 35 https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto _______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
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