Sail Trim Question

[YOGAO]

It's easier to start off with a reef and shake it out, than to raise the main all the way and THEN put a reef in - at least mentally

We have only one FIRM rule on reefing that is conventional wisdom, "If you ask yourself, 'should we reef?', the answer is 'YES'!"

FWIW, we sailed upwind from Ensenada Honda in Culebra, PR to St. Thomas today. Single reefed main with self-tacking jib, lumpy, bumpy seas. Dropped the daggerboard to 5'. Winds 18 - 22, G26. Started to put in the 2nd reef when the AWS climbed over 25, but then we got in the lee of St. Thomas. 7 - 10 knots boatspeed on starboard tack and 5 - 9 on port (more directly into the waves).

Awesome sail!

Fair Winds,
Mike

[DaveOnCudjoe]

The appearance of weather can be caused by leeway and unbalanced or underbalanced rudders. A multihull will point higher than it will sail efficiently. If I'm sailing in shallow water with the daggerboard partially retracted the leeway produces a force in the tiller that resembles weather helm. Perhaps before you reef you might try falling off just a bit and see what happens. Dave

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

... we can carry the full main up to 25+ apparent with ease ...

Don't try this at home. Few cats have a long ballasted keel ... ;-)))

b.

[Sailmonkey]

you can also increase halyard tension/increase downhaul tension, drop traveler, decrease vang tension, under rotate the mast(not likely on a cruising cat), or just REEF!!

[SkiprJohn]

He said apparent wind.
I reef at 15-20. Or, when the boat heels 15.
regards,

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

He said apparent wind.
I reef at 15-20. Or, when the boat heels 15.
regards,

Skipper J,

Oops! So he did (say apparent wind)... I shoulda gone back to the OP before shooting off my mouth.

But, someone else asked if anyone really did sail to windward in 25 kts with a full main. And, if we are indeed talking apparent wind speed, then sure, lots of boats do this, especially ones much over 40 ft OAL. May not be the most comfortable way to sail, but quite possibly the fastest. YMMV.

Cheers,

Jim