B23iL23 pretty much nailed the explanation.
So it's to do with both the amount of separation between the sails, as well as the point of sail that you are on.
I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that on most cruising
boats you could probably benefit from flying a staysail together with whatever big headsail you have on the bow when on a beam or broad reach, if there is a enough separation.
(You can see my earlier posts here, I think they have useful info:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...rchid=27817296)
So my ideal setup is to have 2 headsails on the bow (with or without a
bowsprit,
boat dependant) - a very big code type sail for light air upwind reaching + a 100% blade jib for the rest. If you are more performance minded the code type sail could also only be hoisted when required.
Additionally I would then have another inner stay set much further back. This would be around where the orange headsail is in your
photo.
This inner stay position would be:
- removable
- used to set a proper heavy hanked on
storm jib for offshore sailing
- used to set a hanked on (or synthetic wire luff) staysail as additional horsepower on long legs (or for more enthusiastic sailors).
NB: even on a 50ft boat a hanked on stay sail or
storm jib is small and easily managed by hand.
More detailed post here:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post2949116
Also whilst this won't prove popular here, I would also have only modern lightweight 'continuous line furlers' for 'roller furling' not 'roller reefing'. This will result in much better sail shapes.
With 3 different headsail options available I prefer to just swap from the code type sail, to the 100% blade, and to the staysail or storm jib as the
wind increases.
PS: here is a clearer example
photo from my earlier post
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post2948625 On a normal cruising boat, especially if retrofitting, the 2 headsails on the bow would be closer together, but the inner stay / stay sail / storm jib position looks just about right.