Solent vs. backup furling jib

[J.Kitchens]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

This statement destroys any credibility on this subject that you might have had with me. Does not agree with my experience,nor that of most others of my acquaintance.

Jim

I know KeelMe and have sailed with him many times. He can be a bit abrasive but his advice is backed by decades of experience. I think the way he rolls his headsails is what makes them easy to raise on the furler. His boat is big and has a flush deck; there is no feasible way for me to roll a headsail on my little boat. I'm more of a wad and stuff kind of guy.

[KeelMe]

Originally Posted by pmagistro

as your belated Delorme update finally pings in.

When I say in tune with the weather I don't mean reading text messages. I mean look at the sky, look at the waves, has the temp changed, has the wind turned, what's the barometer doing, how does the air smell....in tune with the weather.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by pmagistro

So if sloop rigged...? Hence my desire/plan for the solent.

And honestly, in terms of keeping things simple per KeelMe: the existing headstay fitting/chain plate will accept the solent fitting far enough aft to clear the furler. I'm planning to use Dynex Dux and a dyneema 4:1 on low friction rings for tensioning. The head will be a Gibbs T fitting. It will stow easily and lightly on the mast when not in use. The only real complication is how best to lead the tensioning line aft to a cockpit winch.

Understood, just thinking that even a Cutter with a code zero on an endless furler, is a type of Solent rig?
Or a facsimile of one?

[model 10]

If the inner stay is parallel to the head stay, the inner stay is a French style Solent Stay. If they are not parallel, it's an English style Solent Stay.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by KeelMe

I'm sure most of your acquaintances have never sailed without a furler. Most people haven't and probably never will.

Ask a racer if he would rather change sails with a foil or hanks.

Umm... Well, I'd sailed over twenty years before I got my first furler, and that included 4 years of single handed ocean racing out of SF. I've done my share of sail changes, as have a lot of my contemporaries.

And as to your final statement, well, it depends upon what sort of racer you ask. For the ones that race with a full crew of stalwart gorillas, sure, foil peel changes are great. Now ask the short or singlehanded racer...

Perhaps you have noticed that the solo RTW racers all use furlers, often wearing three of them full time. Wonder what they think of your practices? And most cruising sailors sail short handed...

Perhaps on your boat with your superior skills changing furler sails is easy. To blithely recommend the practice as easy peasy to others is inappropriate IMO. To suggest that you never have been and never will be caught out by an unexpected sudden change in wind strength stretches credulity. If literally true, I bow to your incredible seamanship. Meanwhile, I continue to enjoy the use of a fractional Solent rig with both sails on furlers as we pile up our ocean miles.

Jim

[pmagistro]

Originally Posted by KeelMe

When I say in tune with the weather I don't mean reading text messages. I mean look at the sky, look at the waves, has the temp changed, has the wind turned, what's the barometer doing, how does the air smell....in tune with the weather.

KeelMe, I understand your meaning. I work outside as all summer long, have guided for months in the field in coastal Alaska, taken extended mountaineering and paddling trips on several continents. And I live on and sail my boat all winter. I pay tremendous attention to the weather in all aspects of my life, and in my professional life quite literally live or die by it.

Your tone has been a bit aggressive and comes across as egotistical and/or superior. I believe that you have significant sailing experience and I value your input, but perhaps you could phrase things in a way that belies a bit more mutual respect?

[pmagistro]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Understood, just thinking that even a Cutter with a code zero on an endless furler, is a type of Solent rig?
Or a facsimile of one?

Well that's sort of what I am getting at: a cutter rig gives the flexibility I am looking for...but I am sloop rigged and not going to add a staysail stay or buy a different boat. So a removable inner forestay seems like the simplest, safest solution to the problem of dealing with unexpectedly heavy conditions, and has a handful of additional benefits.

Regardless, we've gotten a little off course. At this point I am pretty settled on rigging the Solent and am just trying to decide how best to rig it on my boat. So I would appreciate any advice or photos in that vein.

Thanks folks!!
Phil

[a64pilot]

I think I would talk to a professional Sail maker / rigger.
In my part of the world, I’d call Mack Sails and speak to the Brother that makes the sails, not Colin, the other one. I’m bad with names though.
He impressed me as someone who wanted you to have what was best for you, not someone who was trying to up sell something.

[pmagistro]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I think I would talk to a professional Sail maker / rigger.

I sent a note to The Yacht Rigger in Tampa, as I met that fellow last year and was confident in his knowledge. Haven't heard back yet.

Anybody know a good rigger to consult in Marathon?