sailing with jib alone
- Thread starter dlewis812
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I do this a lot
But not due to any distinct advantages. For me, with a masthead rig, I get close to as much boat speed with the jib alone, as with both sails. I'm old and lazy, so it is much simpler and easier for me to just haul out the jib, and sail. If I'm offshore, and doing some distance, then of course I use both.
But not due to any distinct advantages. For me, with a masthead rig, I get close to as much boat speed with the jib alone, as with both sails. I'm old and lazy, so it is much simpler and easier for me to just haul out the jib, and sail. If I'm offshore, and doing some distance, then of course I use both.
Advantages: on my boat its easier to roll or unroll the genny alone on its roller furler, than it is to go to the mast and raise/lower the main, or heaven forfend, take in or shake out a reef. Also, with my masthead rig I can go almost as fast with just the genny as with both sails. And (this is my wife and daughter's favorite reason to sail with just the genny) the boat heels much less.
If she can do it????
Jessica Watson solo around the world sail coming out of heavy weather with the jib reefed. This photo won a prize for something but I cant remember what.
This is my desktop now. Reminds me of what's possible.
Jessica Watson solo around the world sail coming out of heavy weather with the jib reefed. This photo won a prize for something but I cant remember what.
This is my desktop now. Reminds me of what's possible.
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We like to use just our genoa when we only have a short time to sail, like on weeknights. Roll it out, sail, roll it back in and nothing to put away. Or when we have baby on board and are trying to keep from heeling. I figure sailing slow is better than not being able to sail at all!
But using just a big headsail as a heavy-air tactic isn't ideal, when you do tack it is still a lot of sail to manage if you have a big genoa.
But using just a big headsail as a heavy-air tactic isn't ideal, when you do tack it is still a lot of sail to manage if you have a big genoa.
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We use just the genny once in a while, too. It is easier to manage whenwe have kids and their friends on board.
I've at times used just the jenny when I'm singlehanding 'cuz it's so easy to deploy, versus the main. But it's clearly true that I can't head into the wind as well as I'd like to when just the foresail.
The jenny is just easier on a nice lazy day....
The jenny is just easier on a nice lazy day....
I did just this during my sail this past weekend. I was on a tight reach and it was slightly windy so I just flew the Jib. It was a nice easy pace home with a comfortable 15 degrees of heel. I was making 4.5 to 5 against the tide.
First, I completely agree with Stu on this. Here is my experience at my sailing skill level whatever that is or is not:
I own a C22 with a masthead rig & a 135 RF. The sailing school here has J22's with fractional rigs and class jibs, I used to rent a season pass on the J22s. I have been caught out in both boats in high t'storm induced winds where there would have been no way to keep a single reef main up.
Under headsail alone:
In heavy wind, the J22 will barely make any headway upwind at best - it won't tack - in serious wind, stuff like waves, wind shifts and gusts means it probably will get pushed down often enough to lose ground to windward. The best I could do was a ~beam reach, which fortunately was all I needed to do. And the wind was not as great as I have experienced in my C22...
The C22 will go to weather well and tack with some caveats. If you can carry a full 135, then it does really well - very well upwind and tacking. As the wind builds and you roll sail up, then lee helm becomes a factor. In a storm earlier this year I rolled it down to about 1/2 at the foot - out of necessity - except I could have used the iron genny if I had 'wanted' to. I was still able to crawl upwind, sometimes losing but mostly gaining, and gaining over time more than I lost. I could still tack much of the time. The lee helm was huge, but I could still get upwind.
I am on a small lake, so factor small waves into my experiences here. No waves to push me back, but also none to tack on the top and back of.
A masthead rig can go upwind until you get forced by higher winds to carry too small a headsail & lee helm stops upwind progress.
OC
Most sails have their weight of cloth suited to the maximum windspeed they are intended to handle. Exceed this and the shape will 'blow out'.
Using only the genoa or jib in strong winds tempts one to carry the sail in far stronger winds than it was designed for.
On my last (half ton) I specified my No.1 genoa to be used up to 22 kts apparent.
However roller furling sails should(?) be made to handle a couple of Beauforts above normal just because people sail with them half in and half out.
Using only the genoa or jib in strong winds tempts one to carry the sail in far stronger winds than it was designed for.
On my last (half ton) I specified my No.1 genoa to be used up to 22 kts apparent.
However roller furling sails should(?) be made to handle a couple of Beauforts above normal just because people sail with them half in and half out.
Lots of good points. Remember, balance is very boat-specific.
Additionally...
a. If you leave the jib up too long, because you have only one sail, rather than reefing, you may have a very hard time rolling it up in strong winds. Depends on your set-up. Just something to bear in mind.
b. It is much more difficult to feather a jib than a mainsail, particularly if the main is battened. A jib tends to be on or off, while a main can be sailed much closer to a luff in the gusts.
c. You can reef the main and put the traveler down, keeping a flat sail for strong wind reaching. Tough to do with a roller furling genny.
I will much sooner sail main only in stronger winds, until such time as I go to a very small bit of jib or no sail. But it all depends very much on the boat.
Additionally...
a. If you leave the jib up too long, because you have only one sail, rather than reefing, you may have a very hard time rolling it up in strong winds. Depends on your set-up. Just something to bear in mind.
b. It is much more difficult to feather a jib than a mainsail, particularly if the main is battened. A jib tends to be on or off, while a main can be sailed much closer to a luff in the gusts.
c. You can reef the main and put the traveler down, keeping a flat sail for strong wind reaching. Tough to do with a roller furling genny.
I will much sooner sail main only in stronger winds, until such time as I go to a very small bit of jib or no sail. But it all depends very much on the boat.
We frequently sail with one or the other. I'm old and lazy also. My druthers are: Jib off the wind (or reaching- R/F you know) Main on the wind. With a cutter, the mast is proportionally further aft, so balance is some different.
I was worried about this, bit since I had the 'opportunity' I decided to see how engine independent I could be. Could I have sailed out of trouble if the engine died? Now I have some idea of the limits about what I can do with the equipment that I have.
You make good points & my thoughts do ponder some type of storm sail...
OC
We've started sailing headsail-only more often during daysails, when home is a broad reach or a run away. If the wind is 5 to 12 kt and we have our 130% genny on, this is slower than with both sails up, but makes for an easy, lazy sail home. No main threatening to jibe every 2 min, and perfect for scoping out the fancy lakeside houses! Easy to furl as we approach the club.
Above about 10 kt, on a broad reach or a run, our genny is plenty fast enough. Above about 15 kt, we change down to a std jib.
Above about 10 kt, on a broad reach or a run, our genny is plenty fast enough. Above about 15 kt, we change down to a std jib.
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