Headsail only in strong wind "unwise"?

[Vega1447]

Hi - was out with a friend (hello "Frigg") a few days ago - the wind was
a fresh f4 at most but dead astern so instead of my usual one reef in
main + most of the headsail showing I tried his favourite technique of
no main and full genoa (about 130% - ie overlapping well aft of mast).

It worked beautifully - surfing occasionally up to 7.2 knots and
averaging close to 6.
We would have surfed more often if we'd been at sea but on a lake you
get a short wavelength chop rather than a nice swell.

And with no main up the genoa wasn't shadowed by the main so no need to
pole it out. And no broaching up in the gusts.

Anyway when I got back to work the next day another friend suggested
that it is safer to have (say) a double-reefed main up as you risk
"column collapse" in the mast under headsail alone - he claims to have
seen this in a book by Tom Cunliffe.

I certainly would take any advice from TC very seriously.

Any comments?

Steve?

John
Vega 1447 Breakaway

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[pjacobs55]

I believe that when beating in heavy weather/seas a reefed main gives valuable support to the mast, keeping it from "pumping" and keeping it in column. Similar support to that given by running backstays.Nicholas Walsh
Nicholas H. Walsh P.A.
111 Commercial Street
Portland Maine 04101
Tel. 207/772-2191
fax 207/774-3940

This email was sent from the law firm of Nicholas H. Walsh P.A. It may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If you suspect that you were not intended to receive this email, please delete it and notify us as soon as possible. Thank you.

 

[stevebirch2002]

Hi Nico

Think he was asking about running but I do agree about when beating and
heavy weather.

Cheers

Steve B

 

[Vega1447]

Thanks Steve and Nico.

Certainly agree re beating.

But when *running* with Vega's masthead rig under headsail only:

the forward thrust from the headsail is transmitted:
partly via the sheet to the cockpit winch and so to the hull -
partly via the forestay to the foredeck fitting and thence to the hull
and finally via the forestay to the mast which is balanced by the
backstay (and after shroud) and thence to the hull.

So if forestay and backstay tensions are ok there should be no forces to
put the mast out of column?

Or do I have it wrong?

For what it's worth I hardened up the backstay a bit when setting up for
the run.

Over to the experts,

John

Vega 1447 Breakaway

Steve Birch wrote:

 

[pjacobs55]

You can always look up the mast and see if it is pumping (bending and unbending) much. If it is then you start thinking about additional support for the less supported middle of the mast.

But he rig on a Vega is pretty beefy and the mast has a big section (diameter). I don't worry about mine much at all compared with some of the light boats I have sailed.Nicholas Walsh
Nicholas H. Walsh P.A.
111 Commercial Street
Portland Maine 04101
Tel. 207/772-2191
fax 207/774-3940

This email was sent from the law firm of Nicholas H. Walsh P.A. It may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If you suspect that you were not intended to receive this email, please delete it and notify us as soon as possible. Thank you.