I can't agree more with what Benny has said here
There isn't anything more that I could add to his very comprehensive dialogue. It is complete, thorough, and to the point. I think that if you were to check out several different issues of Cruising World or a similar publication, that you would read about many folks that use a boat the same size as yours is to do what it is that you desire. If you are confortable with being on a 30 foot boat with regard to the available space, then that should suffice. From what I read in your opening of the topic and understand, is your concern about high winds and the strength of the boat and its' rigging including the existing sail inventory that you have and what you anticipate that you may encounter. From my perception, this is more of a concern of yours than is the size and room on board as well as the fact that you find yourself single handing the boat. You can single hand a larger boat if rigged properly; I single hand our 387 all the time, in fact I frequently take it out alone. I think that your 30 is as strong as it needs to be for what you want to do with it. With that in mind, something that I would consider from what I have read here from you is the topic of reefing. We have all been told that when we feel the need to reef, then we already should have done so, that's a given. You talk about your head sail, that is a 150% genoa, and the size of it and the amount of sail that you would have out during heavy winds and about getting a smaller genoa and how you reduce the size of that. I've been told that there are diffent sized genoas for different conditions and according to these sizes, various strengths of those sails. When you got the boat, did you find out from the previous owner what the sails were rated for? Have you queeried Catalina on the subject? There is nothing wrong with the 150% genoa, it is a great sail for very light conditions and the beauty of the fuller is the ability to get rid of a lot of sail in a hurry and yet still have some sail with which to continue to make way and have some degree of control. With that in mind, you have taken the step to increase your sail inventory by getting a smaller genoa and this is a plus. One of the most beneficial things that I have done is to purchase a copy of Don Guillette's book on sail trim and I recommend that book of his to everybody. The information he gives you is so much more valuable than the cost of the publication. He goes in to great depth in his discussion on this very topic and I have found the information he shared with me in the book to be one of the most valuable things that I have done to increase my understanding and knowledge of sail dynamics and the physics behind the science of it. Every time I re-read this book, I gain something additional that I can apply and see an immediate effect from. I frequently have it in the cockpit with my charts for reference which I find invaluable. Everything I have ever read or experienced about heavy winds is that there are rules of thumb with regard to reefing and when to. Although I do not have the documentation in front of me, the stats are available for you to research. Initially, as the winds increase, we start reducing sail area and get to the point where the head sail is completly put away and we are sailing with 3 reefs out of the main, and then obviously, the next thing would be to go to "bare poles" with nothing out there and out in the blue water you refer to then of course a sea anchor. I think I recall that there are degrees of reefing that should take place from 15 to 20 knots, from 20 to 25 knots, from 25 to 30 knots etc. By the time I am over 25 knots sustained, my head sail is put away and all I have out is the equivalent of a main with 2 to 3 reefs out of it ( I have an in mast furler system as well ). I have a 155% genoa and have had the boat out in 35-45 knots here in the Chesapeake Bay. During these winds, my 155% has long been furled away, in fact I get rid of it down in the mid to upper 20's and don't have much more than the equivalent of a 90% to 100 or 110% genoa out and as the winds continue to build, I continue to reduce that sail until it is put away. Something that I use as well in consideration is the amount of heel and that having the boat layed over to 35 degrees is not comfortable nor efficient, nor safe and the fact that the wind and the sail area and trim are what control the amount of list, so to keep my boat in the 5 to 10 degree range of heel for my comfort, I reduce sail area. One thing that I have done was to get my sail maker to sew in three luff cords and a pocket to contain them on the head sail. As I reduce the amount of sail, the sail rolls up tighter and reduces the size of the "ball" or "knot" formed on the furling and allows for much less turbulent air flow as evidenced with the tell tales. I put them on at the luff so as I go from a 155 to a 135 to a 110 that I have a set of tell tales just behind the furling and can see the air flow. It wasn't all that expensive and it certainly made the sail much more efficient when furled up some. Like I started with, Benny has indicated that you don't need to get rid of your 30 if you find a comfort level with it with regard to available space, just make some tuning inprovements and adjustments. I agree. BTW, I have run from Oxford over to Solomons, what a beautiful part of the bay you have up there; I just don't get up there as much as I would like. I've also been in some very high winds and 6 or better foot seas up there in Tangier Sound as well and it certainly is a beautiful part of the bay. Let us know what you wind up doing with regard to keeping your 30 or replacing it. I'd be interested to know. Good luck.
