Matching the jib to your main...

[biorapper]

I was out in about 15-20 mph winds today. I seemed to be a fluctuating zone right between reefing and not needing to reef. I don't have a traveler (26s), but was heeling too much (30-35 degrees, way more in gusts. I could feather up sometimes, but had to release the main for much of the day. The feathering worked pretty good when only needed once in awhile...though it seems like a fine line between feathering and keeping jib tell tales streaming (I actually had the windward one luffing between up and straight back like I have read about)or going too far up and losing speed. In retrospect, I probably should have reefed, but it was pretty close. My question is this: I know your suppossed to keep your sails tight (flat) when in high wind, yet when you have to release the main some to prevent heel, should you release the jib a corresponding amount, or just keep those jib tell tales (except for the windward fluffing every once in awhile, pointing a little high, right?) streaming ? I tried loosening the jib, and it seemed to help with the heeling (increasing twist?), speed seemed to stay about the same.Hope this makes sense, it came out a bit jumbled.Richard

 

[Alan]

If you are holding course while heeling then the jib trim can be kept as is. Because you don't have a traveler you cannot change the angle of attack of the main without changing the sail shape. To counter this, you need a good vang with lots of power. A powerful vang can maintain the sail shape as you ease the mainsheet which will lower the boom. In high winds, the main needs to be kept as flat as possible. After that the main needs to have the leech opened to dump heeling force. The final step is reefing. You should practice reefing so that you can do it in your sleep and in under 2 minutes. Many sailors wait too long to reef and then anguish over having to do it because they are not proficient at it.