I am just curious what people think the maximum wind they would sail a H216 in and at what wind strength do you to have a reef in. Gary
? maximum wind you would sail a H216 in
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Jeff Prideaux
wind speed
I don't actually have a wind speed meter so I can't give a figure at what speed the H216 becomes unmanageable. A lot depends on whether you are single-handling the boat and the experience (and tolerance) of any crew you may have. The stock H216 has the following sail options. 1. Full main and full gib 2. reefed main and full gib 3. reefed main and gib furled up completely. 4. full main and gib furled up completely. 5. both main and gib furled up completely (bare poles). I don't personally use the full main and gib furled (sail balance reasons). You should reef if you have knowledge that the wind speed will be increasing (like listening to the weather station) or if you are heading up or heeling too much. I tend to error on the side of reefing early. I'd rather have a bit slower, more manageable boat than one severely healing and struggling not to have it head up. A lot also depends on what sail point you are sailing. If you beat to weather all morning and have a long downwind leg back home, you can sail with more wind than you could have tolerated in the morning while beating to weather... In general, though, the boat can usually handle more sever conditions than the people sailing it. I plan to explore getting a second reef point in my main to give me some more heavy weather options. Jeff
I don't actually have a wind speed meter so I can't give a figure at what speed the H216 becomes unmanageable. A lot depends on whether you are single-handling the boat and the experience (and tolerance) of any crew you may have. The stock H216 has the following sail options. 1. Full main and full gib 2. reefed main and full gib 3. reefed main and gib furled up completely. 4. full main and gib furled up completely. 5. both main and gib furled up completely (bare poles). I don't personally use the full main and gib furled (sail balance reasons). You should reef if you have knowledge that the wind speed will be increasing (like listening to the weather station) or if you are heading up or heeling too much. I tend to error on the side of reefing early. I'd rather have a bit slower, more manageable boat than one severely healing and struggling not to have it head up. A lot also depends on what sail point you are sailing. If you beat to weather all morning and have a long downwind leg back home, you can sail with more wind than you could have tolerated in the morning while beating to weather... In general, though, the boat can usually handle more sever conditions than the people sailing it. I plan to explore getting a second reef point in my main to give me some more heavy weather options. Jeff
H216 and wind speed handling
I lake sail (sigh... the seas are far, far away) so I can only speak from the lake sailing point of view with winds in mph rather than knots. Unlike Jeff, I have sailed with just the jib furled and the boat handled far, far better than I anticipated. In fact, it handled just fine. Roughly, the first reef or furling the jib probably occurs at 12-15 mph. I have not encountered winds yet where I needed to both reef and furl the jib and, frankly, I don't plan on doing this. When the wind gets bigger it is just not fun out there and I'd rather be in cozied up in bed reading a good book or whatever. That said, my main crew and I tried just furling the jib in some pretty good winds last winter. 20-25 with gusts to 35. No problems...just cold and nasty out. We were the only boat out except for a bass boat. Said bass boat was having problems getting across the lake to the more sheltered opposite shore. Believe it or not, we shadowed the bass boat across the lake in case they needed help. I think you could handle 30-40 mph with both the main reef and jib furled. A couple times I've furled the jib only out of laziness. The boat handles fine with the main alone but it massively slows down. The main lake I sail in, Lake Oroville in upstate California, has a several forks. The wind usually kicks up pretty good just inside the middle fork for 1/2 mile or so due to the wind funneling from the main part of the lake into the fork. For this short period, I've just furled the jib till I make it through the 1/2 mile rather than furling. Especially if I am the only one on board that even knows what the term "reef" means.
I lake sail (sigh... the seas are far, far away) so I can only speak from the lake sailing point of view with winds in mph rather than knots. Unlike Jeff, I have sailed with just the jib furled and the boat handled far, far better than I anticipated. In fact, it handled just fine. Roughly, the first reef or furling the jib probably occurs at 12-15 mph. I have not encountered winds yet where I needed to both reef and furl the jib and, frankly, I don't plan on doing this. When the wind gets bigger it is just not fun out there and I'd rather be in cozied up in bed reading a good book or whatever. That said, my main crew and I tried just furling the jib in some pretty good winds last winter. 20-25 with gusts to 35. No problems...just cold and nasty out. We were the only boat out except for a bass boat. Said bass boat was having problems getting across the lake to the more sheltered opposite shore. Believe it or not, we shadowed the bass boat across the lake in case they needed help. I think you could handle 30-40 mph with both the main reef and jib furled. A couple times I've furled the jib only out of laziness. The boat handles fine with the main alone but it massively slows down. The main lake I sail in, Lake Oroville in upstate California, has a several forks. The wind usually kicks up pretty good just inside the middle fork for 1/2 mile or so due to the wind funneling from the main part of the lake into the fork. For this short period, I've just furled the jib till I make it through the 1/2 mile rather than furling. Especially if I am the only one on board that even knows what the term "reef" means.
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Pete
Wind speed vs wind power needs to be considered
Something you must consider other than the wind speed is the power that wind creates and how that power manifests itself on your boat. An increase of wind speed from 11 mph to 12 mph results in a 33% increase in the power of the wind. There's an expotential difference inhe power of the wind from 30 to 40 mph. At those speeds not only are your sails catching the wind but also your hull. Personally, I cannot see sailing a H216 in 30-40 mph winds unless you have to, nor would I want to deal with the seas created in such winds but hat's my opinion. I use a storm jib and use a second reef in winds over 20 mph. It makes for a much more controllable sail and if you have guests or family aboard, they may even sail with you again. I think 30mph would be max for your boat unless you just want to find a beaking point in your rigging and your sailing skills. Safe sailing, Pete
Something you must consider other than the wind speed is the power that wind creates and how that power manifests itself on your boat. An increase of wind speed from 11 mph to 12 mph results in a 33% increase in the power of the wind. There's an expotential difference inhe power of the wind from 30 to 40 mph. At those speeds not only are your sails catching the wind but also your hull. Personally, I cannot see sailing a H216 in 30-40 mph winds unless you have to, nor would I want to deal with the seas created in such winds but hat's my opinion. I use a storm jib and use a second reef in winds over 20 mph. It makes for a much more controllable sail and if you have guests or family aboard, they may even sail with you again. I think 30mph would be max for your boat unless you just want to find a beaking point in your rigging and your sailing skills. Safe sailing, Pete
Sailing in strong winds
Thanks for everybody’s advice. I was just trying to get a feeling for when I was moving from exciting sailing to slightly deranged. My experience seem to be inline with everybody’s. If you have reefed or furled the jib 20 to 25 knots seems OK. I find the 216 sails very well under main alone. It is extremely well balanced with just the main. It will not point has high as it will with the jib set but that is to be expected. If I am running I usually just use the jib. Last month I was out in some 30 knot winds running under jib alone and the GPS had us doing 6 knots going against a incoming tide. I have found you can sail on a run or broad reach with the jib alone. But for the best performance especially to windward it is best to reef the main and maybe even the jib. I just use the roller furler and reduce the size of the jib. I think I will do as some people have and have a second set of reef points put in. Gary
Thanks for everybody’s advice. I was just trying to get a feeling for when I was moving from exciting sailing to slightly deranged. My experience seem to be inline with everybody’s. If you have reefed or furled the jib 20 to 25 knots seems OK. I find the 216 sails very well under main alone. It is extremely well balanced with just the main. It will not point has high as it will with the jib set but that is to be expected. If I am running I usually just use the jib. Last month I was out in some 30 knot winds running under jib alone and the GPS had us doing 6 knots going against a incoming tide. I have found you can sail on a run or broad reach with the jib alone. But for the best performance especially to windward it is best to reef the main and maybe even the jib. I just use the roller furler and reduce the size of the jib. I think I will do as some people have and have a second set of reef points put in. Gary
Winid speed
You dont need a meter to have a pretty good idea of the wind speed . Check out the Beaufort Scale . It is a way to judge wind speed by things around the lake or on the way to . It lists conditions from calm ( less than 1 knot ) all the way up to Storm (48 knots and up ) For instance on the beaufort scale of 3 (gentle breeze light flags extended and leaves in motion 7 - 10 knots ) Something we learned after a time when it was way to windy too be out and our family learned the phrase should have reefed, Have fun /fair winds , Mike
You dont need a meter to have a pretty good idea of the wind speed . Check out the Beaufort Scale . It is a way to judge wind speed by things around the lake or on the way to . It lists conditions from calm ( less than 1 knot ) all the way up to Storm (48 knots and up ) For instance on the beaufort scale of 3 (gentle breeze light flags extended and leaves in motion 7 - 10 knots ) Something we learned after a time when it was way to windy too be out and our family learned the phrase should have reefed, Have fun /fair winds , Mike
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