5 foot Lake Erie questions
In response to Hal's questions: We used the factory first reef position. We don't have a 2nd reef, but our next mainsail will have one. We unfurled about 1/3 - 1/2 the jib after a couple of hours. We didn't need to - we were surprised how well we sailed without it. There was a little weatherhelm which prompted us to unfurl the jib - that balanced the helm completely. Downwind, we used a reefed main and a fully deployed jib. Our motor is a long shaft. When going downwind the wave action was so regular that, as long as we were paying attention, would not try to throw the boom over. We did not choose to go directly downwind, but consistently within 30 degrees. However, we used a preventer just in case, especially since the consequence of inattentiveness in higher winds can be severe. Finally, the heeling angle upwind regularly varied between 10 and 20 degrees; mostly at 15 degrees. The most was a gust or two that sent us to 25+ degrees which I corrected either by pinching and/or easing the mainsheet. Downwind we were between flat and 5 degrees. Believe me, as tender as this boat is, I initially did not have the confidence in this boat that I should have. I've sailed maybe 15 times in 20 knot winds in this boat and have figured out how to handle the wind. It was the waves that made me uncomfortable to hoist the sail the first time. After about the first 5 minutes, I realized I had greatly underestimated the boat. P.S. I've been in 14 foot ocean swells in a H54 for a few days - it's a whole lot bouncier in 5 foot seas in a H26, especially on Erie.
In response to Hal's questions: We used the factory first reef position. We don't have a 2nd reef, but our next mainsail will have one. We unfurled about 1/3 - 1/2 the jib after a couple of hours. We didn't need to - we were surprised how well we sailed without it. There was a little weatherhelm which prompted us to unfurl the jib - that balanced the helm completely. Downwind, we used a reefed main and a fully deployed jib. Our motor is a long shaft. When going downwind the wave action was so regular that, as long as we were paying attention, would not try to throw the boom over. We did not choose to go directly downwind, but consistently within 30 degrees. However, we used a preventer just in case, especially since the consequence of inattentiveness in higher winds can be severe. Finally, the heeling angle upwind regularly varied between 10 and 20 degrees; mostly at 15 degrees. The most was a gust or two that sent us to 25+ degrees which I corrected either by pinching and/or easing the mainsheet. Downwind we were between flat and 5 degrees. Believe me, as tender as this boat is, I initially did not have the confidence in this boat that I should have. I've sailed maybe 15 times in 20 knot winds in this boat and have figured out how to handle the wind. It was the waves that made me uncomfortable to hoist the sail the first time. After about the first 5 minutes, I realized I had greatly underestimated the boat. P.S. I've been in 14 foot ocean swells in a H54 for a few days - it's a whole lot bouncier in 5 foot seas in a H26, especially on Erie.
