I have a Beneteau 311 with the standard 116% jib. I have been thinking of getting a smaller jib for winds in the 20-35 knot range. I sail on Lake Erie, and it can get pretty breezy in September and October, when I tend to do about half my sailing. I also plan to expand my trips and races to Lake Huron and possibly Lake Superior, and winds of 20-30 knots or higher for the better part of a day or more are not uncommon after a cold front any time of the summer. I usually sail the longer trips single or doublehanded, including races. On this boat the standard jib and main are of similar sizes (255 and 277 sq. ft., respectively).
I find going upwind I need to reef at 12-14 kn true, otherwise the heeling and leeway become too great and VMG suffers. Flattening the sail reduces heeling, but only up to a point, especially without an adjustable backstay. In some local races, crewed or singlehanded, I find I start making a huge amount of leeway if my boat heels more than 15 degrees, especially in waves. Going upwind or close reaching with wind in the upper 20's or low 30's, I really can't reduce sail enough even with a double-reefed main and the jib rolled in about 30-40% (any more than that and I can't move the jib lead forward enough). I can sail in winds in this range with a the jib alone, but it's a tricky thing because if the boat gets headed or pinches a little, the sail immediately loses all power and I have to head down to get moving again.
What does the forum think about getting a less than 100% jib, what size should it be, and does anyone have experience with one? I do have a storm jib (Gale Sail) that is equivalent to a 41% jib.
I find going upwind I need to reef at 12-14 kn true, otherwise the heeling and leeway become too great and VMG suffers. Flattening the sail reduces heeling, but only up to a point, especially without an adjustable backstay. In some local races, crewed or singlehanded, I find I start making a huge amount of leeway if my boat heels more than 15 degrees, especially in waves. Going upwind or close reaching with wind in the upper 20's or low 30's, I really can't reduce sail enough even with a double-reefed main and the jib rolled in about 30-40% (any more than that and I can't move the jib lead forward enough). I can sail in winds in this range with a the jib alone, but it's a tricky thing because if the boat gets headed or pinches a little, the sail immediately loses all power and I have to head down to get moving again.
What does the forum think about getting a less than 100% jib, what size should it be, and does anyone have experience with one? I do have a storm jib (Gale Sail) that is equivalent to a 41% jib.
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