I agree with much of what has been said, and am not criticizing, but I
wouldn't do some of the things myself (some things aren't wrong, just
different). The problem with a trysail is what to do with it. To be truly
effective it must have its own track on the mast and it is recommended that
it be furled on the track for instant deployment. As was cited in the
article posted by Trevor, "If you ever plan to set a storm trysail, it is
best to have a separate track on the mast for the sail. In a gale, the last
thing you want to do is remove the mainsail from the mast to bend on the
storm trysail." Amen to that. I don't know how that could be done easily on
a Vega. Also the Vega is small and extra weight isn't good for any boat.
I've owned more than a few boats before I bought the Vega (my retirement
project and now I sail singlehanded). On two of these I had storm jibs and
trysails built. I never used either, other than during my sea trials in calm
conditions. And I've done my share of blue water and ocean crossings. Again
I am not criticizing or advising against them, I just never did and I have
been in 30 foot seas (I thought they were less but had an experienced
Alaskan tug boater with me on one trip and he said they were 40 feet - so I
split the difference) and the winds I knew were a steady 45 with gust to
probably 60. I have also been in many worse winds during squalls that I
encountered when crossing the ITCZ on my way to Tahiti. Again if I had found
myself in certain conditions (such as on a lee shore) I might have found
good use for a trysail - but then a triple-reefed main should suffice (I
agree the boom is dangerous here). I almost always rig a preventer if the
wind is blowing much at all and I am on a broad reach or run (I have a
question about the Vega on this I will ask later). As for a storm jib I just
have a small working jib cut out of heavier cloth, say a 95 or 100 and have
it built to allow a good reef down a couple sizes with the furler. I use
roller furling so this isn't an issue. I always use a smaller headsail when
conditions are at all threatening - they are easy to swap with the genny,
actually easier than a hanked-on sail in my opinion.
OK, so what is my solution. First I always give myself plenty of sea room if
I expect any kind of blow. What I have done is to run off before the wind
and waves. It might not be the direction I really want to go, but I never
sail to a schedule. But it is a whole lot easier to sail downwind in heavy
wind and seas than against the fray. I found that the methods Bernard
Moitessier wrote about work well for me. I just scud off on the wave and
then round up a bit so my nose doesn't dig in. Moitessier often took his
sails down and sailed under bare poles which one can do pretty easily
downwind -- doesn't work well at all upwind
Some of his books are still
in print after all these years, "A Sea Vagabond's World" is really good
reading on many topics. Richard Henderson also wrote about Moitessier's
technique in his book on single-handed sailing. But I usually have some
sails up - I ran off for two days once and I was never in any trouble except
I had a guy who always cooked big meals and trying to clean-up a galley in
30 foot waves is really hard.
As to jibing in heavy weather, just sheet in as far as you can and then jib.
That way the boom doesn't have to travel far - don't forget to slack or
remove the preventer before jibing though.
MY QUESTION -- RIGGING the PREVENTER: The Vega is easy to figure out how to
set it up at the boom end, since it has end-boom sheeting. Regardless of
where the main sheet attaches it should always and only be rigged to the end
of the boom to prevent damage to the boom. OK, what I have done in all my
other boats is to attach a snatch block to the bow cleats and then run a
pre-stretched line from the boom and through the block (not nylon - I
learned the hard way when the boom jibed one time and the nylon stretched so
much the boom came across and the line was wrapped over the mast). I bring
this line back to the cockpit to a winch. The problem with the Vega is that
the since bow cleat is a wood dowel and the fairleads are open. I don't
want to use the wood dowel to attach my snatch blocks to. Also I would never
run a preventer in an open fairlead (actually I will probably remove these
and install real cleats as this is safer and more useful anyway (easier to
attach an anchor snubber for instance or when locking)). What have others
done here?
Chris
From:
AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com [mailto:
AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of pjacobs55
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 9:19 AM
To:
AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AlbinVega] Re: Storm Sail rigging
Maybe a boom crutch should be added to the list, along with the
trisail and storm jib!
Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'
