Someone on that previous posting wanted to get a storm trisail. Most people have only read about them. I actually had one made back in 1994 before setting off from SF to Hawaii and found it very useful, even though I had only tried it once at the dock! It was made at North Sails of very heavy dacron. I had Harken battslides made for my main sail so that I could hoist or take it down without having to turn into the wind (or 12 ft waves). I had a separate regular track put up just beside it. One night I got terrified by what was really just an extended squall (but I thought in my imagination was the beginning to the "perfect storm"!) and the double reefed main was way too much - I wanted to heave to if necessary. So I decided deploy the trisail. I threaded the trisail up the spare track, inserting a bolt in the bottom (designed for the purpose) to hold it there and attached rope from the clew and lashed it to the end of the boom .[According to the books, yo can "loose foot the sail to the boat, not using the boom but this way I could use the boom as normal] Then I carefully lowered the mainsail while keeping the halyard taught to avoid fouling. The boat was still sailing downwind (broad reach) (and down the waves) under autopilot and reefed (roller) jib. I then transferred the halyard to the trisail and hoisted it. I was totally exausted, to I furled the jib and "heaved to" (as I had read about but never done) and went to sleep. During the night, I could hear and feel the boat head up as the wind gusted and then fall away, just as in the books. The next day was georgious and I sailed for over a week in the trades (30 knot winds) using just the trisail and variously reefed jib. I found that jibing was really easy with the autopilot. Later when I transferred back to the mainsail, I kept the trisail furled, lashed to the boom ready for use again. NEXT TIME (if there is one) I would have the trisail already in the track and lashed to boom (as I did in the end) and make some sort or outhaul arrangement to keep the sail a little more taut. However, for anyone doing ocean crossings I would recommend using a trisail, especially if you only have two reef points. I would like to point out that I was a complete beginner on the crossing but did not end up as one - 3 weeks of constant sailing teaches you all about your boat! Thanks JimWillis PS If I had'nt got into trying to be business magnate, I could have gone on to more exotic places by now! I then took
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My boat was a Gulf 32
I move to Hawaii to be near the boat! It has an insdie steering station with a quarter bert right next to the nav station and inside wheel. On those occasions when the autopilot (Autohelm 3000) got overpowered or the belt slipped I could grab the inside wheel to prevent broaching. I also had a remote on the autopilot so did most of my night sailing from bed! I love my Gulf and always wanted to see a 37 ft version. This boat seemed to sail itself! THanks Jim Willis
I move to Hawaii to be near the boat! It has an insdie steering station with a quarter bert right next to the nav station and inside wheel. On those occasions when the autopilot (Autohelm 3000) got overpowered or the belt slipped I could grab the inside wheel to prevent broaching. I also had a remote on the autopilot so did most of my night sailing from bed! I love my Gulf and always wanted to see a 37 ft version. This boat seemed to sail itself! THanks Jim Willis
Jim
Thanks, I enjoyed your experence! Firmed up my thoughts on a trisail for the sail collection. r.w.landau
Thanks, I enjoyed your experence! Firmed up my thoughts on a trisail for the sail collection. r.w.landau
Gulf 32's A Great Boat. Jim
I almost had them build one for me before my wife saw the Vision 32 that I wound up buying. They had a pilot house 39 that was a slick boat. I think the basic hull was the same as the Newport 41 which is a fast boat. I lusted after that for a long time. Don't think they made but a handful. Most of the G32's I see now are really well maintained which tells you something about owner satisfaction (and maybe knowledge too). Looks like their resale is really good, too Rick D.
I almost had them build one for me before my wife saw the Vision 32 that I wound up buying. They had a pilot house 39 that was a slick boat. I think the basic hull was the same as the Newport 41 which is a fast boat. I lusted after that for a long time. Don't think they made but a handful. Most of the G32's I see now are really well maintained which tells you something about owner satisfaction (and maybe knowledge too). Looks like their resale is really good, too Rick D.
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