Rusty. You need a second reef. That is the best way to depower the M15 without going forward. You would have been very comfortable with a double reef and the standard jib (Jerry designated a 128% as a working jib). All smaller headsails are 'heavy weather'. The other thing is you don't want to fully luff the main in the gusts. The mast will tip forward, as the jib is still powered up and the boat has no backstay, and the now baggy jib will cause _more_ heeling. Best to let the main out so no more than about 1/3 is starting to luff and pointing up a bit - essentially scandalizing through the gusts. The main must keep some power. This keeps sheet and leech tension. These are the 'backstay' that keeps the mast from rocking forward causing the jib to bag. The big pressure difference right now between offshore and eastern Washington is making for some strong evening winds ythat arrive at unpredictable times. :: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: SV SWALLOW - sv-swallow.com :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - www.freewebs.com/m15-named-scred/ On Sun, Jun 2, 2019, 1:39 AM Rusty Knorr via montgomery_boats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> wrote:
Soooo, we got our butts kicked today on Puget Sound. Coming from a Flicka, I’m still learning to sail these little boats, and finding out their capabilities. I know, I’ve read all the accounts, heard all the stories, but we had two M-15s out singlehanding in steady 15 to maybe 20 knot gusts, with reefed mains and working jibs, and close hauled were on the verge of being overpowered to the point of losing control. I know all the tricks about keeping the sails flat, etc. but I tell you, I was out of my comfort zone. So my question is, how do you change out to a smaller headsail in 2’ to 3’ waves when you are overpowered? I have a downhaul and got the jib down no problem, but I wasn’t about to let go of the tiller and go forward in that, no way. Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Don’t tell me to start the day with a smaller jib, it was forecast for 5 to 10 and went from ghosting to overpowered in less than a minute. I did learn, despite everyone saying to the contrary, that at least MY boat sails just fine with only a reefed main and no jib. I wish I had two reefs though, it would have been much more comfortable today. M-15 sailors with experience, share your advice! I’ll pop this on the Facebook group too.
Thank you,
Rusty M-15 “Vanilla”