Joe, Reefing the main not only lowers the sail area's center of effort but also moves it inboard - which is where you want it when running or broad reaching in high wind. Even so, sea state has a lot to do with this too. If you're getting rocked so much that the rudder is coming out of the water then your lateral resistance suddenly shifts WAY forward and your boat becomes a ballerina. Having had Spirit for only one year I do not consider myself an expert on M-17 handling. But afternoon runs down San Francisco Bay get very windy and choppy and I have never experienced a spin-out with a an 80% jib up and a reef (or two) in my main. Jim M-17 "Spirit" On Aug 10, 2009, at 10:53 AM, Joe Murphy wrote:
Yesterday I got out in Bogue Sound for what was supposed to be 5-10mph winds out of the SSW. But by the time I got out there it was more like 20+ coming out more from the west which meant my sailing was going to be close reach one way and broad reaching the other. I had a good time going to windward. Very impressed with keeping pretty tight on the wind. But going downwind got me out of my comfort zone. A couple of times I got spun around quicker than I can say "spun around". I had the centerboard up (as I recalled from an earlier post). So my question is.. what should I do or look for to keep this from happening? I didn't feel over canvassed, but perhaps I should have put in a reef or two?? Thanks for any advice. Joe Scary in Seafrog M17
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