On 03/10/2019 12:44 PM, Thomas Buzzi wrote:
Steve, Was on Lake Travis outside of Austin, Tx. Caught out in a cold front. Wind was about 30 knots steady. I was down to double reefed main and did not have a jib up since my smallest was a 109%.Monty 17's need a jib to drive up wind and I was being blown down the lake away from the boat ramp. I was able to reach across the lake like blazes but could not tack with the sails I had.
Always interesting to me to hear this, it comes around every so often. Not my experience in my own M17. I have a few times sailed upwind adequately on main alone in strong gusty winds. She is slower, and won't point quite as high, but I have tacked a couple miles back upwind, taking maybe 20-25% longer timewise but by no means unable to make headway. This is lake sailing with wind waves/chop and a pretty long fetch, but not ocean conditions. Don't know what else might account for differences. Of course she goes much better with jib but is by no means helpless without it. cheers, John -- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com