I had an older M-15 jib cut down to about 65% of its original area for winds above 16-17 knots. It was of slightly heavier cloth than the WP sails that came with the boat. By having a sailmaker cut 18" off the luff and 19.5' off the leach I kept a good sheeting angle. The sail sets very flat so it doesn't contribute much to heel while driving the boat well with a single or a double reef. I keep it in a small bag that I sometimes tie to the foredeck while changing sails. I also keep a slightly heavier set of sheets on it. On Thu, Mar 24, 2016 at 6:36 PM, Josh ua <jsheintz@gmail.com> wrote:
After a little browsing on the subject it seems obvious that this is a boat model specific question so I ask those with m15 experience: If a guy could only afford one new sail at a time for his M15, should he go for a working jib or main first for best performance in the higher wind days until he could afford the other half of the canvas? And for a perhaps related question: Do you ever sail with only one or the other - main or head? Which and why? Anyone have experience with a hank-on working jib with reef points for those double reefed main days? Would that be a frugal option for a storm jib or is that inviting too much strain on the working jib?...conditions are fresh water daysailing, not racing others but striving for maximum efficiency while under way in higher wind conditions. Basically I don't care how fast I can go, I just don't want to have to stay home when the wind is forecasted to climb above 15mph...whew! that escalated quickly, sorry for the long winded questions.