I was fortunate enough to sail on Lake Somerville here in Texas this last week and experimented with different sails. I'd be grateful for any input on similar or different experiences any of you may have had. There were strong winds coming from the south to meet an approaching front. Winds were 15-20mph with much stronger gusts. I took the opportunity to see how the boat handled and pointed with just the main, the main with one reef, the jib alone and a storm jib alone. Waves were minimal since it isn't a big lake. Centerboard down the whole time. The mainsail alone (the original sail that came with the boat I assume, Eliot Pattison): too much for the winds and gusts, kept getting heeled waaaay over. The mainsail with one reef. much more comfortable ride, light to moderate weather helm. The boat would point well but VERY slow speed close-hauled, 2.3kts. 4.5 - 5.2kts on a reach according to my GPS (set on knots). The jib alone ( a 110% I believe), hanked on, not roller furled: Excellent upwind performance! Pointed high on a close reach (45 degrees from true, both tacks) and speedy. 4.0 kts upwind, occasionally 5kts with a lifter ( I was very surprised at this). Close to 5 kts cruise on a beam reach with 5.6kts every minute or two with some of the gusts, fastest according to the GPS was 5.9). Light weather helm to neutral. Very comfortable ride! The storm jib alone (C & C sailmakers, Corpus Christi, TX): Poor performance upwind. Wouldn't point. 3.5 - 4.7 kts on a reach. The main with one reef and the storm jib: Fair upwind performance, but the regular jib alone was superior. I don't have a lot of experience with tuning the rig so may not be giving the main all the advantage it can have, or it may be blown out. Not sure how to tell. I was very surprised and very happy sailing with just the jib. Anyone else have similar findings??? George Johnson M-17 Sancha #600 San Antonio, TX
I tried similar on my lake. found that if I need to I could use the jib and as it would weather helm just a bit then luff fall off and repeat. was nice to tie the tiller and go below and get lunch. At your service Larry Pegg 11321 Emerald Rd Nampa Idaho 83686 208 249 0538 -----Original Message----- From: George Johnson <jorge1johnson@gmail.com> To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Sent: Sun, Mar 21, 2010 8:23 pm Subject: M_Boats: Experimenting with Sails I was fortunate enough to sail on Lake Somerville here in Texas this last week and experimented with different sails. I'd be grateful for any input on similar or different experiences any of you may have had. There were strong winds coming from the south to meet an approaching front. Winds were 15-20mph with much stronger gusts. I took the opportunity to see how the boat handled and pointed with just the main, the main with one reef, the jib alone and a storm jib alone. Waves were minimal since it isn't a big lake. Centerboard down the whole time. The mainsail alone (the original sail that came with the boat I assume, Eliot Pattison): too much for the winds and gusts, kept getting heeled waaaay over. The mainsail with one reef. much more comfortable ride, light to moderate weather helm. The boat would point well but VERY slow speed close-hauled, 2.3kts. 4.5 - 5.2kts on a reach according to my GPS (set on knots). The jib alone ( a 110% I believe), hanked on, not roller furled: Excellent upwind performance! Pointed high on a close reach (45 degrees from true, both tacks) and speedy. 4.0 kts upwind, occasionally 5kts with a lifter ( I was very surprised at this). Close to 5 kts cruise on a beam reach with 5.6kts every minute or two with some of the gusts, fastest according to the GPS was 5.9). Light weather helm to neutral. Very comfortable ride! The storm jib alone (C & C sailmakers, Corpus Christi, TX): Poor performance upwind. Wouldn't point. 3.5 - 4.7 kts on a reach. The main with one reef and the storm jib: Fair upwind performance, but the regular jib alone was superior. I don't have a lot of experience with tuning the rig so may not be giving the main all the advantage it can have, or it may be blown out. Not sure how to tell. I was very surprised and very happy sailing with just the jib. Anyone else have similar findings??? George Johnson M-17 Sancha #600 San Antonio, TX _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats Remember, there is no privacy on the Internet!
george: i too have found the 17 is willing to go very well to the wind under jib alone. i've done this a few times using SWEET PEA's 150 jib. she is so well behaved in this setup i've often sailed into or out of narrow bays under 150 alone. sailing under main alone she does not go to weather well. sailing under 100 jib and full or single-reefed main SWEET PEA sails just fine to weather ... no obvious difference from sailing with the 150 and a full or reefed main (see you-tube video in a spirited crossing of rosario strait june '09 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe9wrolFCac ) it is important to find the 'sweet spot' for the jib sheet blocks. for going to weather with the 100 jib the blocks are a good 2.5 feet forward of the location when sailing to weather with the 150 (where the blocks are about 3 inches aft of the jib winches). each sail is different (age, sail loft), so different settings are necessary. NOTE: SWEET PEA has alum. toe rails, not teak with jib-tracks. dave scobie M17 #375 - SWEET PEA visit SWEET PEA's www-site - http://www.m17-375.webs.com --- On Sun, 3/21/10, George Johnson <jorge1johnson@gmail.com> wrote: I was fortunate enough to sail on Lake Somerville here in Texas this last week and experimented with different sails. I'd be grateful for any input on similar or different experiences any of you may have had. There were strong winds coming from the south to meet an approaching front. Winds were 15-20mph with much stronger gusts. I took the opportunity to see how the boat handled and pointed with just the main, the main with one reef, the jib alone and a storm jib alone. Waves were minimal since it isn't a big lake. Centerboard down the whole time. The mainsail alone (the original sail that came with the boat I assume, Eliot Pattison): too much for the winds and gusts, kept getting heeled waaaay over. The mainsail with one reef. much more comfortable ride, light to moderate weather helm. The boat would point well but VERY slow speed close-hauled, 2.3kts. 4.5 - 5.2kts on a reach according to my GPS (set on knots). The jib alone ( a 110% I believe), hanked on, not roller furled: Excellent upwind performance! Pointed high on a close reach (45 degrees from true, both tacks) and speedy. 4.0 kts upwind, occasionally 5kts with a lifter ( I was very surprised at this). Close to 5 kts cruise on a beam reach with 5.6kts every minute or two with some of the gusts, fastest according to the GPS was 5.9). Light weather helm to neutral. Very comfortable ride! The storm jib alone (C & C sailmakers, Corpus Christi, TX): Poor performance upwind. Wouldn't point. 3.5 - 4.7 kts on a reach. The main with one reef and the storm jib: Fair upwind performance, but the regular jib alone was superior. I don't have a lot of experience with tuning the rig so may not be giving the main all the advantage it can have, or it may be blown out. Not sure how to tell. I was very surprised and very happy sailing with just the jib. Anyone else have similar findings??? George Johnson M-17 Sancha #600 San Antonio, TX
Dave: Good to know. I haven't tried sailing under jib alone with my M17, but I will next summer. ⎈--Gary ☺ On Mar 22, 2010, at 7:01 PM, W David Scobie wrote:
george:
i too have found the 17 is willing to go very well to the wind under jib alone. i've done this a few times using SWEET PEA's 150 jib. she is so well behaved in this setup i've often sailed into or out of narrow bays under 150 alone.
sailing under main alone she does not go to weather well.
sailing under 100 jib and full or single-reefed main SWEET PEA sails just fine to weather ... no obvious difference from sailing with the 150 and a full or reefed main (see you-tube video in a spirited crossing of rosario strait june '09 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe9wrolFCac )
it is important to find the 'sweet spot' for the jib sheet blocks. for going to weather with the 100 jib the blocks are a good 2.5 feet forward of the location when sailing to weather with the 150 (where the blocks are about 3 inches aft of the jib winches). each sail is different (age, sail loft), so different settings are necessary.
NOTE: SWEET PEA has alum. toe rails, not teak with jib-tracks.
dave scobie M17 #375 - SWEET PEA visit SWEET PEA's www-site - http://www.m17-375.webs.com
--- On Sun, 3/21/10, George Johnson <jorge1johnson@gmail.com> wrote:
I was fortunate enough to sail on Lake Somerville here in Texas this last week and experimented with different sails. I'd be grateful for any input on similar or different experiences any of you may have had.
There were strong winds coming from the south to meet an approaching front. Winds were 15-20mph with much stronger gusts. I took the opportunity to see how the boat handled and pointed with just the main, the main with one reef, the jib alone and a storm jib alone. Waves were minimal since it isn't a big lake. Centerboard down the whole time.
The mainsail alone (the original sail that came with the boat I assume, Eliot Pattison): too much for the winds and gusts, kept getting heeled waaaay over.
The mainsail with one reef. much more comfortable ride, light to moderate weather helm. The boat would point well but VERY slow speed close-hauled, 2.3kts. 4.5 - 5.2kts on a reach according to my GPS (set on knots).
The jib alone ( a 110% I believe), hanked on, not roller furled: Excellent upwind performance! Pointed high on a close reach (45 degrees from true, both tacks) and speedy. 4.0 kts upwind, occasionally 5kts with a lifter ( I was very surprised at this). Close to 5 kts cruise on a beam reach with 5.6kts every minute or two with some of the gusts, fastest according to the GPS was 5.9). Light weather helm to neutral. Very comfortable ride!
The storm jib alone (C & C sailmakers, Corpus Christi, TX): Poor performance upwind. Wouldn't point. 3.5 - 4.7 kts on a reach.
The main with one reef and the storm jib: Fair upwind performance, but the regular jib alone was superior.
I don't have a lot of experience with tuning the rig so may not be giving the main all the advantage it can have, or it may be blown out. Not sure how to tell.
I was very surprised and very happy sailing with just the jib. Anyone else have similar findings???
George Johnson
M-17 Sancha #600
San Antonio, TX
_______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
Remember, there is no privacy on the Internet!
For those of you with CDI furlers...what do you use for a storm jib?? Joe M17 Seafrog
The furled jib, with about a trash bag size of it exposed. --Gary Hyde 2005 M17 #637 sailboat 'Hydeaway 2' On Mar 24, 2010, at 8:49 AM, Joe Murphy wrote:
For those of you with CDI furlers...what do you use for a storm jib?? Joe M17 Seafrog _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
Remember, there is no privacy on the Internet!
participants (5)
-
Gary M Hyde -
George Johnson -
Joe Murphy -
Larry Pegg -
W David Scobie