Am I over powered? Yes.
Posted by SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 81 comments
Is it more fun this way? Also yes.
Posted by SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 81 comments
Is it more fun this way? Also yes.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
1979 Pearson 30 with a brand new Precision Sails 155% Genoa and about 15kts of wind give or take, single handing.
yelruh00@reddit
Over powered in 15kts?
jmlvt68@reddit
Right? 15 knots isn't usually considered overpowered unless you're in really light boats. Sounds like a fun sail though!
LameBMX@reddit
they misspelled oversheeted.
kev_rm@reddit
give or take? 15kts of what? 15kts of wind generates 2-3 m seas.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
Not universally it doesn’t. There’s a lot of other factors.
missionsurf6@reddit
Are you on Long Island Sound today? I saw someone like this from the Ferry today.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
No, sadly a couple hundred miles south.
Rumpkins@reddit
Love the Pearson 30’s. I lived on one for 6 months and sailed it over 1000 miles. Can be a bit tender, but it still scoots for a 50ish year old boat.
SandieBull@reddit
How do you like the precision sails Genoa? How was the process with them? Thanks!
enuct@reddit
I've sailed on a few boats stuff them, they make good stuff. they get back to you very quick on any questions you have. but over been shopping sails the last two years and they've basically doubled in price. sobstad was a little more expensive last year and they were cheaper this year I ultimately went with somerset sails. it was $2700 for a Catalina 30 tallrig 7oz tri radial Dacron.
precision wanted $2200 just for a Dacron main.
I can't say enough good things about his work either, it's a tiny loft and he often sells stuff straight through eBay.
kev_rm@reddit
are you like less than a meter from shore? That sea state looks to me like less than 10kts ground wind. So if you're over powered there... like with a 110 or 120? you might need more keel weight lol
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
More than a meter, but technically on a river upstream of it meeting the ocean lol
Strict_Swimmer_1614@reddit
This is totally fine.
It is however preferable to sort out your main to be able to fly that too, as this headsail-only method works until it doesn’t, and as the Breese builds you’ll only find it harder to get some main up to balance the boat. As an example, maybe prep a deep reef at the dock so all you have to do is hoist should you need it.
No criticism.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
No, you’re absolutely right on the balance.
The thing holding me back is pain of dousing the main single handed, but my project next month is rigging up lazy jacks to sort that out. I was ready to run it up if needed (which is why I uncovered it) but I go WAY out of my way to avoid it when I’m alone lol
LimestoneSailingCo@reddit
Sailing instructor here. You should always be using that mainsail to help balance the boat. You’ll point higher and feel less pull to windward. You’ll gain more ground in all conditions.
The pain of dousing the main is real, and should your priority in learning to deal with.
Solo sailing, you may be able to put the boat into hove-to (headsail only) in order to get the mainsail up or down. This will take practice- an overlapping genoa usually has to be reefed to about 90% and sheeted in real tight to make it work. But once hove-to you can go on deck and manipulate the main all day long.
A more advanced method would be to manipulate the mainsail while you’re close-reached under headsail. That includes raising, reefing, and dousing. But without a second person onboard at the helm, or a reliable autopilot, this is something i would only do solo in lighter winds and sheltered waters.
Best solution is not just lazy-jacks, but a Stack-Pack. More annoying to get the sail up, but ultra easy to douse it. Worth every penny for a solo sailor.
In all cases, get used to motorsailing with the main only in and out of port, this will help build muscle memory on improving your comfort level with that mainsail.
TheNTurn@reddit
Why do you avoid the main when alone? To prevent it gybing on ya?
I have a Catalina 22 on a lake and I've done both sails solo many a time. Would probably just do the main if looking to have an easier go of things. Have i been looking at this wrong? I could see how it would be easier and or safer just using the jib. I've been caught in some wind that made me quite uneasy and getting that jib down in the middle of a lake was not fun.
Strict_Swimmer_1614@reddit
That’s fair. A downhaul helps a lot when when shorthand, but lazyjacks are great too. I made my lazyjacks way too complicated the first time, and all they did was get tangled up all the time…have a really good look at design that’s work. The reefing lines and a downhaul can be a useful second-best option to lazyjacks.
FizzBuzz4096@reddit
On my old C-30, I had stowable lazyjacks made out of paracord. Little bit of stretch helped a lot, and once the main was tied on they stowed up against the mast. So the cover still fit and dousing was deploy the jacks and let the halyard rip.
On my 40'er, it came with a stackpack (works great) but there's so much friction a downhaul made dousing a 20 second non-problem.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
I’ve got a downhaul and reef lines, but nothing is run to the cockpit (which is still workable) and a need to keep the main from sliding to one side and running away lol.
Foreign-Warning62@reddit
My friend had a stack pack on his oday 28 and it made dousing the main an absolute breeze. I never did it single handed but he used to all the time.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
Oh I’d LOVE a stack pack. I just don’t feel like shelling out a couple grand for one, so I’m planning to rig something up myself
LameBMX@reddit
nah, the main will go up right (in the pic) now easy easy. the wind that forms the slot when the main is up, will keep it out of the spreaders etc. use a bit of extra topping lift to not tension along with the luff as you get to your max hoist, and that will more than make up for extra wind pressure on the sail.
Someoneinnowherenow@reddit
This is correct. If you stall the jib (fall off with it too tight) it will spin you off the wind unpredictability. A double or triple reefed main will balance the boat and help prevent this
Icy-Artist1888@reddit
I d always opt for a reefed main and a smaller jib. Im set up with cockpit reefing so thats not too hard, tbh. My foresail is hank on as well.
I find it much easier to tack the main than the jib when single handing. My boat, a 1970's Buchan 37, points to the wind like nobody's business but she is particular about balance.
Someone on here commented on leehelm vs weatherhelm and i find that comment to be spot on. I seldom sail foresail only for that reason, plus with hankons its easier to douse, or reduce my main.
samlowrey@reddit
Nothing wrong with a little lean.......
Really, it's mostly about the comfort of you and the crew......
sailonswells@reddit
I'd worry more about balance and weather helm than power. Better to reduce the genoa and double reef the main.
pnicby@reddit
Is this true? All things being equal, double reef the main and reduce the headsail? Weather helm can be a bother on the SF Bay.
sailonswells@reddit
Yeah. I used to sail SF Bay all the time. If you reduce headsail and main you balance the boat without having to fight the rudder so much and you have more control.
wranglerstuff@reddit
The sail configuration when you get the text "I'm home alone" 🤣
ChatahoocheeRiverRat@reddit
Wow. I used to sail my Laser like that.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
Lasers were what I’ve done 80% of my sailing in! I’m actually new to keel boats in my 30s, but grew up racing lasers in the pacific
Sayyestononsense@reddit
this guy has been and is living the dream
jawisi@reddit
A one fiddy on a Laser?
laser14344@reddit
I'm sure what they mean is being under weight for the amount of sail. Started sailing full rig lasers when I was around 120lb
Shorelines1@reddit
Tell me how much more fun you would have with your main up,
even double reefed
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
None. Because that would have taken WAY more work.
oldmaninparadise@reddit
Older boats were ok to sail rail down, or close to it. Had a Pearson 35 in the early 70s with 150, sailed like that plenty. If the rail was underwater, you were overpowered, ideally you still had 6+" of freeboard.
Now I have a new hanse of the same size, 95% self tacker. Hard chines, which the boat settles into at about 22 deg of heel. Going past that is where you are over powered, maybe 5 more deg of heel before you are really just making lots of leeway. And your hand is 2' from touching the water.
Inmast furling makes it easy, atv15 true put in a reef going up wind.
pdq_sailor@reddit
Yes and NO... I have a full hoist #3 that has a horizontal reef in the sail to reduce heel angles.. and a deeply reefed mainsail... This rig is unbalanced... too much Genoa, no main - not cool...and actually slower than the way we sail our boat...
PrizeAnnual2101@reddit
deep reef in the main and lees jenny would work much better
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
But it would also be 100% more work lol.
The lack of lazy jacks has relegated my main to being “emergency use only” lol
Pattern_Is_Movement@reddit
I've never bothered with lazy jacks on boats this size, it really isn't needed.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
Eh. Dousing the main without them is a real pain alone.
jaymemaurice@reddit
I feel you here. Especially when it's choppy and the wife is kinda pissed you went out by yourself anyway. You'd never hear the end of it if you fell off the boat.
jaymemaurice@reddit
With that said I still try to put the main up because she handles so much better. (Northern 29)
Candygramformrmongo@reddit
Not too bad with some practice, but lazy jacks would be nice. Solo sail an E28-2.
senorpoop@reddit
The boat will handle so much better for it though. Furthermore, running just the headsail makes the boat have way too much lee helm which is bad news when it's windy. If you're gonna only run one sail, do the main. It's easier to reef, and makes the boat have a bunch of weather helm, which is better as the boat will round up and depower itself in a big gust instead of potentially knocking down.
Early_Material_9317@reddit
I love singlehanding my way through some nasty stuff with genny only. The simplicity, the confidence that if worse comes to worse, it can be packed away in an instant. Sometimes one is better than two.
george_graves@reddit
bail out down hual
Alesisdrum@reddit
Same here!
BluTrtle@reddit
😬🫣
permalink_child@reddit
No. Not.
richbiatches@reddit
Not until you’re heeling so much that you’re looking straight down at the water.
Bigfops@reddit
On the Chesapeake today by chance?
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
It might be ;) did I see you out there today?
Bigfops@reddit
St Michaels to Annapolis area? It was spicy.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
Ah, no, much farther south. Norfolk/Virginia Beach
445671@reddit
Headsail only is sooo much easier single handed, literallya night and day sailing experiencewhen you factor in the tidy up after you'redone. Bonus points for me is with my blown out main i easily get 20° higher; maybe not to your 15 apparent, but 35 on a full keel cape dory is good enough for me.
crashorbit@reddit
Not sure if I believe the instruments. Are you making any headway or are you just being blown over? Maybe a little close hauled for the point of sail. Head up for the duration of the gust, ease the clue or reef down a bit.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
Oh neither instrument is functional lol.
Psychological_Web687@reddit
As a self taught sailor on the artic cold of Lake Superior in a 40 year old boat I'm envious. I keep mine underpowered in anything over 15 knots. Maybe I'll push her a little harder next year after my soft refit.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
I have the benefit of being young, dumb, and a phone call away from a helicopter to rescue me lol
mckenzie_keith@reddit
Can't tell if you are over-powered from a single static picture.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
The Genoa is literally in the water, lol. So maybe not HUGELY over powered, but definitely not ideal
mckenzie_keith@reddit
If you say you are overpowered, I believe you. If you are asking, which I thought you were, I can't tell from one picture because maybe you just rolled to starboard a little just now. Also, I don't know what is going on with the helm. Those are the things that would allow me to tell if you are over-powered.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
Oh I had that rail buried the whole time lol.
mckenzie_keith@reddit
Having now re-read the post, I see that it wooshed over my head a bit. Sorry about that. Looks like you had fun, and I find that I have no criticism to offer you. Any day sailing (daysailing) is bound to be better than any day working!
EatingKringle@reddit
I was just about to say overpowered but looks like fun!
Mrkvitko@reddit
Well, your log shows you're standing still. That's impressive.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
lol the speed log isn’t installed and the faith sounder is out to lunch
jackspinnaker@reddit
rock and roll!
Neptune7924@reddit
Seems fine to me! How’s the weather helm with that big Genny and no main?
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
Actually pretty great. She points WELL high, and is very nimble!
AppropriateBunch147@reddit
Fine bro.
BBHCHS@reddit
You’re looking great to me! I miss my old Pearson 30 sometimes… That boat was fun to sail and handled like a big dinghy. Enjoy!
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
She’s been a great learning experience for me!
katrk824@reddit
How is the balance under headsail? Looks like your pointed fairly high. My boat gets pissed if I try this, I’m envious.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
Honestly, surprisingly good. There were 3 other boats going the same way as me today, all of them with a reefed main and reefed Genoa, and had it been a race I’d have beaten them by a half hour just due to out pointing them.
She’s definitely better balanced with both sails, but unless I have a second hand or VERY light winds, I stick to the Genoa only as I haven’t yet rigged up lazy hanks for the main.
light24bulbs@reddit
That's honestly fair. I'm always surprised how fast my fractional sloop goes with just the 150%
katrk824@reddit
What are you sailing? That’s pretty cool. We had a pretty crazy situation a couple months ago which ended up with us having to unfurl the Genoa first and in a hurry. It did what we needed it to but not before a gust rounded us up so hard we tacked lol.
SphyrnaLightmaker@reddit (OP)
1979 Pearson 30!
I was actually back and forth between the third reef point and fully unfurled today as the wind was up and down.