Main only

[Duckie]

Hey this is great.  I've been asking around about that all in or all out deal for a while and now I have an answer.  Next time I go out I'm going to try it. 

Here's something I have been messing around with, try sailing backwards.  A lot of the time I will motor off the dock and head up into wind when I have cleared all the obstructions to raise the sails.  Last time I did this I raised the main and slabbed it hard with the  sheet dead into the wind to see if it would weather vane.  I also tied the tiller in neutral  so that when I started going backwards it wouldn't turn me across the wind.  I found that the boat would weather vane within a fairly narrow slot.  If I got cross wise to the wind a little bit the main would power up and turn me back into the wind. It wouldn't go too far because it was hard amid ship so it would luff pretty quickly.  This isn't exactly heaving to, but it worked long enough for me to unfurl the jib and cleat it off.  When I was ready to go, I let the rudder loose and pointed the tiller at the direction I wanted to go.  When the sails started to fill I set them and took off.  I think this would work best with someone manning the tiller to steer the boat while it is going backwards, but I sail alone so tying off is the next best thing. 

Al

[capt_nemo]

Duckie,

With this group, if you don't get a satisfactory answer to your question right away keep asking!

Someone with the requisite knowledge and/or experience will eventually chime in.

capt_nemo

[hinmo]

Well, you've all lost me by now, but thanks anyway!

I will be installing a furler for next year....CDI FF1 or other. I have a bowsprit option on a std CP16 (fractional rig w/o forestay extended to bowsprit).

Hoping I can do this cheap working with local sailmaker to cut and add luff tape to one of my oversized jennys.

...to be continued?

Thanks all

[Salty19]

I never sail on the main only.  Pointing is compromised too much as is speed.
Even in strong winds, I'll reef the main and furl the jib to a hanky size (Ok a little bigger than that!) and be comfortable and safe.

the exception is medium to strong winds and running downwind. I will occasionally furl the jib all the way sailing downwind when I'm feeling lazy so I don't have to worry about a whisker pole or keeping the jib filled with air.