getting to know my sails

[BruceW]

I have two mains, a spinaker, and several jibs. One is on a furler that I've never seen anything like.

The furler is completely separate from the forestay. It hooks on to the forestay, and the drum mounts to a hook on the bow, not at the end of the bowsprit. This means it is not taking advantage of the bowsprit. Basically, it coils up when you take it off, and you raise it with the spinaker halyard. I am learning to furl, unfurl it properly. Sometimes it seems like the furling line takes extra turns and fouls with the sail. Anyway, as I use it, it seems okay. Still trying to understand it better.

The main is in good condition, with slides that seem to slide just fine, now I sprayed them and the part of the track I can reach with a can of McLube Sailkote I found in my gear.

I have never used a spinaker; probably won't get around to using this one either.

The hank on jibs are something I want to deal with. This is the type of jib I am familiar with. I need to take them out, measure them, label the bags they are in so I know which is which. I keep skipping that to go sailing though. Maybe some time when I am at the boat and it is calm, I'll take the bags out and spread the sails on the grass and do some measuring.

I had a P-21 one once that had two jibs: one was about a 110, and the other was about a 120. Not really much difference in them.

Since the main has reefing points, and I have the reefing line on the boom, I think I'll see if one of the jibs is a small storm jib to pair with the main for high wind days. In the past, I've had to buy a heavy weather jib.

Once I know what I have, I'll see if the full spectrum of sail sizes is represented. Who knows, I might be set, and I might have some underserved gaps, like genoa or storm jib.

[SpeakEasy]

My favorite line in your whole post:

"I keep skipping that to go sailing though"

That describes me to a "T." About everything related to boating.

-Speak

[BruceW]

Well, SpeakEasy, I finally  had a time to figure out my sails. We did go out, and had a good sail, then wind died with time left in the day.

Came back in, took off the furler (which is a kind of strange contraption that hooks in to forestay at top, but does not track along it. Hooks in at bottom to an eyebolt on the bow, not the bowsprit. Points poorly, gets tangled, etc).

Took all the sails out, spread them out and measured them.

I have a 90%, 130%, Spinnaker, second main with sail number 41 on it. Stored the spin and second main along with the coiled up furler in my dock box, and will use my current sheet with the 90% jib as number 1. The genny, I'll need to get 60 feet of line for sheets.

I don't have a spinnaker pole, nor any experience using a spin, so I don't know when I'll get around to that. Could make a self-tacking jib out of the 90, but won't probably get around to that any time soon.

Anyway, glad to find the solar panel had charged the battery, and all the lights worked.

Going to be interested in how the hank on jib performs, since I can run it up the forestay on the hanks, and it should be forward enough to work pretty well.

Maybe this coming weekend I'll find out!

[brackish]

I don't have a spinnaker pole, nor any experience using a spin

Have you confirmed that the spinnaker is symmetrical?  It seems odd anyone would buy a symmetrical for a Compac 23 which is not an often raced boat.  If it is an asymmetrical you don't need a pole and it is relatively easy to fly.

[BruceW]

Good question, Brackish,

I have no idea, but perhaps I'll take it out next trip and see.

[BruceW]

Well, I didn't take a look after all. I did hank on the 90% and go sailing though. It was okay, but the wind was light enough I might could have used the 130%. I still need to get a sheet for it; a shackle too, I think.

The 90 has about a 6 inch cable below it, and is cut on a rise back toward clew so you can see under it very well. I hope to experiment more next time, if I have bought the sheet. I wouldn't want to take the sheet off the jib; but I could.

Maybe I'll get around to looking at the spin soon.