Author Topic: Jib only handling  (Read 4532 times)

MangoCats

  • P303
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Jib only handling
« on: March 13, 2019, 11:25:10 PM »
I have a new-to-me 303 (aka porker, nearly 11' beam and only 4'4" draft) and just got the jib-furler halyard replaced, took her out today in ~15kn of "fresh breeze," sailing jib only.  Seems that, even with the sail tracks 1' inboard, best I can make with jib only is a beam reach - pointed as high into the wind as we could on the way out, tacked and did the same on the way back and our return track was stubbornly parallel to the outbound track.  I'm assuming that a little participation from the main could help us point higher, but just didn't need it today - was making 5+kn on jib only, even when furled to about 70% - fully unfurled is around 110% and that was uncomfortable in 15kn of puffy breeze (complaints from the galley crew), and barely any faster.

Does this track with other Pearsons' handling experience?

selene

  • P323
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Re: Jib only handling
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2019, 11:35:55 AM »
I can't talk to the 303, but the 323 has surprisingly good performance with jib alone. I can point almost as high - if not as high - as jib+main.  After friendly pushback from a sailing instructor, I took him out for a sail - he was "surprised".

In fact, if it is blowing up to 25kn, I often sail with jib alone; or at lower speeds, when I am overpowered, I let the main luff (yeah, ugly).

Of course, with the 323 having the jib sheets led to the toerail, "pointing as high as main alone" is not really that impressive. I can only tack through around 110 degrees!