You fail to include the severity of conditions in any case.

Joe wrote:
Lets say 40-70 knots steady, seas running 12- 18 ft with an occasional
20 footer.

I sail full sails in steady 20-30 without much worry, but once I get
into a steady 30+ I need to reef , 50-60 in big seas will put me in a
storm mode.

Joe, I don't think there is a single 'right answer.' The right answer(s) are whatever works best in the
particular situation.

Remember, the force of the wind is proportional to the square of it's velocity. In simple words this
means that if the wind doubles (say from 20 to 40) then it's force is quadrupled. So, IMHO using
regular sails reefed down for storm winds will result in premature stretching & shredding of those
sails. A storm jib & storm mizzen would be a good combination offering a way to balance the boat.

You might consider a pair of staysails, one for the main and one for the mizzen. No extra track on the
masts, easy to bend on, can be made to stand well above the deck to keep them out of the water, several
advantages. You can fly both and get more horsepower & ability to balance, or fly one on the main for
running off in really bad stuff, or fly one from the mizzen for close reaching.

The biggest problem I have seen in trying to handle boats in storm winds, is that the force of windage
increases greatly and makes the boat want to only go downwind. As the boat rises across the crests, the
wind hits extra hard and accelerates the boat downwind at the worst possible time relative to the
waves. The sails have to generate enough horsepower to counteract this, without overtaxing the boat's
rightning moment.

At some point, the boat simply cannot do anything except go downwind, and this is when bare poles +
drogue makes the most sense. However, trying to work on deck in these conditions is like trying to swim
upstream against Niagara Falls. That's why planning ahead is a big big part of seamanship.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King