DSK wrote:
BTW there are mizzen staysails that can be used upwind, they
generally sheet to the centerline or close to it. Mari-Cha IV uses one.



Oops... bad typing... I meant 'tacked' to the centerline, not sheeted.

Although the staysails I've seen that were useful upwind sails were
sheeted a bit closer to centerline than headsails, obviously hardening
the sail flat to the centerline wouldn't produce much drive.

Maxprop wrote:

Ours could be sheeted either to the windward or the leeward rail, but
there was nowhere near the centerline to secure the tack.


On many ketches & yawls, the only place to do so would be down the
companionway. Not gonna work too well.

... Sheeted to windward it was great for beam to broad reaching.
Sheeted to the lee rail it could be sailed to weather, but it really
didn't help much.


Agreed, but then two masted rigs don't usually shine going hard on the
wind anway. The ones I've sailed personlly have given me the impression
that except under rare & ideal conditions, the mizzen staysail is more
for looks and to keep the crew busy than to go faster.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

On Oriole, the staysail is good up to about 15 knots apparent with the
wind on the beam or nearly on the beam. It gives us a knot. When
running way off the wind I sometime hand the mizzen and sail with the
stays'l, main and a kite. The boat is less squirrelly when the centre
of effort is moved forward. If the wind come up at all the stays'l
comes down.
It can be tacked anywhere (windward or leeward) but I use the base of
the mainmast. The mizzen boom acts like a spin pole (sorta)
You're right about pointing. We are lucky to see 45 degrees.