Edgar wrote:
"cavelamb" wrote in message
...

I have a fantasy of a small stay sail that could be flown in heavy wind.
It would be about 20 to 25% of the fore triangle, and cut high to allow
the sheets to align on the cabin top tracks.

A strong eye pad just aft of the anchor locker for the tack, and a halyard
at
the spreaders to hoist it. That would technically make my reefed main
about a
3/4 fractional rig and probably help recover some of the lost pointing
ability.

I'm more in favor of this than one of those Gale Sails because of the
location.
The GS is located all the way forward - no help for the main, and a LONG
moment
arm back to the keel. Lot's of turning force.

A stay sail would help the main some by making a little slot effect, and
is located much closer to the mast. (same as the reefed main)

I think it would be useful regardless of the jib (rolled up or taken
down).

My boat came with all that gear to set a staysail just as you describe. I
have an eye pad on a track on the foredeck so can adjust its position. Also
have additional sheet tracks port and starboard plus extra sheets so that on
a long reach I can put up the staysail as well as the jib and turn her into
a sort of cutter rig.
Never tried all that yet but I took my staysail to my sailmaker here so I
could see it open on his floor so I could know exactly what I had rather
than getting nasty surprises when opening a large sail on the foredeck for
the first time.
The sail looked fine but the guy strongly suggested that staysails were not
worth bothering with. He should know a thing or two as he was sailmaker
once on one of those round the world racers but he never made it clear what
he did not like about staysails. So the only thing is to give it a try and
see for myself.



I envy you that set up, Edgar.
I'd have to do a lot of fixing before I could even try to try it.

I called it a stay sail, because that's the correct term for a sail there.
It would (obviously) have to be built heavier than a light air stay sail.
But I would use it as the storm jib.