On Fri, 07 May 2004 13:02:44 -0700, Stephen Trapani
wrote:

Okay, let me try this again. Sometimes the hardest thing about getting
the right answer is knowing enough to ask the right question! Thanks to
those who answered previously. I now know a little about jib
nomenclature. But there was nothing about storm jibs I could find. Is it
just an any old tough little sail? Would a foot 90% to the mast qualify
as a storm jib? What is the general theory for a good storm jib?
Anything smaller than 100% made out of tough material?

Stephen

Stephen,

What the other posters have written is correct. Smaller, heavier
fabric, more reinforcement around the grommets, more hanks for
attaching to the forestay. Another characteristic is less draft.
That is, less belly or curve in the sail. Draft is what gives a sail
its power. Even a small sail with a lot of draft can create
considerable power. By flatting the sail it is depowered.

If you choose not to purchase a storm jib, or until you do, you can
take measures to depower your regular jib and make it safely usable in
higher wind. This also works for a genoa when you do not want to
switch down to a smaller sail for one reason or another (e.g., on a
race course when you will shortly be on a course where the larger sail
would be beneficial). To depower a headsail move the sheet fairlead
aft. When you tighten the sheet it will then pull the foot of the jib
very tight while the leach will open up. This takes some of the draft
out of the sail and also lets the excessive wind flow out of the leach
of the sail. Try it sometime in modest conditions to see how it
works. The reverse also works, to power up a sail move the sheet
fairlead forward. This loosens up the foot and tightens up the leach.
The sail will be much fuller, rounder, with lots of draft.

On a mainsail you depower by tightening the outhaul which tightens the
foot and takes much of the draft out of the sail. Then you can
tighten the halyard some, but there is a better way to stretch the
luff. That is to rig a cunningham. Your main should have a
reinforced grommet about a foot or two above the tack (corner where
the sail attaches to the gooseneck). This grommet is below the
grommet for the first reefing point. Run a line from an eye or cleat
on the mast below the boom, up through the cunningham grommet and back
to the cleat. Tighten this line. It will stretch the luff. This
does two good things. One, it takes some of the draft out of the
main. Secondly, and very importantly, it moves the remaining draft
forward. As the wind increases the draft in a mainsail tends to move
aft. This makes the boat heel more among other bad things. The
cummingham corrects this problem and lets the remaining draft move the
boat forward instead of rolling it over.

Hope this is helpful to you.

Lee Huddleston
s/v Truelove
lying Sea Gate Marina
Beaufort, NC