Bart Senior wrote:
Could it not be sheeted to the Mizzen mast partners
if a better place coudl not be found?

"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

The stays'l sheets much farther aft than the mizzen mast. It is like a
150 genoa and sheets right aft or to the mizzen boom. Our mizzen boom
over hangs by about 8 or 10 feet and that is where we sheet it.

Gaz