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