Re: David Kautz's letter about not using sail slugs.

GSTahoe@aol.com
Tue, 25 May 1999 20:46:28 EDT


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In a message dated 5/25/99 9:43:27 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
DAVID_KAUTZ@HP-Sunnyvale-om5.om.hp.com writes:

<<
On the few occasions that I sailed my boat when it had slugs, I never had to
reef. How does the addition of slugs affect the reefing process? Do you have
to
remove the stop and drop a few slugs out or can you work around the
accumulation of slugs and get the cringle over the hook?

Now, about sailing under jib only: Just a couple weeks ago I joined the
Potter
Yachters outing at Bruno's Island in the Delta with my youngest son (14 yrs)
and
one of his friends. I think most of the folks there would describe the
weekend
as pretty windy. We had a nice sail in the morning under reefed main and
jib, >>

David,

I don't mind this continuing discussion at all.

As far as reefing, normally when it's time to reef, there's a bit of pressure
on the sail. Thus, the bolt rope would be very sticky if not stuck in the
mast track. With the slugs, it is fairly easy to lower the sail enough to
get it attached to the reef hook. It is then much easier to pull the tension
back in the sail after the reef hook is attached. The bolt rope would fold
and get in way, enough that it is difficult to hook the reef hook. I can't
remember how many slugs come down in reefing, but I do not have to pull them
out of the slot. They just rest against the stop.

As far as sailing under jib, as you've found out, downwind is fine. When you
attempt to sail on the wind, you will find that the pressure against the bow
of the boat will cause it to fall off the wind. You'd have to be flying to
come through the wind under jib alone in any kind of wind. Why bother? You
can come through the wind with the main, although you will not be able to
sail as close to the wind as you can with both sails.

As the wind picks up, the order that I trim is: 1. Light wind: Full Genoa
and main. 2. Stiffening wind: Main and regular jib 3. White caps beginning
to form: Reefed main and jib 4. Heavy, breaking chop: Reefed main, no
foresail 5. Uncontrollable pitching and the wind screaming in the rigging:
Bare poles, motoring and possibly peeing in my pants.

I hope this helps.

Geoff
P-15 Lollipop
N. Lake Tahoe, NV