I am interested in how to improve pointing in heavier weather on a Westsail 32. The reason I am asking this is because my last approach was not ideal.

So the wind pipes up to well above 20 knots plus gusts and I am trying to point into the wind and against a steep chop. So I am trying to keep boat speed up and my sails not too flat so they generate power. However, I found that whilst the 3^rd reef in the main with full staysail seemed like a very appropriate sail configuration and also sail area, she was a bit sluggish and took too long to recover when she was periodically stopped up by a set of waves.

I have a Yankee (which I suspect is the super Yankee, but not sure) on a furler. So I unfurled about a third of the Yankee and really improved boat balance and performance. She certainly had a lot more power to get through the chop. But the sail shape of a partially unfurled Yankee was not ideal.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to set in those conditions? Do you fly a hank on storm sail on a removable stay in lieu of the Yankee?

Hi Dave

Thank you so much for your prompt, informative and considered response.  I appreciate that it is rule of thumb and the sail plan and adjustments need tweaking to suit the circumstances. But your comments are giving me a good direction to follow. I am looking forward to photos.

Please forget my mentioning a super Yankee, I have looked up the differences and I have a regular Yankee. It is full hoist and high aspect cut. It is actually a beautifully setting sail but obviously still suffers when partially furled. I am absolutely amazed how well she sails in lights winds. Even in 10 knots I am making unexpected good speeds.

So what I conclude from your description is really that I am on the right path. You do not just take down your Jib or Yankee, but gradually reef down all three sails to keep the balance in the boat. That coincides with my experience of lacking power and responsiveness under stay sail alone and the noticeable improvement once I unfurled a bit of the Yankee. So it is time for me to learn how to reef the stay sail and also to test the storm jib that came with the boat and probably start using that more often. I guess once I am down to 3 reefs in the main and storm sail on the inner stay, I just set as much Yankee as the boat will handle. Once that is too much I will need to write to Santa and wish for a small Jib for the forward stay.

I love the idea of the sliding gooseneck to lower the boom. I would have never thought of that and it makes a lot of sense.

Fairing the hull and feathering prop are noted and it is good to have some feedback in terms of the actual difference to speed. It sounds well worth it. Those items are on my wish list and they might have just moved up a notch.

Last but not least, I was not aware of paying homage to Poseidon with a New Year ’s Day sail. Looks like I found out just in time. I hope it is not blowing a gale on the first of January…

Cheers,

Ben

Hi Mark

I can see that Yankee poled out one side and drifter on the other would be decent amount of sail area in light air. Initially I thought that I might need a drifter or light wind sails but that does not seem to be the case. If anything I probably need a working jib.

Dave,

Great photos. She certainly looks well balanced and like you are moving along nicely. I must applaud your crews dedication to be rail meat in those conditions.

The photos shows a fixed blade prop. Did you swap props?

$400 for a maxprop... nice. It is all a bit more expensive here, down under. We just do not have such a big market and good second hand stuff is sought after.