Any Advice on Storm Trysail ?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Eleven

I'm not sure you'd want a small main unless you were going to sail across or into wind (and swell)? and then you'd need something forward for balance?

Well, of course you want "something forward". You would set a storm jib with a storm trysail.

Or in our case (a cutter), the standard staysail, which is made of heavy sailcloth, and is on an oversized furler, is designed for use as a storm jib.

[DaveC]

Originally Posted by Eleven

I'm not sure you'd want a small main unless you were going to sail across or into wind (and swell)? and then you'd need something forward for balance?

You want a small, tough trysail so you can heave-to in bad weather, or claw off a lee shore without worry of the thing blowing out on you. While hove-to most long keeled boats will sit with just trysail (or deep-reefed main). If you need to claw to windward you probably would need to put up a storm jib as well, however.

I've hove-to in winds of 40kts with my reefed main only, and she sits fine... due to her cutaway forefoot, the wind on her bow keeps her from rounding up since it tends to slide to leeward. Any more than 40kts and I'd definitely want some tougher canvas up, if only to preserve the main for when it's time to sail again. (My boat is only 28 feet)

[Eleven]

I was forgetting the heave-to situation for mono's as my plan is to keep moving steadily, across the wind if there's a better place to be, or downwind for comfort. According to the books.
I see now how a small tough main will work well with storm jib when it's time to hunker down and wait out the weather.
Let's all hope we never get caught off a lee shore where our fore thought and seamanship will become critical.

[Silver Cloud]

I have a Selden furling mast and I have trouble getting the Nylon slides on the Trysail past the seam that connects the upper mast with the lower.