Modify headsail into staysail?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by magellanyachts

Used to love the club footed on my Passport 43. Could beat without touching a sheet. Very nice when blowing and not in a hurry. Drop the jib and set other sail up to self-tack. Don't understand the danger aspect unless working the foredeck maybe.

Well, yes, being on the foredeck does increase the hazards associated with a club footed staysail! I've only sailed as crew on such a boat a couple of times, doing foredeck spinnaker stuff, and the club was lethal. Some folks seem to like them. I don't. YMMV.

Jim

[JPA Cate]

FWIW, some sailmakers don't mind if you unpick what stitching needs to be removed, and then they only charge for stitching it back up, and whatever else they do. It pays to ask.

[Schooner Chandlery]

I've modified a few sails myself with mixed results but always a good learning experience. I've also had two sails modified by professionals and found the cost reasonable in Costa Mesa, CA.

Unless the jib/headsails you've got to work with are high cut, it may be difficult to achieve the desired clew height for a functional staysail.

We do have a boomed staysail which we use with some frequency sheeted in tight while running--steadies the boat from rolling and when waves are smacking us in the aft quarter (pushing the bow upwind a bit) the tightly sheeted staysail introduces a little bit of lee helm that is useful to keep us steadily pointing downwind.

We also have a spare staysail we can hank onto the twin forestays to use loosefooted as others here suggest would be best. Our jib is way out in front on a bowsprit so no interference there for us.

Take a read of Port Townsend Sails document here on staysails : http://www.porttownsendsails.com/pdf/staysail.pdf as this is a great overview of using staysails, how they are cut and so forth.

Fair winds,
Brenda