When to douse a .5oz chute?

[Moontide]

Cats eat chutes, so I woukd say DDW you are mostly OK in 20 apparent but be prepared for it to blow out, especially if you head up some. With that much wind you would not lose anything speed wise putting up a 3/4 oz or probably even 1.5 oz chute.

One of the problems with a cat is that the do not relieve any loads when a puff hits like a monohull does by heeling. That is why we have such big standing rigging and heavy white sails.

I am old time mono racer and have blown out lots of chutes over the years (someone elses). Now that I have to pay for them I tend to be a bit more conservative, although we have gone through 3 or 4 in the 10 years I've had Moontide. Was hard to switch all the way over from racing mindset to cruising mode.

Bill

P.S. Using a sock takes care of controlling a 58' luff. I fly chutes singlehanded all the time because of the sock. Would be pretty much impossible without the sock.

[sailon46]

Bought for my brand new Catalina 42 in 1990 a Neil Pride geenaker and flew it out in So Cal back from Catalina and other Chanel islands never higher than 18 unless by accidental gust. Traded in last year to a budy of mine and it still works with no tears.
For what is worth
Ernie on the Mary Jane

[Dave22q]

If the average wind gets over 10, I would douse it. These sails are designed for light air 15 or 20 is not light air for most folks.

[knockabout]

unless your caught in a unpredicted squall best to err on the safe side and go back to your normal headsail or genoa that can be furled / we have had a small skiff spinnaker being flown as a shute pop leaving the strengthening ribbon surround attached to the eyes luffing around all over the place/ unknown windstrength and small sail / they do have another inconvenient habit if you are flying the sail by allowing the halyard out letting the sail climb / if the wind stops suddenly which has happened mysteriously as if the wind has a sense of humour the extra length allows the sail to hit the water and can turn into a drogue / in our case a slow speed round up and retreival / you high speed boats if rigging or ropes don't brake it has the effect of a broach and handbrake turn ( very uncomfortable) / if you can afford to risk a small sail fly one in 25 knots in a safe open water situation and practice the drill / let one sheet go pulling up the halyard then pulling in the other sheet while letting the halyard out again to put the sail on the deck / some factory cruising shutes look like safety parachutes or cargo parachutes and come with trip ropes that close them up when they hit the water by pulling on the middle of the sail and letting the sheets loose (be careful)

[savoir]

Originally Posted by sailon46

Bought for my brand new Catalina 42 in 1990 a Neil Pride geenaker and flew it out in So Cal back from Catalina and other Chanel islands never higher than 18 unless by accidental gust. Traded in last year to a budy of mine and it still works with no tears.
For what is worth
Ernie on the Mary Jane

The gennaker on a 42 footer would be in the 1-1.5oz cloth weight bracket .