[donhaller]

Originally Posted by sailingfool

From your video...it looks like you are flying a small jib but the sheet is leading to a block far aft, on the toe rail. The result would be that your sail will be miss-shaped, flat on the foot and twisted at the top. With the block on the rail, the boat won't sail very close to the wind. Both these factors may increase you tacking angle as much as 10-20 degrees, meaning it becomes very difficult to get upwind. You should learn how to determine proper block position so the jib luff breaks evenly. That is a sweet sailing boat, I would be suprised if it doesn't have inboard jib tracks, if it does, use them (if not, after things settle, install some...).

You can make progress much better in rough weather under sail than with engine. Learn how to hove-to and reef the main, and use your sails. When sailing upwind in rough waters, you can actively helm the boat to avoid pounding...if the boat is pounding it will all but come to a stop...turn up a little rising on a wave, turn off at the top...learn to helm a path where you ride over the waters without pounding and you can upwind in a strong breeze and high waves just as well as in flat water.

You have a very capable heavy weather boat, one that likes 20 knots of wind much more than most, and if you figure out how to trim it for strong wind and waves, and steer it well, you'll find the conditions something to be cherised.

PS - as the boat heels excessively, set the traveler more to leeward. Mount a boomvang. Raise the main full hoist, and/or tension the halyard or downhaul to get the creases out of the luff.

Sailingfool,

Lots of good information here in your response. When we left the dock I questioned myself where to place the snatch blocks, but went by what the previous owner had told me off the cuff. I was not really sure where they should be located and was taking a bad guess. After returning home on Friday I did a little searching through the books I have here and found a general calculation for determining placement of the blocks based on a line running 90 degrees from the luff running through the clew. I'm not sure if this is the correct way to get it started but it seems more scientific than my initial approach.

Currently, the boat does not have any jib tracks, but I am now considering installing some very soon.

Thanks for the comments.