Performance of C-30 Tall Rig vs. Std. Rig

[flatfoot]

It has been widely stated that you want a C-30 tall rig (TR) when sailing the Chesapeake, because of its light wind conditions; however I have also read one should reef at 15kn with a tall rig. 15 kn is not a lot of wind to begin taking in sail. I have only been on a standard rig (SR) and would like to understand the performance differences between the TR and the SR. I am currently off the Jersey Shore and the SR does fine by me; anyone with experience on the Chesapeake during summer please jump in and help me understand the finer points of this variation. Our intention is to sail from Baltimore to potomac river and up to DC as our summer vacation (July/August). Is there a sail plan which minimizes the effects of the TR? Which offers a less heel at a given speed, and how does the TR vs. SR handle gusts?

Thanks

Flatfoot

[papasailor]

I sail on lake Michigan which has many light wind nights. The on shore/off shore winds can be tricky and cancel each other out. Often any wind is higher and having a tall rigs helps. As for reefing at 15 kn, I have never reefed below 20 or even 25. It tends to heel but only so far. The main is your primary adjustment when the wind kicks up.

I have never felt unsafe on mine except when their was a big wind shift and my spinaker sheet got snarled in a block. It came close to knocking me down until we got it under control but then the chute has a lot of power relative to the boat.

[anthony11]

Originally Posted by papasailor

Often any wind is higher and having a tall rigs helps.

I've heard that the wind aloft can be significantly different from the wind down at boom/cockpit level, and that a tall rig can be better for getting the useful part of the sail up to where the wind is. Is that what you mean here?

[chucklesR]

I sail on my friends 1986 C30 TR all the time, we do not reef until about 22kts. And yeah, that's on the Chesapeake. My old boat, a 86 Hunter 31 was about it's equal side by side until the wind got real light.