Solent Stay?

[dillybar]

Problem: Beneteau 461 quickly gets over powered going to wind with 140% roller furling Genoa. Rolling (reefing) the Genoa not a good option.

Solution: (a) Install Solent stay and use hank on Jib for Breezy conditions.
(b) Buy a wire or spectra luff Jib.

Pros and cons? Better options?

Thanks guys

[mitiempo]

A solent stay is a good option as installed correctly it will not need runners. Usually it is attached to the deck about a foot or so aft of the forestay and parallels the forestay, attaching to the mast not far down from the top. It of course should be made removable and stowed at the mast of main shrouds when not in use. The foredeck will have to be reinforced at the point of attachment. Here's a link to the fitting of a solent stay. Solent Stay

[wwilson]

Why not buy a 100% jib?

[mitiempo]

A solent stay with a smaller than present hank on jib would eliminate having to take the sail off the furler when it blows up, making for easier shortening of sail. I'm assuming offshore sailing, daysailing the smaller jib (110 possibly) might be a better choice.

[wwilson]

I sail offshore every season. I own, and virtually never use a staysail. Slamming around offshore on the bow changing either sail is detestable. A 100% jib will certainly help with, if not cure the overpowered attitude of the boat and can be furled (a bit) and still retain shape. It would almost certainly get more use than a solent or stay sail, and requires no holes drilled through a perfectly good boat.

[mitiempo]

The advantage of the solent stay is it allows you to fly a smaller jib down to storm jib size and there is not much reason to visit the bow. When offshore and it starts to blow set the solent and hank on the smaller or storm jib in stops, sheets attached. As the wind increases roll the outer jib in fully and raise the smaller jib on the solent from the cockpit.

How do you set a storm jib on a boat with a furler and no solent or staysail stay without going forward?

[EpicAdventure]

Why do you not like rolling in the jib some? Sure it doesn't yield great sail shape but it is easy to do (and it sounds like you are not racing and are after something easy to do).

[wwilson]

Originally Posted by mitiempo

How do you set a storm jib on a boat with a furler and no solent or staysail stay without going forward?

How did you get offshore in storm conditions when the man asked about too much heel using a 140% genoa?

[mitiempo]

It depends on the type of sailing. For inshore sailing a smaller furling jib or a badly setting 140 furled too far may be a solution but I would think it foolish to venture offshore with the possibility of heavy weather and only a single furler forward of the mast. And not just offshore. In my area (Victoria) at Easter we had 55 knots in the the Georgia Strait area and it decimated the Southern Straits Race fleet, cancelling the race well after the start. Anyone out sailing that weekend in "protected water" had to really be ready for anything.

[mitiempo]

wwilson
I wouldn't go offshore in a boat with only a furler with a 140 on it.