Sailing with mainsail only?

[Survivor]

I've been able to get info on sailing with the jib only but would like to get opinions on sailing on the Columbia River with the mainsail only. It's such a narrow channel and so much commercial river traffic where I live it sure would be easier to just use the main.

[merc2dogs]

Realy think it depends on the boat.
My last boat would sail OK with the main, but would get real touchy when sailing jib alone, boat before that sailed better jib alone.

Best thing I can say is give it a try when conditions allow experimentation.

Ken.

[Stillraining]

Every boat will be different..Just remember that going any direction but down wind boats are pulled forward not pushed..The air foil shape of the sail is what provides lift or low pressure to suck the boat forward..thats why two sails working togather create more lift as 1) it creates the slot for increased airflow over the longer side of the foil creating that lift and 2) creates a second foil. Depending on that center of effort sort of defines how well it will handel one or the other.

I personally have really only two boats to draw much experiance from and both thoes sailed better under main alone then gibe alone so take information you get from other sailors as being specific to what there sailing also. Mine were a Mac21 and SJ 24..I will soon find out one of theas days how a 41 Irwin reacts to your question ..thats one big Genoa so might be a whole different animal...but no info right now sorry.

[sander06]

Try it and see if it works. There are a lot of opinions out there that somehow have evolved into "rules". It's your boat and you can sail it anyway you darn well please. Some ways are better than others, but I sure wouldn't let that stop me from experimentation! Good luck.

[maccauley123]

I have to agree with advice so far, give it a try somewhere open so you can see how your boat responds. If I am looking for a really easy sail I use the Main only on mine. She can't point quite as high but tacks real easy. Pretty reasonable performance for the ease gained. With jib only I don't like how she handles when I tack. The bow gets pushed down and takes a bit to bring it back up. Could be my technique but she does not seem to like it. Every boat is different. Try it, you have nothing to lose. Just don't experiment in a narrow channel.

[blt2ski]

I can not tell from looking up your boat, assuming previous posts re a lancer 25, if jib or main would be better. I do agree, that main alone is usually easier than trying to sail with a jib alone! Which will go better or faster?!?!?! I am sure that depends upon the size of the Jib/genoa vs the main. My boats case, a 155 is 350# vs a 190# main, so the genoa should allow me to sail faster etc. BUT, it is easier to sail by oneself with the main alone.

Try it, you do not really have any thing to lose.

Marty

[sailingfool]

Most sailboats do not sail well under main alone, especially up wind, because of the main's relatively small size. A main alone will generally not produce enough drive to move a sailboat very well. The bigger the main, the better the boat will sail by main alone. Some newer designs with fractional rigs and small jibs also feature large mains...those boats will generally sail well with just the main.

For example, my CS 36T moves very poorly under main alone, whereas given adequate wind any of the jibs will drive it quite well. Thios was my experience with several C&Cs plus a Beneteau First that I owned.

I race on a Henderson 30 which has a large main and the boat sails very well with main alone, which is also my experience with racing a J30 and a Rhodes 19.

[philsboat]

When sailing with the main alone,put lots of draft in the sail(ease the outhaul)and don't sheet it in to the centerline when going upwind.This works well in heavy wind as well as light wind.Then sit back and steer with no jib sheets to tack back and forth.
Phil

[chucklesR]

It's all about the boat and it's balance.

On my Hunter 31 under main only I had a lot of weather helm. Under jib only I had lee helm which was worse.

On my Gemini it sails like like a motor boat on tracks under main only at a little under 1/2 of the speed both sails give - in 10-15 knts of wind it's just perfect for easy sailing.

Screacher only on the Gemini is a downwind blast, upwind at 50 off I get 2/3 of full sail speed.
Being a multihull almost no helm needed with any combo of sail or course in winds I've sailed in so far.

[tommays]

Around here the mast head boats go Jib only for the most point and the fractional boats go main only when there feeling laid back



My J24 is pretty unhappy on main only unless there is a pretty good breeze and the 100% jib is so easy to tack it is rare i would sail main only