Learning to sail a cutter

[wiseleyb]

I've done a lot of sloop sailing in almost all conditions. I just bought a Westsail 28, which is cutter rigged. I'm not having much luck finding tips on what to do with the 3 sails instead of the usual 2.

I'm looking for advice on order of reduction as the wind speed goes up. I'm assuming the following:
1) light air - everything up
2) moderate wind - reef main
3) strong wind - reefed main, drop the jib
4) blowing snot - double reefed main, reefed stay sail?
5) storm conditions? reefed stay sail only?

When running - all sails up?

When using a drifter, drop the stay sail?

All my sails are hank on currently.

-ben

[sailingdog]

This is a rough guideline, but will vary depending on the specific boat and sails you have

Light air: everything up...

Force 4: Genoa, staysail, main
Force 5: Yankee, staysail, main
Force 6: Staysail, single reef main
Force 7: Staysail, double reefed main
Force 8: Storm staysail, trysail
Force 9: Bare poles... and pray.

When running, you can have more sail up, but don't put up too much more than you'd use for sailing a reach or upwind in the same conditions, since an accidental gybe will knock you down pretty badly otherwise.

Most cutters will balance better if the storm staysail is balanced by a trysail.


I hope this helps.

[Valiente]

That's pretty good as rough guides go. I would also say that, depending on the course, a staysail when motoring in moderately heavy air, say 30-35 knots, steadies the boat quite well and on certain points of sail can get you going off the top of waves while the motor keeps you going at the bottom.

I've just had one and half summers at it, but I'm enjoying the flexibility of a staysail on my cutter rig.

[sailingdog]

Thanks Val... I haven't sailed on too many cutters...last one was a Cape Dory 30, which a friend is in the process of rescuing.

[soul searcher]

Have been sailing our boat in cutter configuration alot lately playing with different trims going to weather the staysail will suck the genny inboard Don't know if this is normal or not but all the tells were streaming correctly.
I just posted this in another thread but will put it hre also this is a great thread on cutters with a lot of comments by Bob Perry that helped me a bunch when it comes to reefing. and understanding some of the problems with sail shape on self tending staysails.
http://64.70.221.24/DiscBoard/viewto...utters&start=0
hope this helps

[btrayfors]

One further note on cutters: you don't need a self-tending staysail. If you're short-handed or single-handed and beating up a narrow channel, just sheet the staysail mid-ships and forget it. Sail the boat like a sloop until you get to wider water.

Bill

[soul searcher]

One other trick I read of was when your running to sheet the staysail midship
and let it act as a brake. In a surfing situation It sounds like it would work to help keep the bow from coming up. I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS but it seems logical. But then logic never seemed to have much of a place on a boat.

[wiseleyb]

Thanks for the great info everyone! This is a great starting point.