Racing a P-30 with a storm jib

[TBG]

We've been racing on Lake Ontario in some pretty heavy weather this year, often in the low -mid 20 knot range. I have a storm jib that's brand new and never out of the bag. I think it's a 90% or so. We almost always sail a windward leeward course usually 3-4 miles, so not enough time for a sail change. Has anyone tried a head sail this small racing. if so how does she do, especially to weather. My sense is she might not point so well ?? So far we've stuck with my 135 and maybe a reef in the main.

Thanks

[sailingfool]

A true storm jib would be half the size of a 90%, so I assume what you have is a small jib. You should find a jib like this to be magic going upwind in that wind range. If you have inside tracks, trim the sheet inside the uppers.

If you have an actual storm jib, I would think it would not be much use in the '20s.

[TBG]

Thanks for the info. I checked and it's an 85. I do not have inside tracks, just on the toe rail. How involved / expensive would adding inside tracks be ? Would it have use for my 135 or 152 % Would that kind of a modification affect my PHRF ?

[sailingfool]

There is no PHRF penalty for inside tracks...the extra couple of pointing degrees are well worth the effort.

The challenge to installing tracks is figure where they should go, and having a location with good access from the underside. Many builders may provide location specs for installing inside tracks that were optional. The builders of performance boats generally included inside tracks as standard.

Lots of P-30 around, you should be able to find info from other owners. I would think a track for a 85-110% might end up on the forward corner of the cabintop.

You would need a seperate track for the bigger genoas, I think the P-30 has narrow side deck aft, so inboard may not be as inboard on other boats. There is a thread on this subject in the last year.