Relocating to north to Maine ... looking at a new jib

[catamount]

Originally Posted by scraph

will a strong 100% working jib do much for me in coastal cruising around Maine? What are coastal sailing conditions like up there?

Most of the time in the summer, your 130 on the furler will be the right sail, but there are times, especially in the fall, when you will find a 100% to be the right sail. In the spring and fall the air is colder and denser, and therefore packs more power for a given windspeed.

At least I think that a 100% jib would be a worthwhile investment. But perhaps the real question is whether you are (a) one who hoists a sail on your furler when the boat is launched and leave it up all season, taking it down only at haul out, or (b) one who takes your furled sail down and stows it below whenever you don't expect to use the boat for a couple of days. Since you have a racing 150 as well as the cruising 130, it sounds like you might be the latter, in which case having another sail in your inventory makes sense -- you might actually use it. But if your are the former, are you likely to ever go through the hassle of changing sails?

[scraph]

Haha. I hear that. I don't think changing sails is all that big of a hassle ... there's something satisfying about it anyways Thanks for the info.

[norsearayder]

i sometimes run a 110 in the spring and fall and a130 or 150 in the lighter summer winds the previous owner who ran out of buzzards bay never used anything but the 110....will get the spin up on long offshore runs with wheelpilot its kewll

[capecodda]

Summer coastal cruising in Maine means mostly light winds. I'm not usually there for the shoulder seasons (others could give you better advice), July/August will be about bigger sails IMHO.

[DonScribner]

Scraph,

Light winds, mostly southerlies. But, we have a saying up hee-ah. "If you don't like Maine weather, wait a minute." If your moored in Portsmouth, that's actually in New Hampshire. Take a look at your charts and you'll see miles and miles of fairly smooth coastline north to Portland. Past Portland is Casco Bay and the Calendar Islands. An unofficial name to say that there's one for every day of the year. It might make for more interesting sailing. A little further north and mid Maine comes into view. Never sailed there but it looks like fun. Just keep in mind, you can move to a town but no matter how long you live there, your KIDS will still be "from away."

Don

Biddeford, Maine