tophatyachts.com

HI all,
My foresail gets hanked on and I am thinking of getting a smaller sail in case of bigger winds. The sail is about 110% by my estimation. What size sail would you recommend for windy days? storm jib? or intermediate size.

I see Rolly Tasker have storm jibs for 24-26 boats (smaller area than original spec for Top Hat) and for 26-28 foot boats (bigger than spec for THs). The Rolly Tasker storm sails are similar in size to the TH original, but the dimensions are different. Are the actual dimensions important, or it only area one should look at?

If one does the change before winds pick up too much, how difficult is it to swop from 110% genoa to smaller sail?

Any help suggestions will be welcomed.

It is pretty easy to swap a hanked on headsail, provided it is not blowing a gale and/or you are not in a messy seaway. The actual dimensions of the storm jib are not important. I have had a stock Rolly Tasker storm jib for years. I think you would be better off getting a working jib (75-100% of fore triangle) which you could use to about 20-25 knots. A storm jib is for conditions that anyone new to sailing should avoid.

Cheers,
Mark

Mark,

Spot on, avoid changing the headsails by careful planning in considering the condition to be expected on the day.

I use a Yankee [smaller than a no.3 jib] and a Genoa.

I only changed sails a couple of time during my trip north last year and that was put the Genoa up in place of the Yankee in very calm conditions.

Sail conservatively, sail safe!


Phillip.

Hi John,

I also have stuck with hanked on sails. The thought of having to get a big sail off a furler to fit a storm jib bothers me.

We often go away for more than a week so have to carry a wide range of sails.

No 1
No 2
No 3
No 4
Storm jib
Main with 3 reefs (slightly stronger material than standard)
We also carry a saggy old No 2 which we set flying on a run opposite a poled No2 or No 3.

To give you an idea of what we find appropriate, here is our sail plan for windward work in Port Phillip.

0 to 12 kts - No 1 and full main
8 to 20 kts - No 2 and full main or one reef after about 16 knots
16 to 25 kts - No 3 and two reefs after about 18 knots
25 kts and up - Storm jib and three reefs.

In flat water you could carry more.

The No 4 is not really useful, just too similar tothe No 3.

The standard TH sail plans seem ok to me. Mk11 and Mk111 have a meter longer mast than the original (wooden) TH so check you have the right plan.

Using sails other than on the plan is probably ok but be careful of the sheeting positions, ie that they will fit your genoa tracks and still sheet ok.

We use the No 2 most of the time.

If you want to see a Top Hat do her stuff, be on board in 12 knots on the wind with the No1 sheeted hard!

Actually 30 kts with a Storm jib (sheets sprung) and 3 reefs is pretty wild too!

Good luck,

Tom

All far too complex.

1 self furling genoa.
1 main sail with reefs.

If it gets too windy, drop all, or nearly all and start up the 2 stroke missen.

Excellent info there Tom,

John, You will probably be best served looking at getting a No.3 as suggested above.
I have had the genoa on in a solid wind, but its not easy to manage, the No.2 is much more civilized(with no loss of speed in solid wind), the No2 (at least I think its a No2) you have is a pretty good size I reckon, with one or two main reefs it covers most situations.

I wouldnt worry about a storm sail for now, unless you are planning to cross oceans??

cheers

Shaun, yeah gotta cross some ocean next year (LOL). Great info, thanks guys. I think the sail on Night CAP is a no2. It has been a handful in a heavy blow. Your advice is sound, I probably need a no3 (or slightly smaller even, but not quite down to no4 size).

The no1 that I have seems too long on the luff. The tack has to be tied down right at the anchor roller (with the sail pulled all the way up as far as it will go). The clew and foot do not clear the pulpit.I would have thought is should be about 600mm above the anchor roller, the same as the no2.

Hoping to get out this weekend and try the mylar foresail that I got from Sean (Gramps). It might even be a no3.

So thanks all. I won't be getting a storm jib.I will stay with hanked on foresails and will get a boom cover. Surely water gets in through the cover. What effect does this have on the sail? I guess storing the sail on the boom is better for the sail than crunching it up in a bag?

Cheers, John

John, if you get around to the Basin on Saturday, you can have a look at my mainsail cover. Water does get in, but it's really no issue. Sun is what causes the damage.

Cheers,