Rich, either you're sailing on very flat water or you have very heavy crew or you're a hell of a lot better sailor than am I (or all three). At 18 knots true breeze you're talking maybe 23 or 24 apparent upwind, and I would be on my ear with anything bigger than a number 3, even with a crew of 8. I've found that my Ericson built boat likes to be sailed very flat, and I don't find feathering the sail as quick as downshifting to a smaller headsail. Are you reefing with the larger headsail? Maybe that's the difference, since out here on the left coast we never, ever seem to reef the main.
Bob Izmirian
Jane Doe
Received on Wed Oct 16 14:05:06 2002