As for the cruising sail selection, I am still mixed. When you get the wrong combination you are on your ear, that is for sure, but that is more about balancing a boat vs a J/30 issue.
When it is blowing you really cannot sail the boat with out a head sail because you cannot dump the main in the gust with out bearing off which powers the boat up and increases the heal and speed etc . When it is blowing my target is about 10 degrees of heel and helm that my wife can easily handle. So I try to find the combination of sails and sailing angle that gives me this, one size does not fit all. So I have found that depending on the angle we need to sail determins how I balance the boat. If we have to beat then we sail the boat *very* high 25-27 apparent with a reef and the #3 with the blocks a bit back to open the top, and the back stay pulled to the stern rail, traveler down etc. The boat will go to weather like a bat out of hell with little weather helm and eat up the chop. Just make sure you wave at all the 40 footers you pass.
Downwind, main and #2 poled out wing on wing. Done this in 20+ and registered 12.8 on the GPS, surf'n city for 9hrs while going from Marblehead to Maine.
Reaching, hmmm. I find this the hardest to get the boat balanced. Full main, #2 is what I use so I can roll in, roll out to keep balance.
All that said, when the wind is up, let your wife drive and you work the strings. My wife is just not strong enough for the loads. We communicate on heal and helm. Heal is obvious but I always want her to tell me when the helm gets too much that means we are getting out of balance, particularly when reaching. When you get the groove the boat will have a bit of heel but you can drive with one hand. It takes a while to find the groove but it is there you just have to convince your wife not to divorce you before you find it (-:
Also the autohelm does not work sailing in a blow, we have tried it. However for most sailing they are totaly worth it.
All this depends on having the rig properly setup and having decent sails. If they are old and baggy then you are going to have a battle on your hands. You have to be able to flatten them or you will be on your ear.
Hope this helps.
David
#397
