Adding a Staysail on a Removable Inner Forestay on an E 32-3

[Shawn Brooks]

My motivation for considering adding a staysail to my 32-3 is my recent (and first) experience in 35+knot winds. Reaching on the mostly furled genoa alone was like wrestling a bear and heaving to had the weather directly on my beam. I'm not sure a staysail or a storm jib would have made things better...just thinking out loud.

I do plan to take the boat offshore and while I put a high priority on comfort, I'd rather have a plan B and C if I can manage it.

 

[Christian Williams]

In 35 knots you are running from it, dragging a drogue. There is no better solution in heavy air than a scrap of furler jib on these boats.

I have sustained a beam reach on a 32-3 for two days in 30 knots and no more than 10-foot seas, and that's about the best windward work you can do. About 15 percent of of jib only, speed 3+ knots. A beam reach means being knocked down by any sea that happens to crest against the boat.

I don't think most Ericsons will heave to in heavy air. And in heavy air the mainsail is probably furled already, so heaving to isn't an option.

Jordan Series Drogue when you can't sail anymore. Scrap of roller furling jib for everything else, including clawing off a lee shore.

 

[ConchyDug]

Just saw this post! I've been toying with getting a roller furling staysail for the 38.

Has anybody taken the plunge on any size Ericson?

I've read Ryan L's blog about the removable staysail they installed and they seemed pretty happy with it. Also, watched the video they have about the furling staysail on the catamaran.

I'm not looking at a staysail as a replacement for a storm jib but more of a balancing sail and an easy way to shift gears before the "survival" sailing starts.

This retro 80's North Sails video on Youtube

is where I learned about the usefulness of staysails years ago. I bet a few of you might have been on some of the boats in the video.

Some boats I sail/race on have RF staysails and they are great when reaching... we fly it under the kite in certain conditions too, we even use it to beat when the wind gets around 20kt on one of the boats and it points better then the furled genoa. That specific boat uses a RF staysail with anti-torsion rope luff and battens in the leech with a 2:1 halyard. Tacking a double headed rig isn't a big deal(If single handing yeah it would add complication), just furl the genoa and unfurl after the tack.

If you scroll to Jan 9th 2022, they have a few photos of one the boats

https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Boat-Service/uksailstexas/posts/

It's just another arrow for the quiver, they work... are they required for sailing no.