Topic: ode to my storm jib
Although I have sailed with my storm jib as just another (albeit small) headsail, I bowed down and gave thanks for it earlier this season in the unhappy situation of being caught close to a lee shore in a sudden nasty squall and fighting to save my boat. Offshore wind had been 15 gusting 20. Happy broad reach under 130% only (no main) in occasional rain. Struck sail and started the motor when wind shifted 180 deg. and headed me about 1/4 mile from excellent anchorage, then blammo! At the exact moment my VHF advised of a squall warning I got hit with a wall of wind 30+ knots and waves building from 2 ft. to steep 6+ unbelievably quickly. I was close enough to shore to see fine detail, I could see the entrance to the anchorage, but I could not make headway with the little diesel. I was getting pushed to shore so scrambled to get the storm jib hanked on and hoisted. Did so just in time and managed to claw off the shore and make enough headway to get a clear line into the narrow entrance to the anchorage. I'm not telling this tale for the drama of it, I'm telling it because it has made me a firm believer in the value of my storm jib. It set well enough to draw to windward even in those conditions, and had enough size and shape to push Virago through the waves all by itself. It saved my ship. Storm jib: don't leave home without it!