Topic: Tri-Sail or Small Main Sail

Hello Everyone!

These are the sails I got with my Contessa:  Mainsail (with 2 reefs); Storm Jib; 80% Jib, 110% Jib, 150% Jib, Spinaker.

I'm concerned about not having a Tri-Sail for distant cruising.  When I asked the previous owner about this, he suggested that I buy a heavy-duty, small, double-reef mainsail.  He said that my sailing performance would be way better than if I had a tri-sail. 

I just got done reading Larry and Lin Parday's book about their cruise from the med. back to Victoria via the Suez and Japan, etc.  Near the back of the book, Larry comments about the common practice of using a small, heavy-duty mainsail instead of a tri-sail.  He said that this is only for a CUTTER and not a SLOOP (like the contessa) and that if you tried to do this with a sloop, that the rig would get out of balance and it wouldn't work very well. 

Does anyone know what the right answer for this issue is?  What are the proper sails to have for heavy weather sailing on a contessa?  Your advise will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks much.

Re: Tri-Sail or Small Main Sail

I am no expert but I'll share my observations:

Start by going sailing in heavy air for an afternoon and play around with different sail combinations and different points of sail.  Don't forget to try heaving-to as well, so that you know what is necessary for this manoeuver to be stable with different sail arrangements.

From a practical viewpoint, tri-sails are often left rigged on the mast ready to go.  This means more clutter on the mast, more fittings and ropes and the like, and more weight and windage on deck.  The compromise of a small heavy main instead of a tri-sail makes great sense because no additional hardware is required.  *BUT*, it requires changing the mainsail entirely in a lumpy sea and strong winds.

The mainsail on our boats is small to begin with, and I find that I skip the first reef and go right to the second when reefing.  Perhaps others have more experience using a single reef.  If two reefs in the main and a storm jib are too much sail then I would be thinking about taking down the main or the jib (or both) entirely.  There is a surprising amount of windage just from the furled main and its cover --

Were I buying sails today I would buy a main with two reefs, but make them deeper (taller?).  The effect would be a third reef but would not require me to fit extra reefing hardware.  This option seems preferable to a tri-sail because it means less to deal with.  Alternatively, I could just go with three reefs and only set up jiffy reefing for two and keep the third reef point as an option.  I acknowledge that making the upper part of the sail strong enough for a blow may hurt its light-air performance. 

Think about your headsails and how you will manage them in rising winds.  They are a complication that you will have to face more often than you will need the tri-sail.

Finally, the best argument against a tri-sail is that it leaves your budget intact so that you have more money to put towards self-steering.  For cruising of any distance, self-steering is THE best money you can spend (I like the Cape Horn myself).  One could put up second hand rags from a different boat and the Contessa will still go forward.  Self-steering is like having a reliable and well paid helmsman with you 24/7, rain or shine.

Thanks for the great question.  More entertaining than work!

Re: Tri-Sail or Small Main Sail

I have 3 reefs in my main with permanently rigged reefing lines to the cockpit. I perfer this over the tri sail. The main thing to remember is that with any solution you will be rigging it in storm conditions. Dragging a sail on deck and getting the sliders into the track while the rest of the sail is trying to rip out of your hands in 45kts is "problematic". Same with reefing with out all the lines in place ahead of time. I found that sailing very close hauled ( almost zero headway) with a storm jib only was better that heaving-to. After that a sea-anchor worked great when the sea was too large. (if you have sea room)

Re: Tri-Sail or Small Main Sail

Thanks for your replies on this question.  You guys have been very helpful to me as I get my boat ready.  I am very grateful for your input.  Brian