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!

Re: ode to my storm jib

I completely agree with you. I have used my storm jib offshore alot in the past and love it. I still carry it with me eventhough now a days I only sail around in circles in the local bay. It takes up no room and you never know when you will need it. Almost everyone here only have a large furled genoa and when the wind gets above perfect conditions they are all left flailing along trying to go upwind. I also carry it when I motor the 25nm across the lake with the mast down on the way to and from winter storage. Its useful for a jury rig and I never like having an engine as my only option.

Re: ode to my storm jib

Virago

Completely agree, which is why my storm jib never leaves the boat, unless she is on the hard. The message behind your story is the reason why I never store the jib away until the boat is firmly tied to the dock. I have yet to have my engine die for any reason but if she ever does it will be coming or leaving the harbour. A bad time to be hanking on the job.

John

4 (edited by Viragodeb 2011-12-02 10:53:41)

Re: ode to my storm jib

Hi John,

You brought up another interesting point, and something I learned on the job that day.  The 130 was still hanked on and lashed on the deck, but my thinking at the time was that rehoisting it would overpower the boat and add to the problems (not be able to drive to windward, add too much heel and so more leeway).  What I learned, and am again ever so grateful for, was that the pennant on the bottom of the storm jib is long enough that I could hank it on above the secured 130 on the forestay - I didn't have to unhank the big sail and wrestle with it.  Once I got into the anchorage I also learned that a shot of Drambuie could taste unusually good!

Seeadler, I didn't know you were back in Barrie.  I wonder if our wakes have crossed - my home port is on Georgian Bay.

Re: ode to my storm jib

The lower pennant on my storm jib is about 4 feet long, so it should not be a problem leaving another sail hanked on.

Deb, I have not been sailing on Georgian Bay for 20 years. Now I just day sail in Barrie.

Re: ode to my storm jib

Viragodeb... Are you the Deb we (Vixen) met in Tobermory this past July?  How many Deb's can own Contessa's in Georgian Bay... must be!

Glad you made it through your leeward shore incident without incident.  That's pretty unforgiving ground up there with little chance of the boat surviving vs. the escarpment.

On our side, we made it home safely with a few incidents on the way.  We discovered our diesel tank was full of algae gunk while we were in the middle of Lake Huron and sailed to Goderich but had to do the walk of shame as the coast guard towed us up the channel (no room to sail/tack up that channel).  We had 3 of 4 brutal days on Lake Erie - winds so high our knot meter stopped being able to display the numbers!  They were in the 30+ a few times.  Our final leg of Lake Erie brought 14' waves, 25-30 knot winds downwind and made our 25+ hour sail into 18.5 hours - No leeshores however.  We came through it just fine, but the blew apart 2 snatch blocks and bent the pins & holes on the old traveller.  It was a challenging night of sailing which I enjoyed but Feng did not... she's still willing to sail with me though!

7 (edited by Viragodeb 2011-12-07 18:57:09)

Re: ode to my storm jib

Hi Jordan and Feng,

Yep, it's me.  I can fully appreciate your Lake Erie experience.  I've been out on it in truely cruddy conditions and it is amazing just how truely cruddy that can be!  Steep, high waves packed close together and the area is a magnet for spectacular thunderstorms.  Too bad about the boat damage though, but at least it's replacable/fixable stuff.  No shame in being towed in by Coasties by the way, think of it more as being one of a select few.  I think you'll find a thread on here somewhere that addresses how to drain and clean a fuel tank - try the search function to find it.  If your boat doesn't have a Racor type filter in the fuel line between the tank and engine, I strongly recommend it, especially as you have gunk problems.   Anyhoo, I'm about to sign off for the winter as the navigation season on the Seaway is coming to a close.  Enjoy happy dreams of sailing and tinkering on winter boat projects.  And Feng gets full credit for fortitude!