Tacking performance

[pitchpolehobie]

I did BWY's Big Jib rigging and sail mod, and have since traded my 150 genoa for a 150 drifter.

What is a drifter that a genoa is not?

It sounds like a cross between a genny and a spinny.

I wonder if I could run one up the spare halyard in a light wind.

A drifter is essentially a lightweight genoa. Being made from .75 oz nylon, it fills much more easily in light breezes than a genoa of the same size. It has a heavy rope luff, so it hoists on its own halyard set at the top of the mast. So, yes, if you have a spare halyard up front then that's how it is typically flown (as opposed to hanking it to the forestay like a regular jib). I found it is a little difficult to manage when taking it down, so I made a dousing sock for it. Much easier. Drifters can also be flown from their own furler, simplifying their use even more.

Describing it as a cross between a ginny and a spinny is accurate, particularly the way I use it. It is an excellent downwind sail, but I don't use it in winds any higher than about 12 to 13 MPH (at least yet). Any higher than that and I find that the boat performs well with just the 104% "Big Jib" and main. With winds below 6-7 MPH, it can mean the difference between sailing and just bobbing around.

When I decided I wanted a light wind sail, I researched different options and went with the drifter over a spinnaker for ease of handling since much of my sailing is single-handed, and my racing crew is, frankly, not up to the task of managing a spinnaker.

I consulted with Mike Lipari (new-ish owner of The Sail Warehouse) and he worked with Rolly Tasker to design what is referred to as a "Code C" sail. It does not have the girth up high that a spinnaker does, so still qualifies as regular foresail, and has no effect on my PHRF rating.

Something a drifter can do that a spinnaker can't is reach. I have found that I can get almost to a close reach when using it. Of course, it's billowy shape is not ideal for reaching, and when the wind gets up to about 12 MPH it can make the boat hard to handle. When in lighter breezes (like those encountered one evening on Lake Texoma) it performs remarkably well, impressing even my wife whose eyes usually glaze over when discussing matters of boat performance.

Well now I think I need one. Ive had a 150 genoa/100 jib and I need something for lighter wind sailing as both are less than desirable.

[Stickinthemud57]

Well now I think I need one. Ive had a 150 genoa/100 jib and I need something for lighter wind sailing as both are less than desirable.

I think it was a good choice for me. There are a few downsides to it per my rig:

1. With the leech of the drifter acting as the forestay, it was necessary to install a pulley and halyard to hoist it and tension the leech. You will want to be able to winch-tighten in, so the drifter should be equipped with a rope leech in order to do this.
2. Since it flies in front of my forestay, it can't be properly tacked like a normal foresail. It has to be brought around the forestay manually, and I found that trying to pull it around using the sheets doesn't work - everything catches at the foresail even when I wrapped the knot at the clew to smooth things out. I remember in the last race that I had to tack on a downwind run without bringing it around the forestay and nothing was damaged. Still, not "proper".
3. With it being so lightweight, when lowering it one must take care to stuff it in a bag as it comes down to avoid it blowing into the water, a common issue with spinnakers as well, sometimes referred to as "going shrimping".

To facilitate deployment, take-down, and tacking, I sewed a dousing sock from one of those dancing tube man things. That was a fair amount of work and took some trouble-shooting to get it working properly. This is not a necessity, but I needed quick and easy handling for racing and single-handing.

It does change my outlook on low-wind days - "Oh boy! I get to use the drifter!"

[Ixneigh]

I have a drifter but it’s a PITA. Or maybe I’m just lazy. Or maybe im not doing it right. I see it on a pole bowsprit (mast raising pole) lashed to the windlass and bow roller. It had its own halyard that was a few feet above the jib halyard. Tacking was an ordeal (by myself) and it just didn’t seem worth carrying for the number of light wind days we get. I decided I’d look for one to set off the head stay, and use the jib halyard, suffer with loss of sail area and have be much easier to manage. So far I have not located one though. (Read: found one cheap somewhere because I’m far to cost conscious to buy a new one lol)

Ix

[Stickinthemud57]

I have a drifter but it’s a PITA. Or maybe I’m just lazy. Or maybe im not doing it right. I see it on a pole bowsprit (mast raising pole) lashed to the windlass and bow roller. It had its own halyard that was a few feet above the jib halyard. Tacking was an ordeal (by myself) and it just didn’t seem worth carrying for the number of light wind days we get. I decided I’d look for one to set off the head stay, and use the jib halyard, suffer with loss of sail area and have be much easier to manage. So far I have not located one though. (Read: found one cheap somewhere because I’m far to cost conscious to buy a new one lol)

Ix

Yes, tacking a drifter (or any foresail when there is another foresail in the way) can be a pain. Two things can help - a dousing sock so you can contain the sail while resituating the sheet (I just use one) to the other side, or a furler. A same principle, just a different way to contain the sail.

[PSNA]

Read up on performing a "roll tack". Especially if racing in San Diego Bay.