I could not get my weekly sailing fix on Wednesday due to the strong wind forecast. We were ready to go. I had taken the No 4 jib our of storage from under the front bunks and inserted the battens ready to use it if the wind was stronger than forecast. The No 4 has seen little use since the first season when we were regularly sent out in 20 plus knots on the long Division 1S course up to Manly and with all the cancellations since then I wonder if it will ever get used again. Indeed the sail maker says there is little demand for No 4 jibs due to races being cancelled in conditions when they would be needed.
Now I fully support the cautious approach of race committees but I do wonder if over caution is breeding a generation of sailors and yachts that cannot handle the big breeze. In the first season we came back from Port Stephens in 35 knots with a triple reef and the No 3 jib and in the height of the strong wind I did lower the No 3 jib and proceeded on main alone. That experience was one contributing factor to purchasing the No 4 jib although to be fair had we been racing I would have changed to the storm jib which is as of now still unused.
Perhaps we can have a heavy air series based on the cancelled races where boats with Category 4 safety can compete and practice heavy air sailing.
We have not performed well in heavy airs so I am keen for more practice. In the interest of improving our heavy air performance I have added some outboard sheeting positions for the No 3 and No 4 jibs. This will improve our reaching sheeting angles and possible even be an outboard working sheeting position when we are over powered. Out genoa tracks on Passion X are at 11 degrees to the centre line while on the old Passion they were 14.4 degrees. Whenever it blew and we had the No 3 jib up on the old Passion we had very good performances so it is worth a try widening the sheeting angles on Passion X.
Pad eyes for outboard sheeting of the No 3 and No 4 jibs have been added. Now all we need is a race in breeze.