# Sailing with mainsail only?



## Survivor (Aug 7, 2008)

I've been able to get info on sailing with the jib only but would like to get opinions on sailing on the Columbia River with the mainsail only. It's such a narrow channel and so much commercial river traffic where I live it sure would be easier to just use the main.


----------



## merc2dogs (Jun 5, 2004)

Realy think it depends on the boat.
My last boat would sail OK with the main, but would get real touchy when sailing jib alone, boat before that sailed better jib alone.

Best thing I can say is give it a try when conditions allow experimentation.

Ken.


----------



## Stillraining (Jan 11, 2008)

Every boat will be different..Just remember that going any direction but down wind boats are pulled forward not pushed..The air foil shape of the sail is what provides lift or low pressure to suck the boat forward..thats why two sails working togather create more lift as 1) it creates the slot for increased airflow over the longer side of the foil creating that lift and 2) creates a second foil. Depending on that center of effort sort of defines how well it will handel one or the other.

I personally have really only two boats to draw much experiance from and both thoes sailed better under main alone then gibe alone so take information you get from other sailors as being specific to what there sailing also. Mine were a Mac21 and SJ 24..I will soon find out one of theas days how a 41 Irwin reacts to your question ..thats one big Genoa so might be a whole different animal...but no info right now sorry.


----------



## sander06 (Sep 18, 2003)

Try it and see if it works. There are a lot of opinions out there that somehow have evolved into "rules". It's your boat and you can sail it anyway you darn well please. Some ways are better than others, but I sure wouldn't let that stop me from experimentation! Good luck.


----------



## maccauley123 (Sep 2, 2004)

I have to agree with advice so far, give it a try somewhere open so you can see how your boat responds. If I am looking for a really easy sail I use the Main only on mine. She can't point quite as high but tacks real easy. Pretty reasonable performance for the ease gained. With jib only I don't like how she handles when I tack. The bow gets pushed down and takes a bit to bring it back up. Could be my technique but she does not seem to like it. Every boat is different. Try it, you have nothing to lose. Just don't experiment in a narrow channel.


----------



## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

I can not tell from looking up your boat, assuming previous posts re a lancer 25, if jib or main would be better. I do agree, that main alone is usually easier than trying to sail with a jib alone! Which will go better or faster?!?!?! I am sure that depends upon the size of the Jib/genoa vs the main. My boats case, a 155 is 350# vs a 190# main, so the genoa should allow me to sail faster etc. BUT, it is easier to sail by oneself with the main alone. 

Try it, you do not really have any thing to lose.

Marty


----------



## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

Most sailboats do not sail well under main alone, especially up wind, because of the main's relatively small size. A main alone will generally not produce enough drive to move a sailboat very well. The bigger the main, the better the boat will sail by main alone. Some newer designs with fractional rigs and small jibs also feature large mains...those boats will generally sail well with just the main.

For example, my CS 36T moves very poorly under main alone, whereas given adequate wind any of the jibs will drive it quite well. Thios was my experience with several C&Cs plus a Beneteau First that I owned.

I race on a Henderson 30 which has a large main and the boat sails very well with main alone, which is also my experience with racing a J30 and a Rhodes 19.


----------



## philsboat (Oct 16, 2006)

When sailing with the main alone,put lots of draft in the sail(ease the outhaul)and don't sheet it in to the centerline when going upwind.This works well in heavy wind as well as light wind.Then sit back and steer with no jib sheets to tack back and forth.
Phil


----------



## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

It's all about the boat and it's balance.

On my Hunter 31 under main only I had a lot of weather helm. Under jib only I had lee helm which was worse.

On my Gemini it sails like like a motor boat on tracks under main only at a little under 1/2 of the speed both sails give - in 10-15 knts of wind it's just perfect for easy sailing.

Screacher only on the Gemini is a downwind blast, upwind at 50 off I get 2/3 of full sail speed.
Being a multihull almost no helm needed with any combo of sail or course in winds I've sailed in so far.


----------



## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

Around here the mast head boats go Jib only for the most point and the fractional boats go main only when there feeling laid back 



My J24 is pretty unhappy on main only unless there is a pretty good breeze and the 100% jib is so easy to tack it is rare i would sail main only


----------



## Banshi (Jul 4, 2007)

It all depends on the boat, mine sails really well with my genoa (110) alone much better than with just the main. I learned this by accident when a small rip developed in the main and I decided to drop it and avoid further damage. Aside from the better speed with just a Genoa it also drove though the rough chop better than with the main only. I also found that tacking, with Genoa only, while pulling three people behind me in the water was impossible.....................


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

It would help if you said what kind of boat you had, as someone here may be familiar with the beastie... some boats do sail well under mainsail alone, others not so much... you really need to experiment until you get good feel for what your boat will/won't do.


----------



## Survivor (Aug 7, 2008)

The boat is a 1979 lancer 25


----------



## Omatako (Sep 14, 2003)

I'm not going to enter the debate about which boats sail better with which sails but would like to say that when you're manouvering under sail in tight conditions (which the OP says he does), a sudden wind shift or worse, an unexpected puff into the main could leave you with less than acceptable control and an inability to slow the boat down. 

It is easy to dump wind from a headsail and often impossible to do so from a main and I personally would be reluctant to sail in tight space conditions with just a main up unless the wind is guaranteed to be coming only from the front. Any eddies or windshifts could leave you scrambling.

Andre


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I have found sailing with the main alone is fine if you're in no rush and going with the wind.


----------



## tager (Nov 21, 2008)

I have an Islander Bahama 24, with a long, shoal keel, and a masthead rig. I find that it sails much better under main alone, because in light air, under jib alone, tacking is difficult.


----------



## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

On my old Sabre 28, genoa alone to 20 knots. 35 knots an above, main alone with a reef. We did exceptionally well going to weather in 40+ with a reefed main, no headsail. My C&C 29, headsail only.


----------



## GraemeInCanada (Jun 17, 2008)

I have no real luck with only the main unless about somewhat running. From the beam I find the boat has trouble not just doing a circle when I don't want it to. I've got a 25' US yacht which has a lead keel ballast. I'm guessing the center of force is just not quite in the right spot and causes it to do that. Test your boat, see what happens in strong and light winds is my suggestion too.


----------



## davidpm (Oct 22, 2007)

If your sailing in a channel with other boats, depending on the situation, you may have your engine idling for safety.
So another consideration is what your options are if a gust hits or another boat cuts in front of you. 
If you have a roller furling jib you may be able to douse it fast.
Dutchman or such on the main and you may be able to blow the main halyard fast enough.
Or if you have enough trained crew.
In all cases you have to be able to deal with what might happen so your options to stop the boat are important. 
Little kids in kayaks and sunfish in the Chanel have the right of way in my book regardless of the official rules. You have to assume they don't know the limitations of a 25' sailboat in a channel.


----------

