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32-2 rigging question

Hi everyone

So my wife and I are taking possession of a wonderfully cared for 32-2 in a month. Looking at sails inventory we found this stay sail which seems like a light air sail that gets hoisted up about 2/3 up the mast (maybe 3/4) and there's a t track towards the front of the boat, where you tie the front of the sail. It's supposed to be sheeted to these small winches on top of the cabin -- By the looks of everything the whole thing seems like a light air rig to add some sail area. The sail has its own wire luff, so no actual inner forestay needed... making it appealing for a storm jib set up.

The question is the following:

The genoa has good possibilities for reefing in a blow, but nothing compared to it not being there and us using a real storm jib. Is it possible to use the staysail setup to use in heavy weather as a storm jib instead of a small patch of unfurled genoa? It seems like the smaller triangle would be better suited and the slot would be just small enough with the main double reefed -- I can beef up the fittings on the cabin top to make the cleats etc. withstand a high wind scenario. The concern is that the mast is unsupported at 2/3 or 3/4 up where this sail would be attached. Short of running backstays - which I am not interested in... what is the consensus around here -- has anyone done this? (i.e. used the staysail for a storm jib). I'm kind of keen to make one myself and use it instead of the existing light air staysail. But I wanted to ask all of you in case that's an absolute no no.... The mast seems pretty beefy, and we're talking a tiny storm jib -- maybe 50-70 sq feet, just enough to create a slot, so not big loads, but then again, in a storm blowing 40 plus the equation changes, and being dismasted might not be fun with a new boat just yet. Any thoughts?

Thanks.
 

PDX

Member III
I suspect you are correct in that the staysail was set up with the idea of light air reaching. In fact there is a flash screen picture, on the front page of this site, showing an E-35-2 with just such a setup.

Storm staysails are specially made for that purpose. They are heavy. Problems of lack of running backstays aside, I wouldn't try to substitute a light air sail. I think you'd be a lot happier with a regular 85 or 90, even a used one.
 
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