I continue to have a debate with myself regarding my foredeck set up, particularly as I am single hander. In the past I've flown a 100% on the head stay with a foam luff and a over sized Harken furler. I can roll this up to about a 70% and still have reasonably good sail shape. I have a removable inner stay at about 75% of J, attaching at the aft side of the the anchor locker, that attaches at the mast at the jack stay location. My storm jib hanks onto that stay.

But the thought of a 120-130% on the head stay that could roll up to an effective 90-100% and then have a heavy weather staysail on a furler on the inner stay seems appealing. But the fear is that a partially rolled staysail in a real blow could be a problem. Would it hold in really big winds? Additionally, that I'd partially roll up the staysail as the wind built and then have to roll it up completely and go forward with a gale sail in perhaps (much) higher winds than I'd have gone forward if there were no staysail is troubling to me. It is a trade off between the two options that I have not resolved. I also don't know enough about the attachment of the Gale Sail product to know if it is as secure as a hanked on storm jib. I also think that hanking on a storm jib will be faster/easier than attaching the Gale Sail.

I spoke with one of the Vendee Globe guys about their set up and while they have a stay sail on a furler, they also have a removable head stay inside of the staysail stay on which they hank on their storm jib.

Thoughts?

Regards,
Ron