Hey Ron,

...but I think he made that trysail deal look a bit more difficult than it really needs to be... (grin)

No surprise PELAGIC's gone to a 4th reef, Hamish & Kate Laird on SEAL (Hamish a former skipper on PELAGIC) have advocated that setup in lieu of a trysail...

With my high-aspect main, I only have 2 deep reefs in the sail, which handle anything up to 30 knots or so just fine. I suppose a third reef for me would work as a trysail, but I still think having a trysail in addition is still the better way to go... The key is to have it all arranged, so it's relatively simple to deploy, and use...

A separate track is a must, but for you there could be another solution... I too have a Strong Track, and I've cut out a small section just above the head of the main when flaked, that can be removed when I want to hoist my Mast Mate ladder for going aloft... Bending on a trysail in a real blow, using such an arrangement, might be a bit of a PITA, but it could be done...

So, when I'm going offshore or expecting a blow, my trysail is usually bagged at the base of the mast, bent on the track which runs right down to deck level, ready to go...

I also have a dedicated external trysail halyard, run to a block only slightly above full hoist... That eliminates the mast slapping you can get from using a masthead halyard with a trysail, or deeply reefed main... And, since I have no dedicated topping lift, my main halyard can then be employed as one, to get the boom in a rock-solid position...

Instead of the use of double sheets led to the stern quarter, I prefer to attach the clew of the trysail to the boom, and have a small 3:1 purchase attached that basically serves as an outhaul... I feel this is a much better setup, as it allows far more control of the sail, and allows you to really TRIM it to suit, especially if you start sailing off the wind... On a boat like mine, where the main is comparatively small to begin with, the trysail can be surprisingly effective in driving the boat even after conditions begin to moderate, and having that ability might often make the difference between having to douse it and go with the main when the seas might still be large and confused, or at night, as opposed to waiting until daylight to do so, or after things have settled down a bit more...

One thing I don't like about the 4th reef idea, is that it seems to me you're really exposing your main to the risk of potential damage... It could really suck if you blew out the top or leech of your main, when trying to use it like a trysail... To do that properly, I think you might want to have a main purpose-built from the get-go to be used that way, rather than just adding another reef point... However, I'm sure any decent sailmaker could beef up the sail accordingly - but I still like the idea of having a sort of back-up for my mainsail, in the event I'd ever really need it...

One more thing, which I feel is important when using stuff like storm sails... Because most of us use them so infrequently, it's very easy to forget how they are to be rigged... Not good, to be out there some night, in a blow, wondering "OK, so HOW did I run this outhaul attachment, again? You really want to have a diagram/set of instructions handy, preferably on an easy to find/refer to laminated card, to save you the trouble of scouring your brain in an effort to recall how you last did this, several years ago... (grin)

best regards,

Jon