Changing up to a genoa...

We didn't keep our jib up for very long. As soon as we were out of the main channel leading to the Golden Gate bridge, the wind dropped so much that it warranted our bigger genoa.

Elise has hanks on all her headsails. This has drawbacks as one sail has to come down before we can raise another headsail but out in the ocean, especially short-handed, we consider it much safer. If you have hanks, you can easily lower your sail by releasing the halyard. The sail will come down onto the deck. You can also raise it again without having to go to the foredeck. With tuff luff (a track that the sail goes up through), you need a pre-feeder to raise it again, you also may have to go to the foredeck for lowering the sail as there is much more friction in the system and the sail may not go down). Older designs would have hanks and TWO headstays (huge additional windage) to get around the problem. Performance-wise, both types of pretty much equivalent if well done.

Since we do a lot of short-handed sailing, and out in the ocean, we opted for safety over speed and convenience. It does mean that it is a challenge when we make a sail change upwind. (downwind, we can make a sail change while the spinnaker is up and there is much less of a hit in performance).

Heather is demo'ing how we can get the most of out this.

1. remove the LOWEST hanks (2 should do it) from the jib up on the forestay.
   
2. attach the tack and all the hanks of the new sails in the space thus freed - also attach the lazy sheet to the new sail
   
3. lower the jib and remove the hanks from bottom to the top.
4. when you get to the halyard, quickly put the halyard onto the new sail
5. quick tack and up goes the other sail (we're beating upwind and tacking is an option in our case. If not, then just be quick!)
6. attach the now lazy sheet to the new sail. On the new tack everything will be set right!
   

Heather has just switched the halyard from the old to the new headsail and is getting ready to jump up the genoa

New genoa is up, Heather is bungee'ing down the jib. Wind was so light that we couldn't point very well.

Heather is making adjustment in jib car (with the new adjustable car system!) to finish off the sail change settings

Heather is attaching the second sheet and we will be good to go!