Joy Jib's Jib (The Perfect Sail)

Posted By: Don Rhodes- Montgomery17, Jeanneau SO32
Date: 6/17/09 9:13p.m.

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When Jerry Montgomery delivered my new Montgomery 17 to my driveway in March of 1989 the boat had three headsails in her inventory, a 155% Genoa, a 110% Jib and an 80% Storm Jib. I used the 155 and 110 exclusively for about a dozen years. In fact, I never even opened the bag with the 80 until I had owned Joy Jib for at least twelve years. Having the Storm Jib was like having a tool in your workshop that you never use but when you do you are thankful you have it. We were in a race at Lake Havasu where we raced from the London Bridge down the lake about twenty miles or so and spent the night and then sailed back on Sunday. That Sunday morning around nine o'clock the wind was blowing about six. But looking up the lake (really a river at that point) I could see very dark blue water approaching. I decided to take down the 155 and replace it with the 110. If I remember right, I put in a reef as well. Anyway, it wasn't long and I realized that we were very overpowered and I needed to see just exactly what that Storm Jib looked like for the first time. With the wind on our nose, we short tacked our way back up the river to the London Bridge and I was very glad I had an 80% sail on board. Oh, and the inscription on my trophy reads: First Place. My sails were all made by Kern Ferguson in Newport Beach, California. Since Kern worked with Jerry and knew the Montgomery 17, I asked him to make a 135% sail for me shortly after this race. Now for the whole reason behind this little article. The 135% is the perfect all around headsail for a Montgomery 17. I use it almost exclusively. It is rare that I use any other headsail. If you own a 17 you really need to invest in this size sail. Now, if you race against me please regard all the above as just a joke. Ha!