Double bagging - Easy headsail handling for the furlerless by Gary "Doc" Hansen
If you use a hank on headsail system, and not a roller furler there are times when you will need to change from one sail to another. There is a little trick that I picked up years ago that will make this chore quicker and easier… called Double Bagging, and it goes like this.
I have 4 headsail bags down below: my genniker, a 150 genny, a 100 percent jib, and a little working jib of about 45 percent that I use when it gets stormy. The two bigger sails are used in light air situations only, and are not a problem to change out in those conditions. The 150 percent is coming down at about 15 knots tops, and will be replaced by the 100 percent at that time. This sail change is designed not to slow the boat, but rather keep her “on her feet” and reduce that amount of heeling, thus capturing more air. Doing this will actually improve the boat speed in most situations.
The wind on the day that you are rigging to go out will determine what sail you are going to start off with, but the Double Bag method is for having a sail ready should it turn stormy during that day. All you have to do is get your littlest sail, the one you would put on should the wind pick up, and take it forward to the bow. Hank this sail on the head stay first, and then push the sail down to the deck and place it back in its bag. This sail now is already hanked on, placed back in its bag, and secured to the pulpit.
Over these hanks, you can place your choice for the day. Simply attach the foot of the chosen sail to the boat and put the first hank up from the foot over the top of the one you have bagged. Now, you are ready to go for that sail, and ou are going to have a really nice day!
However, should it get windy and you want to go to the smaller sail, all you have to do is “downhaul” the one you are flying to the deck. With this sail now on the deck, you start at the clew and walk the clew forward to the bow, bringing the sail with you. Sit down at the pulpit and pull the bag off the littler sail that’s waiting there, and put the bigger sail into that bag. Once in the new bag, un-hank the big sail, and transfer the jib shackle to the new sails headboard. Switch out the sheets, and you are ready to fly. That’s all there is to it, just bring the bigger sail back to toss below when you are done.
The obvious advantage here is saving time and steps in rough and windy situations. Having half of the work already done for you should in theory save you half the time. Plus, having the sail attached to the head stay will keep it under control, rather than pulling the sail out of the bag in 20 knots of wind and trying to attach it then.
Hope this proves as helpful to you as it has to me… good sailing.
Doc - doc@trailersailor.com
| 
Trailer Sailor Tips & Tricks
