Code 2S

wingssail image-fredrick roswold
New 3/4 Symmetrical Kite, code 2S

After weighing on Saturday morning we put up the main and headed downwind intending to try out the third new sail, a code 2S 3/4 oz symmetrical spinnaker. While I was forward hooking up the kite Judy yelled, "How much wind can this sail take?".

I knew this meant trouble ahead.

I answered, "What is it blowin'?"

"Fourteen point five".

"Well, I wouldn't put it up in over 20 and I'll take it down if the wind goes over 25."

Some bravado in that answer but truth too. Anyhow, we set the kite and were roaring downwind in 20 knots towards Ko Sup and I intended to jibe and go around but we just ran out of room. With an island to leeward and the wind building we decided to take the kite down instead of attempting a jibe we weren't ready for and risk damage to the new sail.

Good thing too because we had our hands full at the mark: Get the kite below, get the three rigged, jibe around the mark, and by then we knew we needed a reef, so put the reef in, and about that time the hydraulics blew out and we had oil all over the aft cockpit well and leaking into the cockpit.

But we did the rounding (bareheaded) and then put up the #4 jib. I got the hydraulic oil cleaned up and we settled in for the beat.

This is work!