We arrived on the Catalina 30 "Fellowship" at 18:30 after I picked Ji from the downtown Chicago train at Waukegan station.
We sailed out with the crew of 7. The winds were 8 to 15 knots from the West shore, almost no waves.
The Fellowship carries 135 percent genoa, so when the wind picked up off-shore to 15 knots we had hard time keeping her on her feet when close-haul sailing. She would either fall to the irons, or lean and dump air, it was no smooth sail.
I proposed to roll-up and leave only about few feet, about 60 percent.
After that the sail was smooth and we even could eat snacks on the table in the cockpit.
I am happy that experimenting with sails gives me comfort of steady and smooth sail in the briskier winds, when other boats heel and dump the air not really going any faster.
We have seen and took pictures of some intense racing with spinacker action and strong winds in the sails.
We came back atfer 22:00 in the darkness. It was a good sail, good learning for me.
I am thinking that it would be wonderful to have 150 percent genoa with the furling.
In the meanwhile I plan to make a tarp storm jib I have read about. We will see.
