This is my first post, after owning for almost four years now. We bought our IP35 12/07 in Charleston and cruised the Bahamas for 5 months in early 2008, then listed for sale. Did not sell for 2 years, so we moved it up to the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior, and I am lovin' it. Great sailing spot, but only for the few months of summer.
My deal is that I could never get our genoa to come through the gap unless there was the perfect amount of wind. Tried backing it, resorted to jibing and letting it out on the way around...total pain in the ass. So, I just disconnected the roller furling from the deck, and have it swung out and lashed to the port side stay. THe sail is off. Now I can tack without having to go up on deck to pull the darn sail around.
We never used the jib anyway. I know it sounds lame to not be able to get the genoa around, but I was really fed up with it. I always found that it got it the way. Now the forward deck is wide open (after I took off the club foot and stored below).
My question is whether disconnecting that does anything significant to the stability of the mast. We are day sailers now, never going out into any weather of significance. I could run the jib halyard to the deck mount if there were some sort of bigger blow, etc. Anyone really worried for me and the boat?
