Keep it strictly simple

In the Sailing Skills piece, ‘Should I stay or should I go?’ (YM, December 2017), James Stevens recommended sailing from Newtown Creek to the top of the Itchen in a wind of up to F7SW under reefed main and a working jib. Why? Why didn’t he recommend application of the KISS principle (Keep It Strictly Simple)? As the wind would never be less than 80° off the bow, the simple way to sail the passage described would be under jib alone. This is well known as ‘Solent Rig’ as it is such a comfortable way to sail in the variable winds and choppy seas often encountered on the short passages of Solent sailing. It completely avoids the risks inherent in accidental jibes and when the wind is on or aft of the beam, it’s only a little slower than with a reefed mainsail hoisted. It’s also a simple and safe mode of sailing when the jib can be furled from the cockpit as with the Corribee discussed in the article. Nigel Wrigley