Essentially, this means using two head sails and leaving the main down. For this you need two poles to hold the sails out. We only have one of course and a second pole was always outside of our budget as we needed to get other things and the amount of time actually spent sailing in the trades is comparatively small. Happily, there is a way that I read about that allows you to get by with the one pole we have. The way is to use the main boom with a thing called a snatch block on it to route the sheet for the second head sail.
Thus, we will have the large genoa poled out to windward with the spinnaker pole in the usual way. We will then pull the boom out at right angles and hold it there with a preventer. Then we will hoist the smaller working jib with the spinnaker halyard and tie the foot to the samson post.
I have finally got around to working this out and so feel ready to use it for real now. I can't claim originality for this but got the idea from an inspirational book called Ocean Cruising on a Budget
You can order it here: Ocean Cruising on a Budget at Amazon. If you are bothered about Amazon and their tax avoidance, Bookharbour also stock it!
It will be exciting to try it out for real though the weather is looking decidedly light for the next few days. We are hoping the trade winds will fill in again before we come to leave for the Cabo Verde Islands! Setting it up here in the marina was quite a palaver but I think it will get easier though the pictures show better. Do bear in mind though that the wind will be behind us and the sails will not be flopping around as they are.
We have also now got, in best long distance cruiser style, a series of jerry cans lashed to the side deck!
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