“Clover” is the Don Anderson term for a downwind trade wind passage and we have had our share of this sweet, sweet sailing. We started off with about 24 hours of upwind in 20 knots though. Then we had alternating days of motoring and spinnaker runs. When we got to the NE trades proper we ran wing and wing for days with a poled out 130 genoa. Winds were typically 15 to 24 kts and this arrangement was quite reliable and fairly quiet from slapping and rig noise, even in rolly swells. When dead downwind did not suit the course we ran off the wind with a heavily reefed main before the poled out jib. The staysail went up and down a couple of times in preparation for squally weather at night but was never needed. We’ve changed sails several times; from our working 110 jib to a light 140 (a home-altered dumpster sail from a HR 45), then back to the heavier 130. We have hove-to several times to work on stuff and change sails.

Both the main and the headsails run on the Selden roller reefing systems that came with the boat. The in-mast roller main has worked wonderfully and is a big aid to the singlehanded watch. S has been known to reef and un-reef a couple of times an hour just because she can.