But Karl,

That is the point. When Dave Dahl, the ever-wrong weatherman predicts 5 to 15, and we actually get 15 to 25 with peak gusts of 30, is there a way to sail and still have fun?

I just HATE IT when you put up the sails and within 30 minutes, the gusts keep building to the point you just want to get back to shore safely and call it a day.

So far nobody's experience seems to support reefing as the answer. I didn't think of trying a H14 sail, but wouldn't it be a wonderful coincidence if the H14 sail size matched perfectly with the reefing slug on the H16 halyard ? Does it? Any two-boat owner out there willing to give it a try?