mark56

Yes, there is a "stop" in the luff groove to keep the slides from coming out. My sail cover came with my boat and I am not sure if it is sized differently than the "stock" cover. Yes, there are slides on the foot. My sail only has one reef point so I guess it is at the standard height. My previous sail had no reef point at all.

Re: Torqeedo I use it on Lake Washington in mostly calm conditions. The Torqeedo website has all the specs: www.torqeedo.com At half throttle, it can run for about 3 hours. It needs overnight to charge a battery. You can leave the battery connected to the charger. Choppy conditions are no problem in a boat the size of the J22.

I am on Lake Washington. I motor in and out of the marina and have been out in some medium rough conditions. Never had a problem with power with the Torqeedo. I would say that it was pretty close to the 4hp Yamaha that I had. I had the same Honda 2hp 4 cycle on a U20. It was a good reliable motor but it was a hassle to flip it around for reverse.

Torqeedo 1003 Outboard: I have the long shaft model. It weighs with the battery 30lbs. It moves the boat along very well and if I avoid full throttle, I can get a couple of hours of run time out of a battery. The battery weighs 10 lbs and by removing one pin and a cable, it pops off the motor. This way I can lift the motor(20lbs) off the transom mount and store it down below in the cabin. Most of the time, I just tilt it up and leave it on the mount. I have had all sorts of outboards: Honda 5hp, Yamaha 4hp and the air cooled Honda 2hp. For docking and motoring around the marina, the electric outboard is in a class of its own: instant start up and reversing is easy. I just got tired of having an outboard stall out when going into reverse while approaching a slip. Plus, having no gasoline on board is a definite plus. Downside? People say they are too expensive and they do cost $2000. This is maybe $500 to $800 more than a small outboard. For me while alone on the boat, the peace of mind is well worth the extra money.

Some of things I have done for single handling and day sailing: 1. added a reef point to the main( on slides and very easy to handle); 2. added a bow pulpit; 3. installed a Raymarine ST1000 tiller autopilot; 4. added a AGM battery, small fuse panel and battery switch; 5. added navigation lights and cabin light(all led); 6. ditched the heavy and unreliable outboard for a Torqeedo 1003 outboard. I thought about a roller furler but the jib is pretty small and easy to handle as it is. I can hank it on at the dock and lower it by going forward and containing it with a line within the bow pulpit. The autopilot and the electric outboard really make all the difference in the world. Docking into a slip with the electric outboard is a pleasure. The autopilot just makes everything easier. I would like to keep this discussion alive. I am always on the lookout for additions to the boat for safe single handling. Plus, it would be nice to see this forum become a little more active.