Dangers of spinakers
- Thread starter sailnewbie
- Start date
Lots ands LOTS of good advice and comments to read here,(and some which are just plain bragging or meant to scare the crap out of you).
But all of this reading won't really make you much more comfortable with a spinnaker but here is a tip which will.
Join a racing crew and even if racing isn't your thing
you will learn heaps about spinnakers (and you save the wear and tear on you own boat while learning).
But all of this reading won't really make you much more comfortable with a spinnaker but here is a tip which will.
Join a racing crew and even if racing isn't your thing
you will learn heaps about spinnakers (and you save the wear and tear on you own boat while learning).
Excellent advice there. From racing with an experienced crew, you will climb the learning curve rapidly.
On my boats, I have always used what I call a belly button line. In the 70's and early 80's it was very common. Many one design classes uses them. When it is time to drop the chute, you can pull on that line being fed through the gorward hatch and back to the cockpit. Ease all the lines and pull on that line with authority. It willall go fiwn the hatch and is ready for the next hoist. Watch the the biiig boats. They use the sane system in the assymetricals.
Downwind, you can choke the chute using you twing lines. It means you bring the spin. sheet down to the deck about mid beam. I used that system in a 35-40 knots on a Beneteau 40.7. It could drive the boat by the lee as we surfed and planed. Then back up yo do it again. Complete control at all times.
Downwind, you can choke the chute using you twing lines. It means you bring the spin. sheet down to the deck about mid beam. I used that system in a 35-40 knots on a Beneteau 40.7. It could drive the boat by the lee as we surfed and planed. Then back up yo do it again. Complete control at all times.
Great points.
In the modern asym world we call this a string drop. Amazingly fast but if it goes wrong you pull your sail apart!
As yes for sure, twings will help 'clamp down' a kite and make it more stable, both when flying and in maneuvers!
My suggestion to all those new to spinnakers ( and especially when I am training new crew) is to practise with a piece of rope first, so that everyone gets the picture of how the boom works in conjunction with the forestay especially when gibing or taking it down. I get a piece of rope (usually twice as the length of the mast or forestay) then double the rope so that you have a loop in the middle and then tie a knot about 1 foot down from the loop so that you have the head and then tie a knot in the two trailing ends about 10 to 20 feet from the end (depending on the size of your boat) and then tie a loop in the end of each tail to make the clews and this is then your practise spinnaker. Show everyone how it is attached to the halyard, the sheet, and then through the end of the pole to become the guy. When ready haul the halyard to the mast head and then manually stretch the pole away from the sheet which gives everyone and understanding of the scope of the sail and how it will handle when hoist.
There is then an opportunity to work through the actions to be taken to gybe - where you stand to start, when you move, how does the sheet become the guy and alternatively the guy become the sheet, and do you remove the pole in the process or just "dip" it. It can be all done at your leisure and whilst on the mooring, so that everyone gets comfortable with the mechanics before you ever try it in "anger". For reference when dropping, it is always easier to get a hand ready to take the sheet and then release the guy from the pole and the spinnaker will fly off and give the person on the sheet the opportunity to tell the person on the halyard to lower slowly so that they can gather in the spinnaker. I have some pictures if you wish to contact me. Malcolm@mavbrock.com
Dammit, I thought I was going to see some amazing chute dowse or something or some heroic race footage!
....only if there is a knot in the end of the guy and sheet. We never put a knot in the guy / sheet something that saved our bacon a few times during my racing days.
Matt
I recently woke up one day, (single handed), and the kite was up in 20 something knots of breeze.
I have named that takedown style as an 'aquafurl'..
I have named that takedown style as an 'aquafurl'..
I think the biggest danger of a chute is it's so dang fun to fly - it's like an addiction. Then you end up flying it when you shouldn't and end up on some dude's youtube wipeout compilation.
I have an asym on my c-30 and it's pretty docile. Nice not to have the guys and topping lift for the pole. I'd fly a sym if I was rigged for it but the asym lets me get my fix pretty well.
I have an asym on my c-30 and it's pretty docile. Nice not to have the guys and topping lift for the pole. I'd fly a sym if I was rigged for it but the asym lets me get my fix pretty well.
They are fun and even a wipeout is not too bad, until the dang thing gets wrapped around the forestay! Problems ensue.
I'm sorry but, those letters look right. The reverse letters are showing through from the other side.
I've never sailed with a spinnaker. How interesting this thread is. My new mariner came with one, I'm looking forward to trying it out next year.
- Will (Dragonfly)
They are challenging and fun. Also referred to as "sailing just above a catastrophe".
No, @Sandy Stone is right... some bad YouTube users avoid copyright detection by turning videos around and making compilations. Nasty trick, and double bad on sailing vids because it reverses the Port/Startboard meetings!!!
