I have a 1999 hunter 340 and have just added a vertical whisker pole car track on my mast. I need to add a spinnaker topping lift so I can use my asymmetrical spinnaker. I am not sure the best place to attach the rigging N the mast (height). What type of block and how I would mount it to the mast. I certainly would appreciate any help and pics if possible. Thanks
Adding a spinnaker boom topping lift
- Thread starter HD74
- Start date
OK first.
A topping lift should be at least a pole length above the ring. Higher is better. The load is just holding the pole up (not bearing sail pressure) so the attachment can be less than industrial.
OK but now why a whisker pole with an asym? Whisker means attached to the clew, and normally the asyms fly just fine without a pole.
A topping lift should be at least a pole length above the ring. Higher is better. The load is just holding the pole up (not bearing sail pressure) so the attachment can be less than industrial.
OK but now why a whisker pole with an asym? Whisker means attached to the clew, and normally the asyms fly just fine without a pole.
Go up to around the crosstrees.
Pop rivet in a padeye. (remember the anti-corrosive)
Shackle in a block. ( this will be rarely used , so light and cheap will do)
Feed a 6mm to 8mm line.
Tie a snapshackle on one end with a halyard knot.
Fit a cleat or use a spare cleat on the lower mast.
Done.
I will add to Jackdaws comments.
Firstly, an adjustable track is a waste of time. You will find the right position and never move it.
normally the asyms fly just fine without a pole.
But in very light winds they collapse. A pole stops it dropping into the water at least.
gary
Pop rivet in a padeye. (remember the anti-corrosive)
Shackle in a block. ( this will be rarely used , so light and cheap will do)
Feed a 6mm to 8mm line.
Tie a snapshackle on one end with a halyard knot.
Fit a cleat or use a spare cleat on the lower mast.
Done.
I will add to Jackdaws comments.
Firstly, an adjustable track is a waste of time. You will find the right position and never move it.
normally the asyms fly just fine without a pole.
But in very light winds they collapse. A pole stops it dropping into the water at least.
gary
OK, but 99% of the time this is due to using too heavy sheets with SS shackles, both attached to the clew. This is the death of light air asym sailing. Make a set of de-covered sheets out of NER Flightline, and attach both with a soft shackle. It will allow the clew to stay up in 2 knots of breeze.
Having the ability to fly your asym off a pole is a nice feature as it keeps the sail more useable when sailing deep. That said very few sailors who add an asym to their boat also spend the money and effort on a spinnaker pole, unless the pole was already in place.
Are you actually planning to use a spinnaker pole or a whisker pole? FWIW a whisker pole would be liable to break.
If are using a spinnaker pole, you will also need a fore-guy (downhaul) to keep the pole from skying.
Are you actually planning to use a spinnaker pole or a whisker pole? FWIW a whisker pole would be liable to break.
If are using a spinnaker pole, you will also need a fore-guy (downhaul) to keep the pole from skying.
I am assuming you are talking about a pole on the WINDWARD side on the asym, poling out the tack. This is the so-called ASOP technique (developed by the French) and is a true weapon in offshore races. Requires a spin pole, two sheets, two guys, and a tack line. And as you note a downhaul.
I pretty sure the OP is talking about simply poling out the clew; the normal function of a whisker pole, but not so much with an asym.
I have my adjustable 12-22 whisker pole mounted vertically on the mast with the car on the in-board end so the track is 10' tall. The car is controled with a continuous line running through cheek blocks at top bottom of the track and through a pair of PXR cleats that allow both to be opened or closed with one hand by pulling the length between away from the mast or around the mast.
As for strength, the J on my C30 is 12' so the spinn pole length is fully closed so the pole is full double wall. If I bread that, I have really screwed up something.
My Asym is very large sized to by 1square-inch less than the max size for a PHRF code 4 rating. (When we had it measured, I found out that I screwed up and it was 1 square-inch too big
I so we took the head ring off and lowered it 1" to avoid the 3-second per mile rating.) At this size, it sails very well at really deep angles rigged like a symmetrical spinnaker rigged with the tack on the pole an poled back.I sail it this way every hear for the 30 mile Admiralty Inlet leg of the Round Whidbey Race. With out the pole, I cannot sail below 155º to 160º which forces me to gibe into and out of the VTS to starboard and the bad reverse eddies to port. With the pole I can stay in the thin sliver of strong favorable current and out of the VTS. Win-win.
The down side is that you don't want to do this on short buoy races because jibing is rather a fire-drill.
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Do you use the ASOP technique I mention above? While there are few extra steps, the process is much easier than jibing a symmetrical kite, and as easy as jibing a regularly rigged asym.I have my adjustable 12-22 whisker pole mounted vertically on the mast with the car on the in-board end so the track is 10' tall. The car is controled with a continuous line running through cheek blocks at top bottom of the track and through a pair of PXR cleats that allow both to be opened or closed with one hand by pulling the length between away from the mast or around the mast.
As for strength, the J on my C30 is 12' so the spinn pole length is fully closed so the pole is full double wall. If I bread that, I have really screwed up something.
My Asym is very large sized to by 1square-inch less than the max size for a PHRF code 4 rating. (When we had it measured, I found out that I screwed up and it was 1 square-inch too big
I sail it this way every hear for the 30 mile Admiralty Inlet leg of the Round Whidbey Race. With out the pole, I cannot sail below 155º to 160º which forces me to gibe into and out of the ATS to starboard and the bad reverse eddies to port. With the pole I can stay in the thin sliver of strong favorable current and out of the ATS. Win-win.
The down side is that you don't want to do this on short buoy races because jibing is rather a fire-drill.
ASOP huh. When did the "French" develop this technique? I started using the method in the 2008 RWR to solve the problem of the VTS / eddies. I have been posting about it here on SBO ever since. Maybe I should look into copyright infringement.
No I use the HW technique which is much simpler. The asym is rigged on a tack line controlled from the cockpit. the whisker pole (at 12' length) is clipped to the tack line and has a foreguy with a bowline loop over the top of the jaw. The pole has the normal topping lift on the outboard hook. That is it, The single guy is used for both jibes and just re-run to the other side. There is no need for a downhaul because the triangulation of tack, foreguy, topping lift locks the pole in place. I would say that they French added the extra two lines just so they could give it their own name and because they just love to needlessly over complicate matters.
Hmm. The French have been doing this with the Figaro 2 since at least 2003, so maybe YOU owe THEM money.ASOP huh. When did the "French" develop this technique? I started using the method in the 2008 RWR to solve the problem of the VTS / eddies. I have been posting about it here on SBO ever since. Maybe I should look into copyright infringement.
The two guys save having to re-run a line, a dangerous extra step on the foredeck. And having a proper downhaul is important as the pole moves through its full range of positions. Using a foreguy as a downhaul (like J24s do for W/L races) works well for only one pole position, typically all the way back. It's the reason they invented the downhaul. Add serious breeze and its the only way to go.
Being a fairly heavy non-planning hull, I do not need to worry about having the spinnaker up in serious breeze because that extra power is wasted. Over 18-knts down-wind I am on the genoa.
I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong. It seems for work just fine for you.