Experience using a "tacker" and a symmetric spinnaker

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Clark

Clark

.
Jun 30, 2004
886
Hunter 280 Lake Guntersville, AL
Just curious if anyone has any real experience flying a symmetric spinnaker w/o a pole and using one of these things. I understand that they were originally designed for just that purpose but haven't read any real-world narratives on the subject - good, bad or indifferent.

TIA
 
C

COOL

.
Feb 16, 2009
118
Islander 30 mkII Downtown Long Beach
Ideally you want to project the tack of the sail
as far foward of the headstay as posssible.
The best set up would be to have a short prod
or sprit with an adjustable tack line one to two
feet in front of the stem fitting, or if you have
an anchor roller that extends from the bow a
little, you can attach a block there and run a
line aft from there.
A 'Tacker' prevents the sail from
rotating to windward effectivly when you
are trying to run at a deeper wind angle.
 
Alan

Alan

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Jun 2, 2004
4,174
Hunter 35.5 LI, NY
...what COOL said plus tacking a symmetrical spinnaker to the stem of the boat completely destroys the shape of the sail. The idea behind the symmetrical is to project the tack out to weather of the boat as far as possible, hence the spinnaker pole.
 
D

Deadline

.
Jun 7, 2007
515
Hunter 320 Williamsburg
Bowsprit

Here’s an easy-to-make bowsprit, seats in the anchor locker.
This will throw the spin ahead of the main, less blanketing.
Tack line and 2 sheets permanently deployed for quick setup.
(Note that the link here has 2 pages of pix and directions.)
Typo correction: Eyelet should be 3/8 inch.



http://www.sailboatowners.com/bowsprit.doc
 
Clark

Clark

.
Jun 30, 2004
886
Hunter 280 Lake Guntersville, AL
Ummm

Deadline said:
Here’s an easy-to-make bowsprit, seats in the anchor locker.
This will throw the spin ahead of the main, less blanketing.
Tack line and 2 sheets permanently deployed for quick setup.
(Note that the link here has 2 pages of pix and directions.)
Typo correction: Eyelet should be 3/8 inch.



http://www.sailboatowners.com/bowsprit.doc
Click to expand
:confused:

:)
 
Joe

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,323
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
The "tacker" is designed for asymetrical spinnakers

So get the notion that it's a substitute for a spinnaker pole out of your head. It's designed for protecting a roller furled headsail.

Also, the tacker is expensive! If you're going to experiment with this idea of yours, get some parrel beads. Heres some for only $45:

http://www.neilprydesails.com/store/beads.htm

or make your own: http://www.greenboatstuff.com/dacoashpabe.html
http://shop.woodenboat.org/p-2854-parrel-beads.aspx


I wouldn't expect too much using your symetrical spinnaker this way. The shape is for running downwind, the position you're putting it in restricts you to just reaching. The clew and foot will be riding pretty low, expect it to get wet.. unless you set the tack quite a ways up the forestay, but that makes the shape ineffecient for reaching.

Learn what a twing is and how to set them up.

That said........ go for it.......but don't spend hundreds of dollars on a device you probably don't need.
 
rpwillia

rpwillia

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Sep 29, 2008
1,978
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
Forespar sells a bowsprit pole

Saw a guy demo it last year. Looked really nice and was designed for adding onto a boat . If I wasn't so cheap I would have bought it on the spot.
 
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