Spinnaker Rigging?

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Feb 26, 2004
23,101
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Joe, I guess I'll just have to add it to this list:

SILLY NAUTICAL SPELLINGS

Tacho
Tranny
Genny (Why not just spell genoa? Same number of letters.)

Heal - to feel better

Heel - the back of your shoe or boat tilt


That dead horse will never heal if you don’t stop hitting it on its heels with that stick.


Windows
Kitchen
Bathroom

Walls vs. bulkheads

Birth vs berth

Bildge vs bilge

Bilge vs bilge pump
 

mortyd

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Dec 11, 2004
952
Catalina 30 easy living
and stu. you left out my two least favorite words; there may be a thousand parts on my boat but not one IT or THING.
 
Aug 16, 2012
16
Catalina 30 mkI San Francisco
not a lot of racers here i guess!

when you're in a race situation and every fraction of a second counts, its alot easier to shout "spinny" or "spin" than spinnaker!
 
Feb 26, 2004
23,101
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
What I've found racing albeit limited in spinnakers, is that the two most important words are sheet and guy. When the spinnaker comes down, spinnaker halyard is a phrase often used.

All that shorthand with "y"s at the end sounds so childish.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,237
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
not a lot of racers here i guess!

when you're in a race situation and every fraction of a second counts, its alot easier to shout "spinny" or "spin" than spinnaker!
Or you could use the commands: "halyard" to hoist or drop, and "trip" to jibe......

If you're looking for a spinnaker rigging setup guide, check the westmarine advisor....... or just about any sailmaker's website, or simply google "spinnaker rigging"

Of course, since you're an experienced racer you'd know there's very little difference in set up between boats. Halyard, foreguy, afterguys, topping lift, twings and sheets.

The biggest difference is how you jibe the pole... end for end, or dip-pole. You also can choose to have separate sheets and guys. Smaller boats usually combine the two... larger boats it's preferred. Finally, you must decide if a set of twings(tweakers) is needed for the sheets. I recommend them in all cases.

Tell us what you have already and perhaps someone here can help you dial it in. Why don't you tell us how your pole is set up now. Does it have a bridle and both ends are the same?.... then it's end for end. If it has a fixed connection to the mast on a sliding car... it's a dip pole... normally on larger boats. Where will you be attaching the foreguy on the foredeck. Do you have a dedicated topping lift to hold up the pole? Or will you be using a spare jib halyard. etc.
 

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Aug 16, 2012
16
Catalina 30 mkI San Francisco
Thanks. I'm aware theres similarities accross the board when it comes to rigging and flying a "chute"...

This is a recently acquired boat, and has what appears to be a new spinnaker and a pole in good shape (albeit without a topping lift bridel). However, the mast doesnt have any sort of topping lift, nor do i see where a topping lift would emerge from the mast. Do people simply have some sort of turning block thats attached to the outside of the mast that the topper is run through?
 
Mar 11, 2010
292
Catalina Tall Rig/ Fin Keel Deale, MD
And don't forget to "Blow the Guy" before dropping the spin "Halyard"...
:D
But hey NorCal, since all of our jammers on the starboard cabintop relate to the mainsail, we will be setting up the port cabintop jammers for new and expanded headsail/ spinnaker operations. However, as newbies, it will be an assym. cruisin' 'chute. Anyone know of any C-30's wanting to sell theirs? It's on my Christmas list. Masthead bale, block and external halyard are already in place. I'll install some fairleads back to a jammer for the tack line. I'll have to position some sheetblocks aft to route the sheets back up to the winches. All praise to the sym. sailors, but it's usually just us two on the boat.

Rob
 
Mar 11, 2010
292
Catalina Tall Rig/ Fin Keel Deale, MD
Joe suggests the secondary (backup) jib halyard as pole topping lift. I always wondered if that would be okay or whether we would have had to run a new mast exit around the spreaders. Adding a folding padeye on the foredeck would seem easy enough.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,237
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Thanks. I'm aware theres similarities accross the board when it comes to rigging and flying a "chute"...

This is a recently acquired boat, and has what appears to be a new spinnaker and a pole in good shape (albeit without a topping lift bridel). However, the mast doesnt have any sort of topping lift, nor do i see where a topping lift would emerge from the mast. Do people simply have some sort of turning block thats attached to the outside of the mast that the topper is run through?
You can use the second jib halyard in lieu of a topping lift.... but eventually you'll want to add one.... you need a "mast hound" which is a bracket that can be shaped to fit the mast. I'd fix it half way between the spreaders and masthead. Attach a swivel block and reave a halyard, tie it off on a horn cleat. Presto! An external topping lift... the foredeck crew operates this gear... but you could run it back to the cockpit if desired.

What type of hardware is on the mast for the pole connection? What is on the foredeck? On my Cat 27 the mast ring is on a slider to accommodate pole height adjustment. There is a track on the foredeck also with a simple slider car which gives the foreguy position options also.

So........ you can easily build a simple bridle with 1/4 inch line tied to each end and a loop in the middle for attachment to topping lift and foreguy. Or you can make a nicer one with coated wire and a pressed ring.

This is all based on the assumption that you're using an "end for end" style pole.
 
Aug 16, 2012
16
Catalina 30 mkI San Francisco
You can use the second jib halyard in lieu of a topping lift.... but eventually you'll want to add one.... you need a "mast hound" which is a bracket that can be shaped to fit the mast. I'd fix it half way between the spreaders and masthead. Attach a swivel block and reave a halyard, tie it off on a horn cleat. Presto! An external topping lift... the foredeck crew operates this gear... but you could run it back to the cockpit if desired.

What type of hardware is on the mast for the pole connection? What is on the foredeck? On my Cat 27 the mast ring is on a slider to accommodate pole height adjustment. There is a track on the foredeck also with a simple slider car which gives the foreguy position options also.

So........ you can easily build a simple bridle with 1/4 inch line tied to each end and a loop in the middle for attachment to topping lift and foreguy. Or you can make a nicer one with coated wire and a pressed ring.

This is all based on the assumption that you're using an "end for end" style pole.
Thanks Joe. I dont see any reason to deviate from the "end for end" style, its not like its some huge pole that one cant lift easily (and thus would need to be dipped...).
I'm going to head over to South Beach Harbor today at lunch and see if i can get some pics of different people's set-ups.
-NCC
 
Sep 15, 2012
8
Catalina C30 mkiii Rush Creek Yacht Club
I have my mast down while replacing the compression block under the compression post. Installed a wing plate at the base and spinnaker bail on the crane. I have a topping lift already just below the spreaders. A swivel block, standup spring and eye strap works perfect... BTW for that. I have had problems with the halyard fouling at the forestay connection at the mast crane while gybing the symmetrical kite.

My question is this: how are y'all routing the external halyard down the mast? Cheek block, pad eye? I hate the idea of an external halyard slapping the mast making a bunch of noise. But the way the crane is designed, it is the only option... Am I wrong? Anyone have photos?
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,237
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Thanks Joe. I dont see any reason to deviate from the "end for end" style, its not like its some huge pole that one cant lift easily (and thus would need to be dipped...).
I'm going to head over to South Beach Harbor today at lunch and see if i can get some pics of different people's set-ups.
-NCC
It's not the weight of the pole..... it's the crew size and convenience. The pole is dipped so it will pass through the fore triangle...raising the mast end and dropping the outboard end allows this....... but it requires a crew at the mast and one in the pulpit to make the guy switch when the pole comes through. A third crew often helps the mastman with the topping lift in critical situations.

With an "end for end" system, one person can handle the switch by standing just in front of the mast. The separtate sheets and guys work well here (mandatory with the dip pole).... but you can also use the combined sheet/guy system. I did this for a while, till I realized how much easier/faster it was for the crew to have separate guys.
 

jrowan

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Mar 5, 2011
1,294
O'Day 35 Severn River, Mobjack Bay, Va.
This is why I want to buy an asymmetrical spinaker & simplify sailing.
It just seams so much easier, & if it is indeed easier to rig & sail, then I would be more likely to use it more often. For double handed sailors, as most of us are, a conventional spinnaker just seams so cumbersome. The only sailors I know that even use one are racers with a large and experienced crew. Most of the time I just pole out my jib & run downwind with the main running win & wing with pretty good results & a lot less drama & work. But I must admit those pretty colored "spinny's" are tempting.
 
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