Anyone with experience flying an assym chute from a 38; do you find that having the foot up higher gives better results when nearly or completely downwind?
- Status
How to adjust a tack-line on an A-spinn
First of all a asymmetrical spinn is NOT designed for dead downwind sailing. These are typically designed for broad reaching/tacking-downwind so that the apparent wind across the sail is higher. For dead downwind the choice is a symmetrical spinnaker on a pole .... and even that (direct down wind) is very sloooooow mode of sailing. To answer the question of "how far off the stem should the tack be flown?" ..... depends on the wind strength and the angle off the wind you are sailing. What you look for is the 'curl' - just the beginnings of where the luff is beginnig to shake and is not 'supported' by the wind. the point where the luff begins to collapse. For good trim and stable sail shape you want the 'curl' to occur ~2/3 the distance up the luff. With the sheets being held constant, if the curl begins nearer to the top of the sail then let out some tack line; if the curl begins nearer to the bottom/foot then pull in the tack line. For low/light wind conditions the lower the tack and higher winds need a higher tack. The higher the reach the tighter the luff/tack line. Its OK to sail with the tack line fully pulled in .... the sail efficiency will be much less and the sail may become very unstable .... and the same thing with too much tack line out. Set the tack line so that the luff 'breaks' about 2/3 the way up the sail and your set will be just about correct. When the sail is set correctlly it becomes very stable. --- it all depends on wind strength and angle off the wind you are sailing. Hope this helps ;o)
First of all a asymmetrical spinn is NOT designed for dead downwind sailing. These are typically designed for broad reaching/tacking-downwind so that the apparent wind across the sail is higher. For dead downwind the choice is a symmetrical spinnaker on a pole .... and even that (direct down wind) is very sloooooow mode of sailing. To answer the question of "how far off the stem should the tack be flown?" ..... depends on the wind strength and the angle off the wind you are sailing. What you look for is the 'curl' - just the beginnings of where the luff is beginnig to shake and is not 'supported' by the wind. the point where the luff begins to collapse. For good trim and stable sail shape you want the 'curl' to occur ~2/3 the distance up the luff. With the sheets being held constant, if the curl begins nearer to the top of the sail then let out some tack line; if the curl begins nearer to the bottom/foot then pull in the tack line. For low/light wind conditions the lower the tack and higher winds need a higher tack. The higher the reach the tighter the luff/tack line. Its OK to sail with the tack line fully pulled in .... the sail efficiency will be much less and the sail may become very unstable .... and the same thing with too much tack line out. Set the tack line so that the luff 'breaks' about 2/3 the way up the sail and your set will be just about correct. When the sail is set correctlly it becomes very stable. --- it all depends on wind strength and angle off the wind you are sailing. Hope this helps ;o)
Prout Assy Trim
Thank you for the guidance. I am most pleased with the assy from Jeckells too; good construction and very pretty. I've had what I think is the best performance at about 110 to 130 degrees wind apparant. I understand the sail is not designed to go straight downwind; but it works good wing and wing on this catamaran... albeit not as well as other points of sail.
Thank you for the guidance. I am most pleased with the assy from Jeckells too; good construction and very pretty. I've had what I think is the best performance at about 110 to 130 degrees wind apparant. I understand the sail is not designed to go straight downwind; but it works good wing and wing on this catamaran... albeit not as well as other points of sail.
Assy downwind
Although not a 39', my Quest 33 is a very similar and typical Prout design. I use a Jeckells' assy setup with the tack attached to the two bow cleats by handy-billies anabling the tack to be raised, lowered and moved side to side. I find it sails with the main and staysail up from about 90 degs to 110, with the staysail down it goes happily to about 140 but from there on I drop the main and sail happily dead downwind with the tack hauled to windward. The main is small on the Prouts and contributes little but interference to the more powerfulll assy downwind. When sailing single handed in fickle winds (or just lazy sailing) I can leave the assy up on its own and sail from 90 to 180
Although not a 39', my Quest 33 is a very similar and typical Prout design. I use a Jeckells' assy setup with the tack attached to the two bow cleats by handy-billies anabling the tack to be raised, lowered and moved side to side. I find it sails with the main and staysail up from about 90 degs to 110, with the staysail down it goes happily to about 140 but from there on I drop the main and sail happily dead downwind with the tack hauled to windward. The main is small on the Prouts and contributes little but interference to the more powerfulll assy downwind. When sailing single handed in fickle winds (or just lazy sailing) I can leave the assy up on its own and sail from 90 to 180
- Status