C275 Spinnaker Tricks

[Windseeker2]

I have a C275 with the Asymmetric Spinnaker with Topdown Furler and have had holy-hell with it getting tangled up, usually at the bottom where the furler is. Are there some tricks you experienced users can give me? If I can't figure this out then I am going to just launch from the rail and stuff it back in the bag the old fashioned way.

 

[PMK]

I tried the top down furler just once, then it went back in the box. I have been racing my C275 for the past 7 seasons with the spin raised out of the bag, attached to the leeward lifeline. To douse, we bring it down through the companionway. Usually everything goes smoothly, except when the spin halyard is not eased fast enough and the crew pulling the spin down is pulling too fast. Then the spin can get hung up on the spreader and potentially rip. The spreader tips on the C275 are not very spin friendly. Yes, mine has ripped.

 

[Vincent Williams]

Having same issue, experimenting with small line to prevent the outer case from turning only the semirigid shaft.
I found the hole unit spins and wraps chute at bottom. There is small loop in front bottom of furler to attach line or shackle, hoping this helps sounds like this is very finicky and dependent on wind as well as halyard and sheet tension.

 

[Mike C275 33]

I have hull 33. Same problems with the furler. Bought a nice large bag and launch from that. Bring it down through the front hatch. We lower the table in the vberth to make more room. Running without the furler means someone has to go to the fore deck to set up, and guide the sail in a gybe, but this is no different than any other asym boat. The stock spin actually give a pretty wide range of performance and I've been experimenting with reefing the main. I think that lets me sail deeper with the spin and the reefing on these boat is so simple I loose very little time.
I have been more frustrated with upwind performance. Even with the 105 jib I find I cant point as high as the other Afleet boats, especially against current in lighter winds. Any hints for upwind sailing?

 

[danstanford]

I have hull 33. Same problems with the furler. Bought a nice large bag and launch from that. Bring it down through the front hatch. We lower the table in the vberth to make more room. Running without the furler means someone has to go to the fore deck to set up, and guide the sail in a gybe, but this is no different than any other asym boat. The stock spin actually give a pretty wide range of performance and I've been experimenting with reefing the main. I think that lets me sail deeper with the spin and the reefing on these boat is so simple I loose very little time.
I have been more frustrated with upwind performance. Even with the 105 jib I find I cant point as high as the other Afleet boats, especially against current in lighter winds. Any hints for upwind sailing?

Not specific to your boat but two checks to make.

First is mast rake, moving the center of effort more aft will help the boat to point. The clue is how much weather helm you have.

Second is forestay tension, if you have too much sag the boat will struggle to point.

 

[Mike C275 33]

Thanks. Will look at that

 

[PMK]

Mike, I see above that you launch and douse your spin through the front hatch. Have you removed the hatch hold ups so that you can open the hatch all the way back? I launch the spin from the bag attached to the lifeline and douse/relauch from the companionway. Never tried the front hatch. I was concerned that is was too small and did not open all the way back. Regarding close hauled performance, the issue that I see on my boat is not poor pointing, that seems ok, but very slow upwind speed and lose of lots of momentum on tacks due to the wide stern that you need to drag through the tack. J/22, J/24 and Alerion 28 have PHRF ratings similar to Cataline 275, but they will quickly walk away on upwind legs. The Catalina 275 must catch up with greater speed on the off-wind legs

 

[Mike C275 33]

Re hatch, I have made no modifications. I do the first lauch from a bag, dose from the Hatch. It definitely opens far enough. If we have enough crew it helps to send someone below to help pull it in, but one guy on foredeck can do it. The advantage of the Hatch is the tack clew and head stay accessible and you can relauch on the next downwind leg with no further work, just like coming out of the bag. We have only doused from the companionway a few times in emergencies, eg when wind came up on beam and the fleet was getting overpowered.
Re jib, yes that is my experience. In 10 knots not too bad upwind but on light days cant compete; no upwind power. It does point adequately (I can get to 30 degrees apparent, in higher winds) but the old style boats with 150 Genoa seem to point better.
That said, other than on race nights the boat does everything I would want it to do