It gets more complicated if you are trying to work out the details of snuffing the chute in a puff when the leeward mark is only 200 yards from the dirt bank. Then, it definitely gets exciting!
Dangers of spinakers
- Thread starter sailnewbie
- Start date
It gets more complicated if you are trying to work out the details of snuffing the chute in a puff when the leeward mark is only 200 yards from the dirt bank. Then, it definitely gets exciting!
So are sailboats...I picked up my sock on CL for $100 and it even matches my asym. Works great.Socks are so yesterday.
I use a sock also when racing and cruising because it simplifies the sets and drops with my short handed and inexperienced crews. I race so that I can introduce people to sailing and racing.
There is no substitute for learning to sail on dinghys and small boats in general. I learned to sail on Snipes, Turnabouts, then later Ensigns. I owned two Ensigns and they were wonderful boats. Sailed in all weather and carried a Genoa and a spinnaker. In these smaller boats we learn the force of the wind and the power of a luff up in all weather. My favorite expression to my crew in heavy air was "...it's only noise...noise won't hurt you...". Everything I learned in small boats transferred directly to my cruising boats later in life. Another favorite expression of mine was "..if you can sail an Ensign you can sail a 12 meter or bigger....you trim the main in and they go to windward....ease the main and they go down wind..". In these small boats we learn to let the sheet run on the chute and turn down wind and she collapses behind the main. Works regardless of LOA.
I have a 37' sloop. I used to race and cruise with a symmetric chute (often single-handed) but eventually found gybing with the pole became dicey for me. (I am 76)
I switched to an assymetric (A2) on a harken furler on a selden bowsprit. It sounded like a great idea, but in practice it sometimes jammed when unfurling. I switched to an ATM snuffer which has never given me a moments trouble, and is faster than the furler which took many, many pulls to douse.
I can always get the chute down regardless of wind strength. I blow thge tack and snuff it to leeward of the main. A good autopilot helps.
I switched to an assymetric (A2) on a harken furler on a selden bowsprit. It sounded like a great idea, but in practice it sometimes jammed when unfurling. I switched to an ATM snuffer which has never given me a moments trouble, and is faster than the furler which took many, many pulls to douse.
I can always get the chute down regardless of wind strength. I blow thge tack and snuff it to leeward of the main. A good autopilot helps.
I don't use my symmetrical Spinnaker because it just seems like a lot of work for where I am, normally just two of us in an inland lake with a lot of shifting winds and runs that are kind of short downwind. If I use the pole at all, it's to go wing on wing ddw in a race. That said, I think if you're careful and stick with light winds to start, it'll be ok.
I wouldn't mind giving mine a try, but the spin halyard would be the unused jib halyard, which is behind the forestay. Only time I've worked a Spinnaker, the boat had a dedicated spin halyard on a mast crane before the forestay- what difficulties would I face using that jib halyard?
I wouldn't mind giving mine a try, but the spin halyard would be the unused jib halyard, which is behind the forestay. Only time I've worked a Spinnaker, the boat had a dedicated spin halyard on a mast crane before the forestay- what difficulties would I face using that jib halyard?
I had an incident once with an ATN Snuffer - the control lines were tied loosely and had enough slack to wrap around the furler anti-wrap collar (the black device that controls halyard wrap at the top of the genoa). I couldn’t bring down the spin in a building wind and was running out of sea room. It was challenging to get them unwrapped from deck level, and the strong winds and rolling seas made it even more challenging. After that incident I have always been careful to keep both sides of those spin sock control lines tied off taught. Don’t let them flop around.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,214
Great story, @Captain Larry-DH
Relaxed seamanship always finds a way to bite you—constructive advice (insight).
Relaxed seamanship always finds a way to bite you—constructive advice (insight).
Funny, I just learned I have a gin pole lol. I also have an asymmetrical spinnaker and a sock. I have no idea; you have to love it.
I will have my name in the hat for crewing in the near future on racing vessels. If I can drop this extra bit of weight, lol. I look forward to understanding all of what I just read.
I have tried wing to wing DDW on the Mac25. (That’s my best lingo :-D
I will have my name in the hat for crewing in the near future on racing vessels. If I can drop this extra bit of weight, lol. I look forward to understanding all of what I just read.
I have tried wing to wing DDW on the Mac25.
(That’s my best lingo :-D
One year, we had an Olson 30 that had a major snaffu in a race at the leeward mark before the final leg of a race that was too windy for me to hoist the spinnaker. FYI, there are serious rock about 100 yards past the mark so no sea room to sort things out.
I am not sure what happened, but the sheets and guys all ended up running free out of the blocks, with the spinnaker free flying from the masthead by just the spin halyard. The head of the sail was at least 30' from the masthead and the sheets guys were trailing after the whole mess.
Because they could not go any farther downwind without ending up on the rocks, they hoisted the genoa and turned up wind. They made good time to windward and finished the race. The Olson with spin flapping from windward was still faster upwind than my C30. There is a reason why the Olson 30 has a PHRF of 98 and my C30 has 195! I can guarantee that no one crossed anywhere near their stern because the sheets were wipe-cracking 150' behind the boat about 10' above the water. Quite a sight.
You can use the spare jib halyard for the spinnaker with several very important caveats. You must drop the sail from the same side that you housed it because if you are on the other jibe, the friction will cause problems. You also must keep an eye on the chafe that will happen where the halyard crosses the forestay. When I was gifted an undersized spinnaker to see if I liked it I flew it this way. I found that I needed to cut the halyard back about 6" every few sails because I would start to see some fraying of the halyard cover.
That is a Freudian slip if ever there was one! "Whip-cracking" was the intended term but then I was not on the boat so you never know.that's a new term to me LMAO!