Dangers of spinakers

[MccNeo]

Most cruisers have problem when they need to take it down in more wind than it when up in. That's mostly a practice thing. With practice you can take down a kite in ANY breeze. But until then keep a eye on the wind. As you go downwind you do not feel the wind building nearly as much.

Racers will have problems wiping-out in big breeze. This can be a simple round-up (ok), a round-down (bad), or a nose-dive (disaster).

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!

 

[Meriachee]

Socks are so yesterday.

 

[Head Sail]

Socks are so yesterday.

So are sailboats...I picked up my sock on CL for $100 and it even matches my asym. Works great.

 

[Hayden Watson]

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.

 

[Rick486]

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.

 

[Tangleberry]

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.