Dousing a Spinaker

[Peter Milne]

The only way I have tried or know how to douse our asymetrical spinaker is to blanket it behind the main. It then collapses and comes down easily with the sock.However, I often see sailors that are only flying thier spinaker. If the main is not up, how do they douse the spinaker when it time to go home?Peter MilneS/V Blue Heron

 

[Bill Colombo]

Spinnaker Flying

Peter, The technique you are using is the right way to do it. I suppose you can fly spinnaker by itself in light air, but I don't really recommend it. In heavy air the boat can get very out of balance and difficult to steer without the main. I have seen plenty of "spinnaker-only" broaches. If you really want to try it I think the only technique possible is to blow the sheet and let the sail flutter downwind as you pull on the spinnaker sock downhaul from the bow of the boat. Thanks,Bill ColomboDoyle Sailmakers

 

[joe]

taking it down...

,,,If you don't have one, rig the tackline through a block on the stemhead, bowsprit or pole back to the cockpit. If not, you can send someone forward to release the tack when the takedown is called. Anyway, the idea is to dump the air from the sail by releasing the tack (or guy on a symetrical) and a controlled drop of the halyard. Once the air is dumped the foredeck crew can control the sail, gathering it in to the turtle or down the hatch. An alternative is to simply pull the sail back to the cockpit with the sheet.It's important to flake the halyard before the drop. The line needs to run free, so it won't jam and allow the sail to refill, but it also needs to be under control so the sail doesn't owerwhelm the crew and get wet. Many racing boats that use asyms have a takedown line attached to the center of the sail. This gives the crew more control during the sail's collapse and probably helps the repacking effort also.