first time asymetrical spinnaker user

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dan geltmacher

I bought a new asemetrical chute. I put a block at the masthead and ran a halyard. Other than that I'm lost. any tips for my first timre out with it? Dan
 
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Brent Headberg

Cruising Chute

Hello Dan, I'm curious about where you purchased your Asymetrical Spinnaker. I am considering one for my Hunter 335 and all the sailmakers recommend a dousing sock to use it properly. Keep me informed, Cap'n Brent S/V Elena Lua http://www.elenalua.homestead.com
 
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Steve

Light winds...

Dan, Your tack line can run under your anchor roller and led back to a bow cleat. Have about 3-4’ of tack line above the deck to the bottom of the chute. Run your sheet to a block near the stern, and back up to a wench. As you undouse, do it from a mid-point on the foredeck to keep the chute and dousing lines away from the mast and spreaders. With your main out (with a preventer on if possible), undouse slowly to allow the chute to fill, once it fills then you can undouse quickly as long as it stays filled. To douse, again do it from a mid-point on the foredeck. I bought mine from HOW last year, and am very pleased with it. Also, try this link for more info. Good luck, Steve
 
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Barry

Spinnaker Usage

I hope you have purchased a sock with your sail since putting it up is much easier than getting it down. After I got the sock I found I use the sail more often. I added two snatch blocks to the toe rail near the stern for the spin sheets to go to before they hit the winch. Be sure to thread the sheets outside the life lines and shrouds.. The previous post talked about a tack line. I ran mine back to the cockpit so I can adjust the tack while sailing. Have fun! Barry
 
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Ed Schenck

Also first-timer.

Light wind testing is a good idea. I was anxious to use my "new" used gennaker the other day. Had two new sheets in the bag with the sail. Had two small blocks at the stern. Installed halyard this Spring. But no tack line, just tied a short piece of line from sail tack to bow roller. Everything in front of jib furler because it's a cutter with no room for tacking behind the furler. Glad there was light wind as it went up all twisted. But it was not too hard to fill and get set. With 4 knots of wind at about 120 to 140 it made a big difference. But I had trouble trimming and keeping it full. Not sure if an adjustable tack would help. I think the mainsail was blanketing and causing part of this. Need to experiment with degrees off the wind and trimming. DDW I would have used the preventer and tried "winging" it. No sock for me, a sock is twice what I paid for the sail! And yes, the sail got wet when my crew let out the halyard faster than I could retrieve dacron. :)
 
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Dave Winiker

Spinnaker

Strongly recommend using a sock and ATN tacker. Makes the spinnaker much easier to deploy, control and retrieve, even for a Marine. Semper Fi!
 
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Henry Weber

Asymmetrical chute

Dan -- contact Etienne at ATN and he can provide good advice on a dousing sock. http://www.atninc.com/ or 800.874.3671. Henry
 
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Ed Schenck

That's my problem.

I was Navy Dave, also in Norfolk(USS Forrestal). I know a sock is a good idea but $500.!? How about some dacron and a small hula-hoop? The Sailrite kit for a 45' sock is $270., maybe that is the answer.
 
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dan geltmacher

Lee Sails

Cap'n Brent I bought it online from Lee Sails in Hong Kong. It's .75 oz nylon (radial head drifter) and comes with an optional dousing sock. Total cost was 871.00 deliverd to the front door. Helen Fung is the sales director and is quite helpful. You can find the web site by typing in Lee Sails in any search engine. Mahalo Dan
 
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dan geltmacher

thanks fellas!

Going out tonite if winds permit, have a sock and a snatch block well aft. I'll try to take ome pictures. The chute is red white and blue. Simper Fi! Dan
 
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Mike Daus

First time too

Flew our asymetrical spinaker for first time on 4th July weekend. Ours is a North Sail and comes with a dousing sock. Only problem was getting it hoisted without twists. There's a lot of sail to handle on a moving fore deck and initially it was a bit confusing on what went where. I used a short tack line through a spare bow roller to the fwd binacle, would like to run the tack line back to the cockpit eventually. Initially, ran the halyard outside the mast to a block on the spinaker bale at the masthead. Have subsequently ran the halyard inside the mast and back to the cockpit. I use my genoa snatch blocks that are shifted to the sternmost hole in the toe rail. Hope to get additional snatch blocks for the sheets someday. Once hoisted with the sail untwisted, the sock was raised and all went well (sailing and dousing). I am still reluctant to deploy it in anything but the lightest wind as I need to get more accustomed to its capabilities. All in all, a very spectacular experience. Mike s/v Charisma 82 H36
 
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Scott Narum

My Experience

I bought an assymetrical chute (gennaker) from Banks Sails. I have a Hunter 326, and I got it with the spinnaker winches and halyard (which is simply cleated at the mast). Because I'm somewhat cheap and lazy, I set up a tack line by using the two bow mooring cleats with an extra line I have. In other words, I run the line through the sail tack and tie both ends at the cleats. Makes for a bit of a difficulty for adjustment...but oh well. I find that the sail is cool, but I can't seem to use the main much with it up because it interferes with the chute. I also have a nasty time getting my lines and sheets run correctly. However, it has motivated my boat to 7.1 knots on a run, so I'm happy. My boat hates running with the jib and main.
 
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Scott Narum

Forgot to mention...

I also have the ATM tacker and sock...absolutely essential since I single hand most of the time...also have an autopilot, altho it doesn't deal with the spinnaker very well.
 
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