Spinnaker Rigging Info
I assume you are writing about a regular symmetrical spinnaker with a pole and not an asymmetrical cruising spinnker. With the symmetrical spinnaker you need: 1. Halyard (external off of a hound at the leading edge of the masthead). It can be 3/8" in diameter and the length depends on whether you bring it aft to the cockpit or leave it on the mast. A snap shackle should be spliced on to the sail end. 2. Two sheets, but the pole side is called an after guy and the free corner of the sail is called the sheet. When you gybe the pole the names revert to the new line in the new position. You can have several sets of sheets. For example, light air sheets or heavy air sheets. Heavy air sheets should not exceed 3/8" inch. If you are going to buy one set of sheets, then this is the size I would get, but in light air they will be too heavy. So, 1/4" sheets might be better for that and something like Samson's Xtra Light will float and not soak up water if they end up in the drink while trimming in light air. The sheets should have snap shackles with bale-type D rings spliced on. The larger bale on the shackle will keep the shackles from catching up in the spinnaker pole end. The lengths should be at least 2 times the length of the boat and up to 10 feet longer if you plan on doing windward take downs. The light air sheets, if you use them can take Nab Shackles on the ends. Instead of SS shackles they are much lighter plastic shackles. 3. Pole topping lift - 1/4" line is good enough for that, but maybe you'll like 5/16" on the hands better. Length depends on where you lead the line. 4. Pole downhaul or foreguy - should be 5/16" and the same with the length, but it is my opinion that they should led side by side to the same location (well side by side at the cleats, anyway) as they are to be adjusted together. There should be snap hooks spliced on their ends for quick release (like a Wichard medium sized snap hook - they have 3 sizes, I think). Snap shackles are too slow if you are going to race. 5. Two tweakers of 1/4" diameter. Depending on where they are lead, but you will be talking somewhere between 15 and 20 feet. They should have some quick release snaps that are not too heavy so you can remove them quickly should the wind lighten up. I think that should about do it for your question.
