Sabre 30 Spinnaker

Jul 12, 2014
4
Sabre Sabre 30 Chicago
I am looking for Sabre owners experience and recommendations for light air down wind sailing .

I've got a 155 Genoa on roller furling. No Spinnaker rigging. Is it worth getting a cruising spinnaker for light air down wind sailing?

Has anyone tried an asymmetrical spinnaker?

Experiences and recommendations appreciated.

Dan
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I have a good friend with a Sabre 34 mark II.

Like all Sabres it need real help downwind in light airs. He has an asym he tacks to the bow. It helps. You will find that gibing at hot angles (140-150 TWA) will be a lot more fun than going DDW wing on wing.
 
Last edited:
Jul 12, 2014
4
Sabre Sabre 30 Chicago
Thanks for the quick reply. I'm also looking for polar diagrams, if they exist. And that was also why I asked the 2nd part of the question about an asymmetrical spinnaker. I Was not sure it that would be a better solution. I don't think any of the 30's would have been originally rigged that way?
 

Joe

.
Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
I am looking for Sabre owners experience and recommendations for light air down wind sailing .

I've got a 155 Genoa on roller furling. No Spinnaker rigging. Is it worth getting a cruising spinnaker for light air down wind sailing?
Yes... the genoa is an upwind sail. Your boat's downwind, light air performance would most certainly be enhanced by a sail designed for that purpose
Has anyone tried an asymmetrical spinnaker?
Yes, many. Check the archives here for comments... it doesn't have to be specific to your particular boat.

Experiences and recommendations appreciated.

Dan
I purchased my gennaker from NorthSailsDirect. It's a stock size, off the shelf... measuring for this type of sail can be less precise than an upwind sail. Here's the measurement link: http://www.northsailsdirect.com/CustomSails/DownwindSails/GennakerMeasurement/tabid/110/Default.aspx

You need a dedicated spinnaker halyard... and that may be your largest expense, depending on your masthead configuration. You'll also want an adjustable tack line and a set of light air sheets. To see how everything works.... watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp4ZtBNvgPo&feature=player_embedded

Have fun!
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Thanks for the quick reply. I'm also looking for polar diagrams, if they exist. And that was also why I asked the 2nd part of the question about an asymmetrical spinnaker. I Was not sure it that would be a better solution. I don't think any of the 30's would have been originally rigged that way?
I don't think you will ever find polars for your boat, but you really don't need them. They would tell you that downwind, you boat would make fastest progress to a DDW mark by sailing with a symmetrical spinnaker at a true wind angle of 170-150 depending on wind speed.

But how often do you care about that?

You want the boat to go fast and to have fun. Asyms can normally not sail as deep as a poled kite, but who cares? Heat up a few degrees, let it fill, and the boat goes even faster. It might be a few minutes slower than if you had a traditional poled kite, but who cares? The boat is moving faster and I guarantee you'll be having more fun.

I'm pretty sure your boat pre-dates the common use of asyms. That can make the tack point tricky. It MIGHT have been rigged for a poled kite, but as Joe notes what you really need is just a spinnaker halyard.
 
Jul 12, 2014
4
Sabre Sabre 30 Chicago
We sail on like Michigan and 90% of that is going out for an afternoon or evening of fun sailing nowhere fast and we would never use a downwind sail, just reach back and forth with the city in the background. But my wife and I also like to go places, like across the lake. Having a large downwind sail then is the difference between 8-10 hrs of sailing vs the drone of the diesel. A spinnaker would probably be the easiest solution as it requires the least rigging change. And I am more likely to find a cheap used one on the market. I do have a pole with a fixed eye on the mast. I think a spinnaker will require a little more attention than a asym, but we would not be tacking a lot. Does that make sense?
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
If you are rigged for a pole and kite then you are correct.

This will require a topping lift for the pole on the mast, a downhaul for the pole on the foredeck, and two spin sheets (sheet and guy) in addition to the halyard.

If you have all that and are comfortable with the general care and feeding of spinnaker flying, then for sure it is a great way to go. The poled kite is MUCH more versatile than an asym, and can handle a much wider range of wind directions.
As you note, gybing (downwind version of tacking) will be more complex; someone HAS to go forward and gybe the kite and pole.

Pia (my partner) and I do it all the time on our 36.7. Getting the timing down, and a good autopilot really help.

Sounds like a great way to go to Grand Haven.