Save me from a $300 mistake!
- Thread starter Ol Dave
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My 2 cents
We have been very happy with our ATN. It's a quality product and has performed flawlessly. Boat size matters. The Chutescoop is for boats up to 35' and the ATN is for one bigger then 30'. The quote for the ATN seems high or the Chutescoop is low. I thought the Chutescoop was about $5/ft and the ATN was $11/ft. A 2X difference, not 3X. Try the chandlery on this site and if they can't get you one try Defender.com. Hope this helps.
We have been very happy with our ATN. It's a quality product and has performed flawlessly. Boat size matters. The Chutescoop is for boats up to 35' and the ATN is for one bigger then 30'. The quote for the ATN seems high or the Chutescoop is low. I thought the Chutescoop was about $5/ft and the ATN was $11/ft. A 2X difference, not 3X. Try the chandlery on this site and if they can't get you one try Defender.com. Hope this helps.
Dave, look for a used ATN
where used sails are sold. Not a harsh use type of gear, so used for 1/2 or less of new price is a great value. Thats what I did.
where used sails are sold. Not a harsh use type of gear, so used for 1/2 or less of new price is a great value. Thats what I did.
Chutescoop has worked great (I've used an ATN too)
We have a Chutescoop on our current 47' boat and I had an ATN on our old 38' boat. When I ordered our new a-spinaker a year ago from Neil Pryde, the quote included a Chutescoop. After I received it, the only difference I saw (based on my memory of the ATN) was the ATN had a fiberglass "ring" at the base vs. a stainless ring for the chutescoop. The ATN "ring" was wide and angled to (I presume) help capture/funnel the sail while you pull down on the sock to collapse the sail. I recently read an article in Practical Sailor that quoted Neil Pryde as providing a Chutescoop with a-spinakers on boats up to ~45' and an ATN for larger boats. I called Neil Pryde and they said for my boat (a Beneteau 473) they always provide the Chutescoop given the size of the mast and sail. By the way, Neil Pryde provides all the Beneteau OEM sails so they know the boat extremely well. Bottom line, we used our chute about 6 times this season and the Chutescoop worked great - no problems at all. I would save the money. However, on my old boat I had a regular sail bag for our chute and this time I ordered a box launch bag. This makes a huge difference in my opinion. With the regular sail bag, I was always getting things tangled. With the box launch bag designed for spinakers, each corner is velcroed to the bag and the entire bag sits nice and neatly on the foredeck. In my situation, after I've collapsed the chute with the sock, my wife lowers the halyard slowly while I "fold" the chute into the box bag and then secure each corner with velcro and then close the top of the bag - all organized and ready for the next launch (just like the racers!).
We have a Chutescoop on our current 47' boat and I had an ATN on our old 38' boat. When I ordered our new a-spinaker a year ago from Neil Pryde, the quote included a Chutescoop. After I received it, the only difference I saw (based on my memory of the ATN) was the ATN had a fiberglass "ring" at the base vs. a stainless ring for the chutescoop. The ATN "ring" was wide and angled to (I presume) help capture/funnel the sail while you pull down on the sock to collapse the sail. I recently read an article in Practical Sailor that quoted Neil Pryde as providing a Chutescoop with a-spinakers on boats up to ~45' and an ATN for larger boats. I called Neil Pryde and they said for my boat (a Beneteau 473) they always provide the Chutescoop given the size of the mast and sail. By the way, Neil Pryde provides all the Beneteau OEM sails so they know the boat extremely well. Bottom line, we used our chute about 6 times this season and the Chutescoop worked great - no problems at all. I would save the money. However, on my old boat I had a regular sail bag for our chute and this time I ordered a box launch bag. This makes a huge difference in my opinion. With the regular sail bag, I was always getting things tangled. With the box launch bag designed for spinakers, each corner is velcroed to the bag and the entire bag sits nice and neatly on the foredeck. In my situation, after I've collapsed the chute with the sock, my wife lowers the halyard slowly while I "fold" the chute into the box bag and then secure each corner with velcro and then close the top of the bag - all organized and ready for the next launch (just like the racers!).
Make one for $5
Items required: ~24" length of dacron 1/4" line, ~12 golf balls, 3/8" drill bit and drill. Take the golf balls and drill 3/8" holes all the way through them. A piece of PVC pipe on a scrap piece of wood holds them well. Use a big pair of vice grips to keep them from turning while you dirll them. String the balls on the 1/4" line and then tie a knot on each end to keep the balls from "coming apart" Tie end eyes/bowlines on each end. Use just like the ATN. In the olden days this was called a purlin and it was used to secure lots of stuff to masts, booms and the like. Rides up and down the jib like a dream.
Items required: ~24" length of dacron 1/4" line, ~12 golf balls, 3/8" drill bit and drill. Take the golf balls and drill 3/8" holes all the way through them. A piece of PVC pipe on a scrap piece of wood holds them well. Use a big pair of vice grips to keep them from turning while you dirll them. String the balls on the 1/4" line and then tie a knot on each end to keep the balls from "coming apart" Tie end eyes/bowlines on each end. Use just like the ATN. In the olden days this was called a purlin and it was used to secure lots of stuff to masts, booms and the like. Rides up and down the jib like a dream.
I'm going to bed now
Ahhh the ATN for dowsing a chute. Not the ATN for attaching it's tack to the jib. Sorry folks, been up since 0500 and I'm not putting it together as well as I should be. see you on the waters.
Ahhh the ATN for dowsing a chute. Not the ATN for attaching it's tack to the jib. Sorry folks, been up since 0500 and I'm not putting it together as well as I should be. see you on the waters.
My snuffer came from...
...CruisingDirect. Works fine. Fiberglass ring, ronstan block for the hoisting gear. Can't imagine why the ATN costs so much, there's nothing complicated about these things. You might take a look at the CruisingDirect website. Prices are very good, lots of information and pictures. http://www.cruisingdirect.com
...CruisingDirect. Works fine. Fiberglass ring, ronstan block for the hoisting gear. Can't imagine why the ATN costs so much, there's nothing complicated about these things. You might take a look at the CruisingDirect website. Prices are very good, lots of information and pictures. http://www.cruisingdirect.com
Or the UK one...
THe UK/Halsey "stasher" works really well also. It compresses extremely well at the masthead, which means it doesn't affect sailshape. Just another option, Bill
THe UK/Halsey "stasher" works really well also. It compresses extremely well at the masthead, which means it doesn't affect sailshape. Just another option, Bill
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