Snuffer Spinaker

[jorgefife]

I know I am not a skilled sailor yet, but I got this goodlooking snuffer spinaker which my friend tried on his boar ( a Pearson 32, I think)
Can it be used on my boat? It looks pretty easy to operate, and of course, would only use on light winds
But I like the idea you don't need a dozen people scrambling like demons on deck gathering the folds of the sail!
It folds neatly on it's sheath
Any coments?
Anyone has used any of these?
The picture was taken of his boat, with my spinaker

 

[sandpiper10471]

Spinnakers with snuffers are awesome. However, yours does not look like an asymmetrical which means you will need to fly it from a pole. This kite should work on your boat.

 

[Paul356]

It's a little hard to tell from the pictures, but if by snuffer spin you mean it rolls up on the luff (front), then it should be able to fly without a pole. Take it out on a light day and experiment. Should be fun.

 

[Charisma]

We use one on our h26 and love it. Check out the size etc and maybe give it a try, before you buy. I think they are great especially on a long run in light air.

 

[sandpiper10471]

I think by snuffer he means the sock. I think I can see one compressed at the top of the first photo. The reason I don't think it is asymmetrical is because the clew is usually a fair bit higher than the tack. Witness Charisma's avatar. One could readily know by measuring the two leeches. If they are the same, you need a pole.

 

[jorgefife]

All I know is it is inside a sock and is over 30 feet long
I did not see my neighbor put it on his boat, he sent me the pictures
I will take it out on light wind and experiment with it
" Experienced " as I am, I may just fall over board and sink with the snuffer, just my luck!

 

[Ed Schenck]

Good luck with that Jorge. There is some confusion because you titled your post "Snuffer Spinnaker" but you do not show any pictures of the snuffer(sock). We think we see it at the top of the first picture. You can see how it works over on this site:
http://atninc.com/sleeve_en.php .

The guys are also saying that the sail or "kite" looks like a real spinnaker. This is a sail that requires a lot of expensive hardware to fly correctly. In your pictures it is attached, perhaps incorrectly, as an asymmetrical chute. Here is one good description of both: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinnaker . Asymmetricals have many names like cruising spinnaker, drifter, and gennaker. Not sure there is any difference, they all look the same to me. Those "chutes" have the tack corner of the sail attached to the boat, not a pole like the real spinnaker. I attach my drifter to the bow roller ahead of the forestay. Then the clew on my drifter has just one sheet. That sheet goes to a block on the very aft end of the toerail. Then forward to the winch. If I have to jibe I take the sail AND the sheet around in front of the forestay and down the opposite side. Since the drifter is only used on long runs off the wind it is unusual to jibe.

 

[David in Sandusky]

Symetrical Spinnaker

If (as we suspect - why not take it to a sailmaker, and find out for sure?) you have a symetrical spinnaker - they are not so hard to fly. You do need a spinnaker pole and a ring about chest high on your mast to clip on the inboard end of the pole.

You need a topping lift (a spare halyard will do) to hold up the outboard end of the pole, and a guy to snap on to the tack of the sail and run through the outboard end of the sail to the stern. You use the guy to keep the pole at right angls to the wind, filling your chute. That's all of the "extra stuff.

Then, as with any sail, including an asymetric, you need a sheet to control the clew of the sail, trimming it so that the luff of the sail just flops every now and then.

No problem flying a spinnaker that is a little small for your rig. You would have problems it it was designer for a larger rig, though. Even then, there is some foregiveness, since a spinnaker likes to fly high, off the deck.

By the way, that's an asymetric on my avatar. You can see that the clew fliies higher than the tack at the bow.

 

[jorgefife]

Ed,
I did see the video you posted on your comments: I had researched under "snuffer", and sure enough it came up
My sail is just like that!What I don't know ( I wasn't there) is where did my friend attach it on nhis boat to show the picture I posted regarding this subject
He has a Pearson with a roller furler and is quite experienced (he often takes out the boat and sails alone), so I asked him to post his coments on this forum and explain exacttly what he did; but it looks just like the video, neat looking little bugger!
David,
Thank you also for your input: I have 2 spinaker poles (from the salvage yard), and my mast has a ring just like you describe
I installed an extra halyard for future sails on the port side, and a turning block just aft of the mast, a little to the edge; I also installed a single rope clutch and a winch just aft, on the top where there was a circle intended for that purpose; in front of the winch I have a round vent, but ity doesn't seem to interfere
On the starboard side I have a double turning block, also installed on the area that was designed to have one: on that side I have also a rope clutch, and in there I run 2 halyards (main sail and head sail); a winch is also on the circle, so I look good here
I await with bated breath what my friend says about this whole affair, I am very curious
But I will not be foolish, I have seen a couple of boneheads struggling with their spinakers!

 

[Ed Schenck]

Still Jorge, there is a major difference sailing a "chute" with or without a pole. I nearly always single-hand my boat. And I use the drifter(no pole) while sailing alone. I do not have a sock(snuffer) although it is on my wish list. I could not sail alone with a spinnaker and a pole. It would require at least one more experienced crew member.

I do have a spinnaker and pole on my Highlander. I have never used it for the reason that even when I have crew they are not experienced enough to deal with setting it.

 

[jorgefife]

Please don't get me wrong: I wouldn't sail alone if I went with the motor only!
No, no, no!
And if I used that snuffer, it would be with one of my friends at the same marina: he is a captain and used to be the harbour master there; he also has a Hunter 33, 1980, with roller furler;him and the owner of the Pearson (who tried out my snuffer) would go
But it looks like a great thing

 

[jorgefife]

Ed,
Reading your posting again, I am always puzzled about one thing: coming back to your slip, unless it is a clear entry, how do you do it on your own?
Do you have people to help you coming in?
My marina has a very narrow entry way, but what is your secret?
I suppose speed is the answer... or rather, the lack of it: you probably come in at a snail's pace, is that the secret?
Because I cannot turn and go straight: once you initiate the turn, that's it!
Are you quite nimble at jumping and securing the boat?
It is for that purpose I have been losing weight, already lost 20 pounds and want to lose some more, so I can be as quick as lightning!

 

[PaulM]

Hi all,
Jorge asked me explain how I put up his A-kite. It is indeed an asymmetrical spinnaker made of ~1/2oz. material with a sock/snuffer. It probable looks a bit odd it the pictures as I jury rigged the tack line. The tack was tied to the bow pulpit (will need to go to a proper block and cleat) and the clew was though a block at the stern to a winch. I also didn’t raise the halyard as high as I could. I was a bit concerned that the spin halyard would get stuck in the sheave on the mast. I don’t see any reason this sail wouldn’t work on Desiree. I think the luff is a little on the short side for a H33, which may be a good thing. For reference my I is 40.4 and the J is 13.4. I don’t know the dimensions of the H33.

Paul

 

[Ed Schenck]

I'll admit that I am always hoping to find someone on the docks when I come in. But that is the rare case. It was especially dicey in Florida where I had just the four corner pilings, same in North Carolina. Much easier on Lake Erie with a full length dock on starboard. Port side would be better because of prop walk but never had that option. My turn is wide because the dock is on the river(picture). I have river traffic, current, wind, and the other boat on the port dock to deal with. So yes, slow is important. I use just enough reverse to not pull the stern away from the dock. I have a long spring line that I catch on the second post. That stops the boat and pulls the stern in. Jump off with the stern line in hand and grab the shrouds to keep her square. Quick temporary stern to post tie and then forward to grab the bow. I have the bow line laying over the pulpit so I can do a quick bow tie. Finally I do the docklines to their respective dock cleats and then the spring lines.