Spinnaker, hows and whys
- Thread starter Halvern
- Start date
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I used to douse the spinnaker with a release of the guy. We didn't release the halyard until the spinnaker was on the lee side of the boat in the shadow of the main and gathered in. The sheets were long enough to do this without losing the sheet. They should be 2 X the length of the boat.
What the OP should first consider is how he is going to manage the sets and douses. He needs to plan whether he will launch from a bag on the foredeck, out of a hatch or from the cockpit. I've on boats that did all three (Not on the same boat). But all require a different set up. It's similar with the douse. Some boats bring it back to the cockpit, some into a hatch. Few try to stuff it in a bag.
The second step is learning to pack the spinnaker in a bag if that's how it will be launched. Even if it's being launched out of a basket it needs to be packed. The edges need to be run to lower the chance of mis-sets.
Once that is set you need to learn how to run the sheets, and halyard and have them ready to attach to the sail, or even attach them prior to the downwind leg.
OP should first learn a "Bear away set" in which the boat is turned downwind and the spinnaker is launched outside of the jib. As a beginner it would be fine to furl the jib before the set. The pole is raised on the windward side of the forestay with the guy already run through the end of the pole. The sheets/guy run outside of all standing rigging including the forestay for the guy. The set should be merely a matter of raising the halyard and pulling the pole back. Remember to run the lazy jib sheet over the pole (So as to not get pinned down by the pole when it is dropped. And the jib lazy sheet should be forward of the pole up line or bridle. I know sailors who do this single handed and it all depends on a good set up.
As a beginner I wouldn't jibe the spinnaker until you are comfortable flying the sail. Just set it, sail it and douse it.
Stick to light air. You don't really know how to do something until you know how to troubleshoot it.
What the OP should first consider is how he is going to manage the sets and douses. He needs to plan whether he will launch from a bag on the foredeck, out of a hatch or from the cockpit. I've on boats that did all three (Not on the same boat). But all require a different set up. It's similar with the douse. Some boats bring it back to the cockpit, some into a hatch. Few try to stuff it in a bag.
The second step is learning to pack the spinnaker in a bag if that's how it will be launched. Even if it's being launched out of a basket it needs to be packed. The edges need to be run to lower the chance of mis-sets.
Once that is set you need to learn how to run the sheets, and halyard and have them ready to attach to the sail, or even attach them prior to the downwind leg.
OP should first learn a "Bear away set" in which the boat is turned downwind and the spinnaker is launched outside of the jib. As a beginner it would be fine to furl the jib before the set. The pole is raised on the windward side of the forestay with the guy already run through the end of the pole. The sheets/guy run outside of all standing rigging including the forestay for the guy. The set should be merely a matter of raising the halyard and pulling the pole back. Remember to run the lazy jib sheet over the pole (So as to not get pinned down by the pole when it is dropped. And the jib lazy sheet should be forward of the pole up line or bridle. I know sailors who do this single handed and it all depends on a good set up.
As a beginner I wouldn't jibe the spinnaker until you are comfortable flying the sail. Just set it, sail it and douse it.
Stick to light air. You don't really know how to do something until you know how to troubleshoot it.