Spinnaker Question

Rleiby

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Jun 14, 2014
30
Hunter 30 Pultneyville,NY
1993 Hunter 30T with Fractional head sail.
Inquiring if most Fractional head sail Hunter boat owner have rigged their boats to the top of the mast for their spinnaker or if the have rigged it to the top of the fractional?
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Except for some current racy fractional boats, 99% of all other frac boats fly spinnakers from the hounds (mast at forestay).

Unless you get very good advice from a very good rigger I'd suggest you do the same. The section of the mast above that point is unsupported against lateral (reaching) loads.
 

Dan_Y

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Oct 13, 2008
519
Hunter 36 Hampton
I too have thought about a spinnaker for my '91 30T. What Jackdaw said sounds spot on. Curiously, when I replaced the topping lift and main halyard sheaves on my '91 30T, there was a ~0.75" roller for a spinnaker (halyard..?). The roller was for sure used on older masthead Hunters, but may have been used for the topping lift if two main halyards were used on the fractional rig. It's an Isomat NG31 spar but no mention is given for a masthead spinnaker on a fractional rig on the Rigrite page, but there are several options for up to three halyard jibe boxes that accommodate a spinnaker. Rigrite might be able to help or try giving Hunter a call first. Eddie Breeden told me my boom spar was plenty strong enough to handle a loose footed main versus the factory boltrope footed sail when I had new sails made. But I know nothing about the lateral loads from a spinnaker. You could talk to the fellow who took over for Eddie, or talk to rigrite to see if your boat used isomat spar/parts and how spinnaker were rigged on the fractionals. Just a thought.