Spinnaker Rigging on an H34

[lr172]

I am getting ready to try out the symmetrical spinnaker on our new to us H34. The PO had a nice setup with a sock, pole and lines. We have a Topping Lift and Donwhaul also.

I am wondering about the block setup. The PO had a couple of snatch blocks and I assumed these were for the spinnaker lines and clipped on to the Toe rail near the stern. I read somewhere that Snatch blocks were not designed to take that kind of load. The boat has everything from the PO, so am wondering what he used.

Do H34 owners use the Cheek blocks that are used for the Jib? Am I ok to use the Snatch Blocks? I have some left over blocks from when I replaced all of the blocks on the Main Sheet and Boom Vang rigging. Are these tough enough for a Spinnaker sheet?

Thanks for your assistance.

Larry

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

I have flown an asymetrical on my 34 for the last 11 years using snatch blocks set in the next-to-last hole in the toe-rail near the stern without a problem at all with the exception of dropping one of the block overboard while taking it out for storing after a sail. My own fault LOL !

I do not use the cheek blocks. I leave the jib sheets in them and take them to the cleat in front of the winches. I use the winches to control the sheets from the asym. I sail solo and like the ease of control wrapping the asym sheets around my self-tailing winches gives me.

Being an asym, I generally do not pole it. The rare occasion for poling, I have a telescoping whisker pole set on a height adjustable eye-pad on the mast. No pole-lift or downhaul used.

I do pole the jib (130) when sailing DDW wing-on-wing. It helps control the flogging of the sail in wind shifts and hence control of the boat.

It has worked fine for me but I do not race the boat.

Hope this helps. Good luck

 

[kloudie1]

spinnaker H 34

lr172.. I read an article several years ago about using the genny track blocks. The article said there was much better control of the spin that way, especially for single handing. I tried it and noted much less oscillation and easier trimming.. probably not for racing, but is very good for learning how to handle the beastie in a more stable environment.. Attached picture shows the sheet going down to the double wide track block.. I don't use the cheek blocks for the spin lines.. they go straight to the winch.

 

[lr172]

Thanks for the help guys. I think that I'll put the snatch block somewhere just behind the winches on the toe rail. The West article mentioned not to use the snatch block as a turning block. I think they suggested no more than a 135* turn.

In my research last night, they talked about using the snatch block amidships in heavier air. They said this would help to stabilize the spinnaker more. Sounds like the same concept that Kloudie was referring to.

Thanks,

Larry