I have had my Hunter 22 for a few months now and for some crazy reason decided I would like to add a spinnaker. Here in Texas our summer nights usually have a light south breeze that would be perfect for this 0.5 oz semetrical kite I picked up. The sail is originally from a Ranger 22 so it should be about right. My questions are pretty basic. Is there anyone that has any spinnaker experience on these <25 ft boats and what suggestions would you make? I think I need to add a spinnaker pole and the advice from West Marine was don't do it cheap, do it right. What about a topping and bottom lift? Can I use my jib halyard for the spinnaker (I don't have a furling)? I'm trying to figure out what is absolutely necessary and what I can do without. Again, this set up is for inland light breeze summer evening cruising, not coastal racing. Any suggestions would be very helpful. I'm attaching a picture of my mast head. This is a great site with lots of great advice. Thanks in advance! Wes
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Why not a genaker ?
Why not go for an assymetric spinaker or genaker. You don't have to have an up/downhaul or a pole. A stocking is very omfortable though. I sail single handed most of the time with my 26 and the genaker with the stocking is just great. toomas
Why not go for an assymetric spinaker or genaker. You don't have to have an up/downhaul or a pole. A stocking is very omfortable though. I sail single handed most of the time with my 26 and the genaker with the stocking is just great. toomas
On the advice
of an experienced sailor, I bought this symetrical. He said I should start with a symetrical. I'm starting to think I should have started with an assymetrical. That's a beatiful rig Steven. I really like the biminis.
of an experienced sailor, I bought this symetrical. He said I should start with a symetrical. I'm starting to think I should have started with an assymetrical. That's a beatiful rig Steven. I really like the biminis.
Say hello to my Cosin in Austin
I made the one over the hatch and have really enjoyed the extra shade. Helps geting in and out in rain also. If you sew a all I recomend making one. I was my first and I might do it a little different but it works. The frount bar is stationary but the backone folds up when I want the cover on it.
I made the one over the hatch and have really enjoyed the extra shade. Helps geting in and out in rain also. If you sew a all I recomend making one. I was my first and I might do it a little different but it works. The frount bar is stationary but the backone folds up when I want the cover on it.
That's nice
I do have a heavy duty sewing machine I planned to use for making new covers for my interior cushions - another winter project. I haven't even considered making my own bimini top. Did you make the frame and everything? How far did you move the boom up the mast? That looks like an assymetrical with a sprit pole, right? When you added the spinnaker halyard did you just go right beside the jib halyard? What is the reason for the half ring on the forward part of my mast head? I thought this could posibly be where you might attach a block for a spinnaker halyard, but that's just a guess.
I do have a heavy duty sewing machine I planned to use for making new covers for my interior cushions - another winter project. I haven't even considered making my own bimini top. Did you make the frame and everything? How far did you move the boom up the mast? That looks like an assymetrical with a sprit pole, right? When you added the spinnaker halyard did you just go right beside the jib halyard? What is the reason for the half ring on the forward part of my mast head? I thought this could posibly be where you might attach a block for a spinnaker halyard, but that's just a guess.
Exactly!
Jack, That sounds like exactly the set-up I am shooting for. When you say you added the halyard above the jib halyard, did you use that half ring? On my mast head I have four pulleys - two forward and two aft. Currently I am using only two - one for the jib and one for the main. I can't really see that adding another halyard beside my jib halyard would gain me much. If I could get it above it (and above the forestay) that would be perfect. I've measured my J and I think I need a 9' pole. This takes me up into the 2" diameter stuff. Is this what you are using? Thanks!
Jack, That sounds like exactly the set-up I am shooting for. When you say you added the halyard above the jib halyard, did you use that half ring? On my mast head I have four pulleys - two forward and two aft. Currently I am using only two - one for the jib and one for the main. I can't really see that adding another halyard beside my jib halyard would gain me much. If I could get it above it (and above the forestay) that would be perfect. I've measured my J and I think I need a 9' pole. This takes me up into the 2" diameter stuff. Is this what you are using? Thanks!
Genoa Halyard vs Spin Halyard
You could attach a swivel block to the 'D' ring (that's what it's there for) and run a light weight spin halyard outside the mast, thru the block above and in front of the headstay to avoid chafe. Add a 5 or 6" horn cleat to tie of the halyard on the port side of the mast. If you try the Genoa halyard it will likely chafe on the headstay on one tack or the other. You could also run the spin halyard inside the mast on the port side and cut an exit slot in line with the swivel block above- its just more work and you may not want to raise the spinaker from the cockpit anyway.
You could attach a swivel block to the 'D' ring (that's what it's there for) and run a light weight spin halyard outside the mast, thru the block above and in front of the headstay to avoid chafe. Add a 5 or 6" horn cleat to tie of the halyard on the port side of the mast. If you try the Genoa halyard it will likely chafe on the headstay on one tack or the other. You could also run the spin halyard inside the mast on the port side and cut an exit slot in line with the swivel block above- its just more work and you may not want to raise the spinaker from the cockpit anyway.
WVR
It looks like you have a bail up top of your mast. You can use that to run an exterior block for an exterior spinnaker halyard. When you tack the sail will slide from side to side without interfering with the head stay. I used a 6-12 foot extention whisker pole with spinnaker ends, but again I used it only in light air, prefering to tack downwind in heavier air without the spinnaker. I have no doubt that a 12-15 knot breeze would have bent the pole in half easily. But since I flew it in 2-8 knots max it worked great.
It looks like you have a bail up top of your mast. You can use that to run an exterior block for an exterior spinnaker halyard. When you tack the sail will slide from side to side without interfering with the head stay. I used a 6-12 foot extention whisker pole with spinnaker ends, but again I used it only in light air, prefering to tack downwind in heavier air without the spinnaker. I have no doubt that a 12-15 knot breeze would have bent the pole in half easily. But since I flew it in 2-8 knots max it worked great.
Whisker pole?
Jack, I had thought about just buying an extendable whisker pole because they are so much cheaper. This is a light air sail and I don't plan on using it above 5 knots. Did you have a topping and bottom lift on your pole? Ok, so far it seems pretty simple. The halyard is no big deal and I will just add the cleat on the mast like S. Sauer suggested. Thanks again!
Jack, I had thought about just buying an extendable whisker pole because they are so much cheaper. This is a light air sail and I don't plan on using it above 5 knots. Did you have a topping and bottom lift on your pole? Ok, so far it seems pretty simple. The halyard is no big deal and I will just add the cleat on the mast like S. Sauer suggested. Thanks again!
Whisker Pole
The whisker pole is much lighter, so I didn't use a lift or bottom line. However, sometimes the pole wanted to lift, and I would just pull down on the sheet which is enough to hold the pole down. A lot of folks would just fasten the tack to the bow pulpit and not even use the pole. That limits your angles, but is again a lot easier. I used a Harkin 1" spinnaker pole end bolted in a piece of PVC pipe to add it to the end of the whisker pole. The new "Boatworks" magazine has the plans to convert a pole..with all the pictures. You just have to be careful to fly it in low winds.
The whisker pole is much lighter, so I didn't use a lift or bottom line. However, sometimes the pole wanted to lift, and I would just pull down on the sheet which is enough to hold the pole down. A lot of folks would just fasten the tack to the bow pulpit and not even use the pole. That limits your angles, but is again a lot easier. I used a Harkin 1" spinnaker pole end bolted in a piece of PVC pipe to add it to the end of the whisker pole. The new "Boatworks" magazine has the plans to convert a pole..with all the pictures. You just have to be careful to fly it in low winds.
Bowsprit
Here’s an easy-to-make bowsprit, seats in the anchor locker. This will throw the spin ahead of the main, less blanketing. Tack line and 2 sheets permanently deployed for quick setup. (Note that the link here has 2 pages of pix and directions.) Typo correction: Eyelet should be 3/8 inch.
Here’s an easy-to-make bowsprit, seats in the anchor locker. This will throw the spin ahead of the main, less blanketing. Tack line and 2 sheets permanently deployed for quick setup. (Note that the link here has 2 pages of pix and directions.) Typo correction: Eyelet should be 3/8 inch.
Spinnaker Rigging
You can use your jib halyard for a pole topping lift. This will allow you to control the clew height for light air. A pole foreguy is needed as a safety as much as anything else. In a puff the pole will want to lift(sky) and without the foreguy there will be nothing to stop it. You say you will only fly it in 5kts. With time you will learn how to fly your chute and will use it in higher wind speeds(BTW 5kts is very low and the apparent will be much less than that). Few folks have any control over the weather and puffs and shifts happen. Better to rig your boat so you can control the situation rather than wishing you had later. PS, What S. Sauer said about spinn halyard vs jib halyard is correct. Using a jib halyard for your spinnaker will certainly lead to failure from chafe. It needs to be above the headstay where it is clear of it.
You can use your jib halyard for a pole topping lift. This will allow you to control the clew height for light air. A pole foreguy is needed as a safety as much as anything else. In a puff the pole will want to lift(sky) and without the foreguy there will be nothing to stop it. You say you will only fly it in 5kts. With time you will learn how to fly your chute and will use it in higher wind speeds(BTW 5kts is very low and the apparent will be much less than that). Few folks have any control over the weather and puffs and shifts happen. Better to rig your boat so you can control the situation rather than wishing you had later. PS, What S. Sauer said about spinn halyard vs jib halyard is correct. Using a jib halyard for your spinnaker will certainly lead to failure from chafe. It needs to be above the headstay where it is clear of it.
A thought about windspeed
Once your boat reaches hull speed (+ a little) she's not going to go any faster no matter what you fly. For that reason as the wind gets upward of 10 knots, the chute comes down and I go into a broad reach. With the "A" sail, I fly it a little longer, but not much.
Once your boat reaches hull speed (+ a little) she's not going to go any faster no matter what you fly. For that reason as the wind gets upward of 10 knots, the chute comes down and I go into a broad reach. With the "A" sail, I fly it a little longer, but not much.
Deadline ... Am I missing something?
You have posted this advice several times ... and I keep opening it, but I still can't figure it out. How does the pole exit the locker? What else has to be cut away to make it fit? Do you have additional pictures? It looks like the instructions just stop in mid-sentence. Tell me more.
You have posted this advice several times ... and I keep opening it, but I still can't figure it out. How does the pole exit the locker? What else has to be cut away to make it fit? Do you have additional pictures? It looks like the instructions just stop in mid-sentence. Tell me more.
Update
After visiting with a private shop owner here in town I decided to go with his advice. I bought a 1 1/4" expandable spinnaker pole and I am going to use the standard pad eye that came with it. He also suggested the external halyard and a simple foreguy arangement to keep the pole from rising. I like the idea of using the jib halyard for the topping lift. I think this system will work well to start with. The spinnaker I have is only 0.5 oz material and the guy I bought it from has warned me about flying it in much more than 10 knot winds. So I think this rig will work fine for light summer evening winds and for anything heavier I will keep the jib up. I plan to bring the mast down this weekend and get my block mounted to that D ring and also get my steaming light working and wire and mount an anchor light. Jack, you are very correct about hull speed. With my wife very uncomforable with healing - I have learned to sail with comfort as a priority. I am supprised how often I look down and my GPS says my speed is 6 mph with less than 15 degrees heal. Thanks for all your help! Wes
After visiting with a private shop owner here in town I decided to go with his advice. I bought a 1 1/4" expandable spinnaker pole and I am going to use the standard pad eye that came with it. He also suggested the external halyard and a simple foreguy arangement to keep the pole from rising. I like the idea of using the jib halyard for the topping lift. I think this system will work well to start with. The spinnaker I have is only 0.5 oz material and the guy I bought it from has warned me about flying it in much more than 10 knot winds. So I think this rig will work fine for light summer evening winds and for anything heavier I will keep the jib up. I plan to bring the mast down this weekend and get my block mounted to that D ring and also get my steaming light working and wire and mount an anchor light. Jack, you are very correct about hull speed. With my wife very uncomforable with healing - I have learned to sail with comfort as a priority. I am supprised how often I look down and my GPS says my speed is 6 mph with less than 15 degrees heal. Thanks for all your help! Wes
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