Thurston "Thrasher"

[Roger]

My 1982 Cat 27 SR (#5012) came with an unused, and unrigged "Thrasher" radial headsail. Has anyone used this particular sail? I assume it is a 'genniker'.The two page manual shows attaching the tack to the headstay with a snaphook or collar, and using a pendant led aft to ease the tack up the headstay as you go before the wind (or pulling the tack down as you come to a close reach). Since I have a CD furler and 135 jib, I can't put a collar around the headstay.Suggestions? I assume I need no whisker pole to use this before the wind, right? Bat wing? Do I need a separate set of blocks further aft on the track on each side. Can you jibe it? Is this sail really best for light air, or can I safely use it in 15-20 (typical here) knots before the wind?I am not a spinnaker sailor, and I do a lot of singlehanding. But I would like to do some club 'cruising boat' races, and would like to use this sail.Any help is appreciated.Roger

 

[Michael McCann]

Or a Cruising Spinaker....

....Poless Chute, whatever? I liked to run the forguy (a line attached to the Tack of the sail) through a block at the headstay (or somewhere, preferrably in front of the head stay)to ease the tack up, or down. I believe that a gybe is the preferred manouver with this type of sail. fot the sheets you can use snatch blocks, or similar, attached near the aft end of the boat, then lead forward to the winches. It also helps to have a "spinaker" halyard off the mast head forward of the headstay, although a jib halyard will suffice. The one option my wife insisted on was the "sock" to "snuff" the sail out when things got hairy. Some call the sock a snuffer. I sometimes used my whisker pole in ultralight air to go wing, and wing (is that "bat wing"?). I think the sail is intended for reaching, and doesn't do well DDW. Have fun!Mike