What's a Blooper? Value of Spinnaker pole?

RichH · Nov 4, 2013

A blooper is a 'specialty' spinnaker and was flown (without being 'poled') in addition to and on the opposite side of a symmetric spinnaker. It was used to add square foot surface area aloft when going DEAD DOWN WIND.
When racing sailors discovered that 'tacking downwind' at an angle to DDW was much faster, the blooper, and other specialty spinnaker 'aids' such as spinnaker staysails, bloopers, etc. etc. etc.became obsolete.

The attachment shows a blooper being flown ... and is not something that will be easy to do singlehanded.

The value of a spinnaker pole will depend on its materials of construction and the quality of its end fittings, etc.
The functional value of such a pole ... can be used to 'pole out' a genoa when one is 'pinned' to go DDW, as when sailing narrow channels where there is no opportunity to 'head off' on a more efficient sailing angle.

For long distance sailing a spinnaker pole can be used attached to the clew of a genoa (genoa being flown on the same side as the mainsail) to improve the shape of the genoa for more efficient sail performance, and youll get a flatter shaped genoa when its clew is far outboard from the boats centerline .... such usage is also called a 'jockey-pole' or 'reaching strut'.

Kermit · Nov 4, 2013

OK, that's way cool. Bob, recruit some crew and have fun with that thing. It's not about efficient or effective right now. It's all about learning something new and having fun. Not that I know anything about spinnaker poles, but dang. What a great opportunity! Don't sell either until you've tried the blooper. Just my (non-of-my-business) 2 cents!

Jackdaw · Nov 4, 2013

Ah the blooper, the only sail you will ever trim with a halyard!

What Rich says, plus in heavier breeze it helped balance out the sailplan. with that generation's skinny 'ribbon' mainsails, the boat needed more sail on the leeward side of the boat to help it from getting the speed wobbles.

RichH · Nov 4, 2013

Be careful with flying a blooper without a spinn up as the (heeling) 'balance' of the boat might become 'difficult'. A blooper was also used to balance the rudder pressure when flying a large DDW spinnaker and when the pressure on the helm became 'oppressive'.

RichH · Nov 4, 2013

"Speed wobbles" .... some would remember such as 'death rolls', especially when the whole combined sailplan began to violently oscillate back and forth across the beam of the boat !!!!!!

Jackdaw · Nov 4, 2013

RichH said:
"Speed wobbles" .... some would remember such as 'death rolls', especially when the whole combined sailplan began to violently oscillate back and forth across the beam of the boat !!!!!!

:^)

Speed wobbles are what happened right before the death roll, followed by the Chinese jibe!

TLW · Nov 4, 2013

All information above is correct. However, before ditching it, check that the sail in the bag is truly a blooper. If label on bag is with marker (as compared to sailmakers stencil) the sail might actually be an asymmetrical spinnaker or a "drifter" incorrectly named by previous owner. Either would be much more valuable to you than a blooper. Just a chance, but check it out.

Winkfish · Nov 4, 2013

RichH said:
"Speed wobbles" .... some would remember such as 'death rolls'

"Tomayto, tomahto..."

Click to expand

Joe · Nov 4, 2013

I wouldn't start selling anything until I was absolutely, positively, without a doubt, sure I was never going to use it..... first of all, since you don't know what it is, you don't know its true worth. ... and there's chance someone will "pick" it so they can simply resell the thing for its real value. But the main reason is that it almost every case, that equipment is way, way more expensive to replace. Should you develop your skills, develop a cadre of fellow sailors and down the road realize the additional fun you might have with a spinnaker and related sail inventory you won't have to agonize the added expense.

Finally, when it come time to sell the boat you can offer it as extra equipment...if the new buyer says he doesn't want it, then you can sell it separately.

Oh, regarding RichH's comment: I'm not sure how one would use a spinnaker pole for a reaching strut? A reaching strut is a short pole fastened abeam, at or near the mast. It is used to give improved control to the after guy by setting a better angle to keep the spin pole off the headstay.... because the pole is so far forward when reaching with the spinnaker.

jimfrankelly · Nov 4, 2013

Blooper a Good Asymmetrical

LawyerBob said:
Cleaning stuff out of my "new to me" Islander 28 (getting ready for winter storage) and came across an unexpected cache of extra sails.

Among the bags was one marked "BLOOPER" - What's a Blooper?

I also got a Spinnaker Pole but no Spinnaker as near as I can tell.

Since I will be single-handing most of the time, I dont' expect to ever use a spinnaker and might as well sell the pole. Any thoughts on the value of used Spinnaker pole?

Thanks

I have a very nice Blooper I bought at our sailing club's annual yard sale. I turn it upside down and use it as an asymmetrical sail .... works well & no other sailor has ever advised me that I have been sailing a blooper upside down !!!

Chris Patterson · Nov 4, 2013

RichH said:
"Speed wobbles" .... some would remember such as 'death rolls', especially when the whole combined sailplan began to violently oscillate back and forth across the beam of the boat !!!!!!

Mmhmm. Done that. It's the only time I got pitched OFF the boat from the cockpit. Had a genoa drag me overboard one time, but that's the only time I've ever got ejected. I was single handed, and the boat was going absolutely STUPID!! I tried to just hang on, sort of like you would if you were riding a very unruly horse, or a bull on methamphetamine. Terrifying.
Funny thing was, once I left the boat, it rounded right up, I swam over and climbed back on.
And nobody with any sense would be sailing on a day like that anyway, but...
I'm a little better than your average sailor.:Liar:

(Oh yeah, try and avoid this technique. But I'd give a hundred dollars for a video of it)..

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Nov 4, 2013

Used to race offshore boats, flying bloopers, back in the early 70s. What a pain it the A** they were. On a short handed cruising boat, or weekend sailor, I wouldn't give one space aboard. They pretty much take a full time person to keep them trimmed.

I'd definitely hang on to the pole. Useful off the wind , as others have said, with a Genoa.

MrBill_FLL · Nov 5, 2013

at the tail end of all these new terms, you can add 'Shrimping'

its also not so good....

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Nov 5, 2013

MrBill_FLL said:
at the tail end of all these new terms, you can add 'Shrimping'

its also not so good....

ROFL- also slows the boat a LOT!!!

antibes · Jul 6, 2014

Do you still want to sell your spinnaker pole?

What's a Blooper? Value of Spinnaker pole?

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