This is a stupid question, but I went to fly my drifter style spinaker today and on the bottom it had a beaded tack collar ???? I just hooked up normally - but I assume this should wrap around the furled head sail - but what keeps it from sliding up to the top .... should it be mounted below the jib sheets? And what is this gizmo called??
White Beaded Tack Collar
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You need a "tack line". Attach a line to the sail's tack and tie/cleat it off to prevent the thing from lifting up.
An adjustable tackline is preferred. Put a shackle on the end of the line for easy sail attachment. From the sail, thread the line through a small block you've shackled to the stem fitting, then run the tail back to a handy cleat in the cockpit, preferably near a winch. This way you can adjust the height of your tack for a fuller or flatter sail from the cockpit.
The sheets shouldn't interfere with the tack line, whether you run them inside or outside the forestay. Btw, running the sheets outside the forestay allows you to jibe the sail with less chance of wrapping it around the wire... but you cannot tack the sail. If you want to tack it then you run the sheets inside, just like a normal headsail...
When I fly my asym I never tack it... so the sheets always go outside.
An adjustable tackline is preferred. Put a shackle on the end of the line for easy sail attachment. From the sail, thread the line through a small block you've shackled to the stem fitting, then run the tail back to a handy cleat in the cockpit, preferably near a winch. This way you can adjust the height of your tack for a fuller or flatter sail from the cockpit.
The sheets shouldn't interfere with the tack line, whether you run them inside or outside the forestay. Btw, running the sheets outside the forestay allows you to jibe the sail with less chance of wrapping it around the wire... but you cannot tack the sail. If you want to tack it then you run the sheets inside, just like a normal headsail...
When I fly my asym I never tack it... so the sheets always go outside.
The problem with this thing is it restricts movement of the sail tack away from the bow. This forces the sail to fly closer to the main than it should. As a result the spinnaker is more easily able to collapse in the wind shadow of the main. It does exactly the opposite of what you need to keep it flying. Rig your spinnaker as Joe suggests and forget this thing.
I've got pix of an inexpensive bowsprit to extend the spinniker ahead of the man. email me at bodonovan@vagazette.com since I've had trouble posting the pix.
If what you have described are called "Parrel Beads" It should look something like this when set up.
http://www.neilprydesails.com/store/beads.htm
http://www.neilprydesails.com/store/beads.htm
Ted has it right.
Parrel Beads (or ATN Tacker) are used to keep the tack of the sail CLOSE to the forestay (the boats center line) .... when the boat is at a beam reach when the TACK LINE is allowing the tack of the sail to be flown high. When conditions permit (light winds and flat water, etc.) for best sail efficiency the tack 'can' be allowed to be raised sufficiently and to keep the tack (hence the luff of the sail) from blowing off to leeward, one can use parrel beads to keep the tack 'as far as possible towards the windward side of the bow. Without parrel beads the luff when on beam reach will be too far to leeward and the sail will become very inefficient and cause unnecessary healing.
The art of spinnaker flying is to keep the area that 'luffs' well high up (as possible) and in the near 'middle' of the luff for best sail shape and efficiency. Without parell beads or Tacker the 'luff break' occurs too high in the sail and leads to gross sail inefficiency. The use of beads or tacker would be analagous to moving the jib cars back and forth to gain max. genoa efficiency .... getting the luff to 'break' evenly and in the center - when going 'across or down' the wind.
I may be nitpicking here, but the "tacker" by ATN is a solid poly collar, not the parrell beads the poster has for his rig. Rather than spend a couple hundred dollars on the ATN product, sailor have, for years bulit their own device with a necklace or poly or wood beads.
When I purchase my gennaker from the old CruisingDirect (now NorthSailsDirect) they INCLUDED, at no additional cost, a stitched sailcloth collar. I've never used it because I use hank on sails.... so I simply clip the tack of the spinnaker to the forestay.
Ted is right they are called parrel beads,
and the are just as useless as the ATN Tacker.
Ideally you want the tack of the sail to be controlled
by an adjustable tackline that is attached as far forward
of the headstay as possible. That point will often be
an anchor roller, but a dedicated sprit or prod is even better.
and the are just as useless as the ATN Tacker.
Ideally you want the tack of the sail to be controlled
by an adjustable tackline that is attached as far forward
of the headstay as possible. That point will often be
an anchor roller, but a dedicated sprit or prod is even better.
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