A question of downwind sails

Frogmogman

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I heard the same story but it featured RKJ using a Very pistol to demonstrate to Clipper crews how to douse a kite in an emergency.
I'm sure someone, somewhere, sometime has done it, but it has taken on urban legend status.

It's a story I've heard too, but have always assumed it to be urban legend too.

I fail to see how a stressful experience with a kite would be improved by setting your sails on fire.
 

Stemar

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I'm guessing a bad broach in extreme conditions could take your rig down in fairly short order. Put a hole in the spinny instead and it'll be reduced to rags in an instant, which is a fair bit cheaper than a new rig.
 

lw395

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It's none too easy to give a 'cast iron' answer, 'cos it depends. These days, I'm not in too much of a hurry - no, let me put that another way.... if there isn't enough wind to fill a light spinni and keep it more or less working, there's little point in fretting. If not racing, then either run the engine.... or protect the sails, and break out a book!

The wind will comeback. Yes, it does..... I don't get impatient with wind and weather any more - I'm just grateful to be able to be out there.

I'm looking to rig the boat for singlehanding. Should I be fortunate enough to find someone else who wants to come along, then we can share watches.... Seemples!

I'm also quite happy to sail the boat at 130-140ish wind angle, if that fills the sails and keeps us moving. Not religious about dead downwind.
Do you also have an autohelm/tiller pilot?
Much as I love the 'no batteries required' aura of vane gears, being able to hold a rough compass course when dropping a kite can be valuable. The apparent wind 'gets about a bit' if the kite is a 'useful size'. If the kite didn't move the apparent a fair bit, it can't have been helping your boat speed.
 

lw395

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Twizzle, Twistle, Twins'l, different people have used these terms to mean various things over the decades.
 

zoidberg

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Do you also have an autohelm/tiller pilot?

Yes.

For that and similar reasons. And have used one for such tasks.

The repeated 'nightmares' of wrestling with a maddened spinnaker, with a rearing, plunging pole and thrashing-about sheets and guys up at the front, is exactly why any spi of any shape/size/colour or religion that I fly will be attached to a furling drum and a continuous line led back to the cockpit. By that means I hope to avoid the requirement for a firearms license and a Very pistol!
 

newtothis

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Yes.

For that and similar reasons. And have used one for such tasks.

The repeated 'nightmares' of wrestling with a maddened spinnaker, with a rearing, plunging pole and thrashing-about sheets and guys up at the front, is exactly why any spi of any shape/size/colour or religion that I fly will be attached to a furling drum and a continuous line led back to the cockpit. By that means I hope to avoid the requirement for a firearms license and a Very pistol!

I have a secret admiration for junk rigs, which seem to really come into their own in these situations. Seems you can pretty much hang out a barndoor of a sail 90 degrees to the wind and reef it from the cockpit just by letting off a piece of string. With a tall enough rig, they can apparently make passable speed in light airs downwind as well.
 

zoidberg

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I have a secret admiration for junk rigs

Yes - and a 'secret admiration' for the likes of Roger Taylor, of 'MingMing 1 and 2' notoriety. But.... I wasn't confident of re-rigging this boat with a through-deck, keel-stepped mast, then designing and making my own 'suit of sails'.

And then there's Cdr Bill King's 'Galway Blazer' and her various exploits....

No need - or way - for a spinnaker with either of those. :cool:
 

lw395

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Yes.

For that and similar reasons. And have used one for such tasks.

The repeated 'nightmares' of wrestling with a maddened spinnaker, with a rearing, plunging pole and thrashing-about sheets and guys up at the front, is exactly why any spi of any shape/size/colour or religion that I fly will be attached to a furling drum and a continuous line led back to the cockpit. By that means I hope to avoid the requirement for a firearms license and a Very pistol!
That means your asy would be very expensive and the value you get from it might have to be considered carefully.
With all the gear it sounds like a lot of cash.
At the other end of the spectrum, I once swapped a functioning asy of about 180 sq ft for a pint of beer and a bottle of wine. It gave a useful speed boost and plenty of amusement to the recipient. Mr Sensible would point out that it would not have survived an Atlantic circuit, but the intention was more 'Bembridge'.

AIUI, you need the right luff rope to furl an asy, and it tends to work better with flatter cut ones. So it's unlikely you'll get a used bargain.
 

capnsensible

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At the other end of the spectrum, I once swapped a functioning asy of about 180 sq ft for a pint of beer and a bottle of wine. It gave a useful speed boost and plenty of amusement to the recipient. Mr Sensible would point out that it would not have survived an Atlantic circuit, but the intention was more 'Bembridge'.
You got a black cat, I got a panther.

I was given a hanked on headsail (named Hannah by one of our crew) around 20 years ago. It (she?) has assisted us on two Atlantic circuits and is still going strong. Must be well old now.

:cool:
 

zoidberg

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That means your asy would be very expensive and the value you get from it might have to be considered carefully.
With all the gear it sounds like a lot of cash.

Happen you're right.

However..... I've just peeked onto the Crusader Sails site, and a 'Magic Furl' asy-bag of about the right size ( ? ) would cost me about £1200 from them. That comes with the metal bits. I do actually already own some quality German 'furly metal bits' which are well capable of that job, so the net cost to me - even with a new fancy torque rope - might just come in as merely 'expensive'.

And I might even get one from Santa! ;)
 

Yealm

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Happen you're right.

However..... I've just peeked onto the Crusader Sails site, and a 'Magic Furl' asy-bag of about the right size ( ? ) would cost me about £1200 from them. That comes with the metal bits. I do actually already own some quality German 'furly metal bits' which are well capable of that job, so the net cost to me - even with a new fancy torque rope - might just come in as merely 'expensive'.

And I might even get one from Santa! ;)
I'm thinking of getting one too - and flying off the bow roller, if I can get it clear of the pulpit and genoa furling. For Contessa 32.
 
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