Is this spinnaker too small?

[Tim O]

I’m looking at a second hand spinnaker for my Colvic Countess 33 ketch, masthead rigged.

I have a pole but no kite....this will be my first spinnaker and no experience of flying one yet!

dimensions on my boat

Pole length 11’10” (pole height is adjustable on a sliding track on the mast)
J 11’10”
I approx 35’6”

known dimensions of the spinnaker I’m pondering are
Foot (clew to clew) 17’
Approx 28’ top to foot (assume centre of foot so that would make the luff....
Luff approx 29’3” (Calculated as a right handed triangle using above)

Am I right in thinking this might be on the small side especially given a pole of basically 12’???

on the other hand as I’ve never flown a spinnaker before maybe smaller is better??

 

[Tim O]

Btw it’s for cruising more than racing

 

[name]

I think you find the small spinnaker more flexible and very much easier to handle. Without prior experience you may be thinking that the spinnaker is mainly used on a dead run, whereas it is best used on a broad reach ..and often that necessitates tacking / gybing downwind. On a reach the craft will roll less and so then the spinnaker is very much easier to trim (..too broad &/or too deep a cut to its shape will cause it to luff as the boat rolls).

Of course boat speed increases as the spinnaker draws, and then the apparent wind comes from further forward ..and a smaller spinnaker will usually flatten better to the higher wind speed and closer haul. Your pole should be long enough to extend a little further forward than the forestay and yet short enough (without raising the height at the mast) to dip under it when gybing.

Another benefit of a smaller spinnaker is to deliberately set it flying high. Well above a cruising boat's superstructure is of course in clear air, but it may also be used to lift the bow when sailing downwind / on a broad reach.

All in all then I personally do not think your choice is too small. Naturally the individual cut of the sail will have a significant bearing on when it is best used, as indeed will its weight and strength of construction. The Covic 33 is no lightweight to draw through the seas though, so I'd suggest you don't buy too light a construction unless of course you only want it for ghosting conditions.

Hope that helps, Pete.