'chute advice please

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kirielad

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\'chute advice please

Hi

I am weighing up the purchase of a crusing chute for my 24' Feeling 720, and having never really used a 'kite' before (well, at least not on my own boat!), would be grateful for any tips / advice from more experienced folk.

I would be interested to hear any thoughts about wether people use just one sheet or will two make gybing simpler - methinks this might lead to mountains of string everywhere.....
 
Re: \'chute advice please

On a boat Your size AND if a babystay is not in use, two lines should be the proper solution, with one person laying his/her back to the mast and having the pole pass over his/her breast, quickly engaging new line, disengaging old one and fixing the pole to the mast.
I suggest, in case You do not have dedicated spi winches in the cockpit, to fix two cleats astern the ones that surely are serving the existing winches: this allows to fix the genoa sheet (not engaging the winch) to the cleat and use the winch for the Spi sheet (which does exert a very strong pull).
Enjoy yourself!!
Cheers,
Gianenrico
 
Re: \'chute advice please

sorry but I think the post is regarding a cruising chute? The decision to use a cruisng chute rather than a spinaker is that if you are not concerned about dead down wind sailing but you are happy to lay off then the crising chute is for you. You will therefore not be concerned with gybing other than between long periods by which you can be prepared to have the second sheet set up.
The spinaker is a different kettle of fish and you have to appreciate that you may possibly be running dead behind the wind which fluctuates.
You can alter the course to keep on the correct tack for the pole but there will be time when you need to gybe at short notice. That's why in theory you should have both guy and sheet attached to the clews.

Regards.

Peter.
 
Re: \'chute advice please

Here are some pics from my previous 22 footer a Jouet 680. As you will see, we had a tri radial cruising chute (from Crusader), which had sheet and guy. Note the cleat aft of the winch, thats what we loaded the sheet to while throwing off the Genoa. We used a fully articulating turning block at the rear each side for sheet control.
We also led the guy around the inside between the luff of the chute/tack line, and the forestay. To gybe, we let about 4-5 feet of tack line out so the sail bellied and gives room between the forestay and the luff. After the gybe (depending on wind angle) we reset the tack line.
The tack line was led aft to the cockpit on the starboard side and was on a double turning block with the sheet/guy block, and was independantly cleated with a small spinlock jammer.
We also had a whisker pole and used it deep downwind to about 165 degrees. Then the sail collapses! More toruble than its worth unless you are running a long leg.

We didnt have a snuffer, as the chute was reasonably easily handled back into the cockpit by letting the tack line out and dropping the halyard while the chute is blanketed by the main.

Ours was about 350 sq ft

Its worth noting that I put this up and down on my own in light stuff, and it was Lynn's first season, and she learned it quickly, even though it frightened her at F4!



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Re: \'chute advice please

The only reason for having one sheet rather than two is to reduce the weight of the line on the sail in very light airs. Keep the rope size to a minimum and this should not worry you. In very light airs you can always drop one off if it is a problem.
 
Re: \'chute advice please

Brilliant. Many thanks to all, especially to Jimdew for the pictures and description on his Jouet (similar to a 720). I can hear the cheque book groaning in its drawer.....
 
Re: \'chute advice please

i have a yellow cruising chute for sale, which i bought which is too small for my boat, if interested pm me and i will send you some pics and price.
 
Re: \'chute advice please

2 lines is the go, unless it's very light, in which case I have a 4mm line I use one of at a time. Practice dictates what's best - I found that gybing inside worked well in lighter stuff, but gybing outside worked in higher wind - ie the sail was allowed to blow forward and then hauled back onto the new side.
 
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