Cruising Chutes - beginner needs advice pls

[Babylon]

Had the chute hoisted briefly for the first time on Saturday, and what a beautiful sail it is!

But both myself and my crew had never used a cruising chute before, so it was all a little experimental, and not a little stressful given the concentration of boats in the Solent this weekend. So a few basic questions:

(1) The chute came with a 2m tack line spliced to the tack, which proved to be a little tricky to ease and tension by hand on the foredeck, especially as the forces seemed considerable once the sail filled in, even in a fairly light breeze. Is this usual, or should I replace it with a long tack led back to a cockpit winch?

(2) There is a block shackled to the the stem-head just aft of the bow-roller, through which I led the tack line. Is this the correct position for it?

(3) After several rapid-succession and hair-raising collision-avoidance manoevres (the chute really pulls and things started to happen pretty fast), we decided to drop it. I pulled it in from the foredeck, getting some of the sail wet as it collapsed into the water - should I have pulled it in from under the boom?

(4) How does one repack the chute in the bag? I simply stuffed it back it, making sure I left the head, tack and clew hanging out till the last. But how would I then know that the chute wouldn't be twisted next time we wanted to hoist it, or do I have to have the whole thing out in the cabin each time, repack it carefully and hope for the best?

(4b) Is stuffing it the correct way to leave it in the bag, or should one later flake or fold it properly when ashore?

(5) I'd consider getting a snuffer, but as we're only 27ft long and as the chute isn't that enormous, I'd really like to learn a reliable and safe way of handling it direct from a traditional sail-bag.

Thanks

Babs

 

[Skysail]

There is a good starting guide here:

http://www.kempsails.com/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=11&Itemid=12

Stuffing in the bag is the way to go. Follow all the edges round to make sure the sail is not twisted and tie the corners together before stuffing.

You could try a top opening 'turtle' bag clipped or tied to the gunwhale to make launching easier. I would think for a 27 ft boat a snuffer is an unnecessary complication.

Pull it in under the boom; a tack line back to the cockpit makes life easier.
.

 

[DJE]

I've been using a chute on a 29' boat for years now with a fixed length tack line and no snuffer. I lead the tack line round the bow roller and make it off on one of the bow mooring cleats, I have a mark on the tack line so that I can always set it up so that the tack of the sail is just clear of the pulpit. Hoist the sail out of the bag while sailing deep downwind, adjust the luff tension with the halyard. I wouldn't attempt to adjust the tack line while sailing unless it was lead back to a winch.
Learn to gybe it so that you can sail the best angles downwind, the trick when gybing is to haul the main in close to the centrline first so that there is lots of wind getting to the chute to minimise the risk of it collapsing onto the forestay. When dodging other boats remember that you will speed up as you luff up and slow down as you bear away.
To recover the sail I go to the bow, get the crew to release the sheet then I undo the tack line and walk back to the main hatch with it. Sail deep if possible to get the chute behind the main then gather the sail into the hatch as the crew eases the halyard. My son once undid the tack line before the sheet was eased and lost a lot of skin from his hand!

 

[Bosun Higgs]

The chute flies out in front of the roller reefing so you need to find some way of fastening the tack down in front of the forestay.

Personally I never use a tack line and instead use a fixed length plastic coated wire strop.

I have very mixed views about snuffers - they tend to cause as many entanglements as they prevent. If you are not using one then either stuff the chute back into its bag in an organised fashion or re-pack ashore. I tend to repack using a bottomless bucket to drop rubber bands round the chute , maybe 10 along its full length. These bands last long enough for you to quickly fully hoist the sail before the wind breaks the sail out and the bands give way. Does nothing to help recovery of course.

As for dropping the sail, unfurl the genoa first to blanket the chute then let out maybe 15 ft of halyard at the same time as pulling in on the sheet. Once that bit is in, your crew can gradually let out the rest of the halyard and you can pull in the rest of the sail. Release the strop last of all

 

[doug748]

1) I use a line a little longer than this with a jammer on it and a small block on the sail cringle.
2) Sounds ok if it is ahead of the forestay and clears the pulpit.
3) I normally go downwind, trip the jammer on the tack (allowing the sail to flag behind the main) and then drop under the boom whilst easing the halyard on the coachroof winch.
4) Modify the bag so you have tabs to hold the corners fixed, short lengths of line or strips of stuff will do. Mark each corner clearly with FRONT and BACK.
b) Stuffing is fine.
5) I just sold the two snuffers I had, they had been in the loft for years.

I am singlehanded so try to avoid anything but good conditions, (flat water, gentle wind, good searoom). I think that is the best way to start

 

[flaming]

Had the chute hoisted briefly for the first time on Saturday, and what a beautiful sail it is!

But both myself and my crew had never used a cruising chute before, so it was all a little experimental, and not a little stressful given the concentration of boats in the Solent this weekend. So a few basic questions:

(1) The chute came with a 2m tack line spliced to the tack, which proved to be a little tricky to ease and tension by hand on the foredeck, especially as the forces seemed considerable once the sail filled in, even in a fairly light breeze. Is this usual, or should I replace it with a long tack led back to a cockpit winch?

(2) There is a block shackled to the the stem-head just aft of the bow-roller, through which I led the tack line. Is this the correct position for it?

(3) After several rapid-succession and hair-raising collision-avoidance manoevres (the chute really pulls and things started to happen pretty fast), we decided to drop it. I pulled it in from the foredeck, getting some of the sail wet as it collapsed into the water - should I have pulled it in from under the boom?

(4) How does one repack the chute in the bag? I simply stuffed it back it, making sure I left the head, tack and clew hanging out till the last. But how would I then know that the chute wouldn't be twisted next time we wanted to hoist it, or do I have to have the whole thing out in the cabin each time, repack it carefully and hope for the best?

(4b) Is stuffing it the correct way to leave it in the bag, or should one later flake or fold it properly when ashore?

(5) I'd consider getting a snuffer, but as we're only 27ft long and as the chute isn't that enormous, I'd really like to learn a reliable and safe way of handling it direct from a traditional sail-bag.

Thanks

Babs

1. I would replace that line with a line that can be lead back to a cockpit winch. This is for two reasons, one so you can release it during a drop without having to go up forward, and secondly because once you start getting confident adjusting the tack line is a usefull trimming tool.

2. That sounds fine, remember to rig it outside of the forestay though.

3. Both techniques are equally valid, I would tend to go for dropping it straight into the bag on the foredeck in drifting conditions, and down the main hatch when there is any doubt that this would work. Rememebr to turn the stove off.

4. Run the tapes, if you follow two of the edges and make sure they are not tangled with any of the other edges, then the kite cannot be twisted. This can be done down below before you pack it back into the bag, or in the bag if necessary.

4b. Stuffing is fine.

5. Snuffers are the cause of all evil, certainly on your size boat. They offer nothing that good technique can't replicate, and worst of all (from a cruising perspective) require you to go on to the foredeck to drop the kite. Not something most cruising sailors deem a good idea when it dawns on them that the breeze is considerably stronger than it was when they put the thing up, and now their boat is verging on the edge of control.

 

[ianat182]

Agree with all the advice above with a couple of additions:
Fit a snapshackle to the outer end of the tack line ,and remove the attached line on the tack ;tie a thinner line to the snapshackle plunger and lead back to the cockpit,this line will be slack during sailing .Suggest a swivelling snapshackle to the head, if you get a 'wineglass' this will help to untwist the sail.
Gybing is easier provided you keep both sheets under tension,and the tack is slackened to be at pulpit height,then jambed.
Dowsing the chute is done from the cockpit,and begins by pulling the thinner line to the tack snapshackle,releasing the tack, the recovery is done from the safety of the cockpit, beneath the boom, and into the bag at the hatchway.
Note that I do not suggest the genoa is unfurled, much better done when the winches are cleared and sheets stowed, I only have my two genoa winches anyway so this is my preferred method.
The chute is probably the most useful sail I have and practice helps, it does make a lot of noise,and sheets can give a stinging slap if allowed to flail,but enjoy the experience.

ianat182

 

[Babylon]

Thanks for the benefit of your collective wisdom

Thanks people, that's great information. Plenty to review and experiment with whilst evolving a system that works for us in practice - which practice I think I'll next do on a quiet midweek sail rather than a hot Solent weekend.

 

[Slow_boat]

I run mine single handed on a Sadler 29.

It would be easier to have a tackline led back to the cockpit than through the bow roller to a cleat, as I have at present. You can really alter the shape and placement of the sail by using all three controls. In very light airs I have been known to stand by the mast with sheet in one hand and tack in the other playing it like a kite. No need for a snuffer on a boat this size. Sometimes it's good to use the genny to smother it for launching and recovery on the foredeck. I usually gather it in under the boom but still get it wet sometimes.

 

[KREW2]

I had a cruising chute on my previous boat, and a tack line that comes back to a coach roof winch makes life much easier, one for setting the sail and two for dropping it, follow the instuctions on the link for Kemp sails it works well. Just remeber to let the tackline fly and not ease it out like I did on my first attempt, I ended up with rope burns.
As for packing I used to bunch the luff and leach together about a third of the way up and and push it to the bottom of the bag, next I stuffed in the lower part of the sail leaving the tack and clew sticking out of the bag, followed by the rest of the sail up to the head. This method gives easy access to the three points of attatchment when ready to hoist again.