Cruising Chutes!!

[TheCount]

I know, I shouldn't have bought one, but the man was a very nice salesman.

Anyway, anybody got any ideas about how you drive one? Its on a 32' ketch rigged Motorsailor (Or at least it will be when I can figure out how you tie it on!)

Is a snuffer crucial or can you control it without?

I would appreciate any advice (Like possibly visiting a shrink maybe....)

Regards Andy

<hr width=100% size=1>Still, what do I Know??

 

[snowleopard]

there was a series of articles in YM last year on the subject.

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[BigLes]

They're quite easy to handle. Think of it like an oversize genoa, however it (and it's sheets) must be outside the headsail, shrouds and forestay so it can tack around the outside. It should be fixed at the foot by an adjustable line (from the bow) so it can fly free and the sheet fairleads will need to be set further aft than the genoa faileads. A snuffer is recommended, however it can be used without. You'll find it great fun and certainly gives an extra lift in light winds. Do note that it's not designed for use on a run like a spinnaker.

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[BigLes]

They're quite easy to handle. Think of it like an oversize genoa, however it (and it's sheets) must be outside the headsail, shrouds and forestay so it can tack around the outside. It should be fixed at the foot by an adjustable line (from the bow) so it can fly free and the sheet fairleads will need to be set further aft than the genoa fairleads. A snuffer is recommended, however it can be used without. You'll find it great fun and certainly gives an extra lift in light winds. Do note that it's not designed for use on a run like a spinnaker.

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[boatless]

You can use a snuffer, but once you've learned to use the sail without you'll be fine. Hoist it in the lee of the genoa/jib with the sheet tight. Once it's up, ease the sheet till it fills. Then drop/furl the genoa. Trimming is a matter of easing the sheet until the luff just starts to collapse, keep it at this point by trimming or steering.

Play with the length of the tack line/sheet lead position until you get the luff collapse on as long a length of luff as possible.

As above, if you want to go fast straight downwind you'll need a pole for the tack, but, goosewinging is fairly effective, you can pole the clew out, and a lot less noise than a flappy genoa.


Getting it down is the reverse, genoa up/out, oversheet chute, someone let's the halyard run (around a winch x2) at a speed to match the gathering speed of the person on the sidedeck under the genoa clew, hauling it into their lap.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[Vara]

No snuffers arent essential,but if you are short handed or in marginal conditions very handy,they also stow the sail neatly,and make it much more difficult to drop sail in water.

<hr width=100% size=1>If it can't be fixed with a lump hammer dont fit it!

 

[johnt]

"Hoist it in the lee of the genoa/jib with the sheet tight"...........


OOOOHHHHHH can I watch.. can I ...can I

hoist in the lea of the MAIN ...slack... then drop your genny and set your chute or drop genny b4 hoisting but with snuffer, hoist chute, tack down to bow (loosely, it needs to lift above your pulpit) sheets outside stays, drop genny, unsnuff ......if your off the wind in any real sense ...you aint going to sheet the genny in are you!..and getting the chute into the lea of the genny would be be fun in itself!.

but as the man said, keep your sheets outside everything and take your chute sheets right to the back of the boat ..the genny sheet blocks wont do ..use snatchblocks if you can site them at your stern and you will NEVER IN YOUR LIFE get an oversheeted chute down easily any more than you will an oversheeted genny .same rules apply, but let go the sheets then let go of the head steadily and just gather it straight into the bag....leaving THE TACK, THE CLEW and THE HEAD ready to make on next time you want to hoist

let go the head of an oversheeted and tight chute and the only place its going is over the side

OH and you cant SNUFF an oversheeted chute either! you have to let fly for that as well (dunno about you fella's but with my chute over sheeted im over on my ear AND THE CHUTE IS DRUM TIGHT!!)

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[boatless]

Have you actually tried it my way?

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[TheCount]

Oh Dear. What have I started?

I need to study these eminent posts in some detail. Many thanks for the comprehensive responses.
Just one thing though, I misguidedly thought that the tack was tied to the stemhead as is the genoa, but it seems that it is flown on the same lines as a spinnaker. Namely fixed at the top with a halyard and loose at the bottom with just two sheets, or have I got this bit around my neck? (With the chute closely following no doubt.)

It seemed very easy yesterday!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Still, what do I Know??

 

[boatless]

The Count

No, you were right first time. Normally it is attached to the stemhead, just that dead downwind you can use it like a mini spinnaker.

JohnT

If a sail is oversheeted, it is, by definition, stalled. A stalled sail does not generate nearly as much lift or drag as a sail flying properly. Put your boat onto a 130 degree reach and try oversheeting. Your boat will come upright as it slows down.

I tend to launch spinnakers (and chutes if I'm using one) when I'm going downwind. So an oversheeted sail is stalled, and in the lee of the genoa.

I have a bit of helicopter footage of me doing the above hoist, so if I can get it into this pc, I'll post a link so that you can see how well it works.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[johnt]

130 degree reach? ................oh... you mean a broad reach!

nahhh ....im not going to oversheet a cruising chute at that angle .. it leaves the sail drum tight and difficult to get down, Ill just let it fly I think, same as I do me genny when I want that down

" dead downwind, use it like a mini spinnaker" ...........MINI! omg ! and I shudder to think what it will set like once you release the tack and replace the tack line with a sheet!

the tack goes to the stem head .........and IT STAYS THERE, even though its adjustable and runnning dead down wind just aint worth the hassle ..all the messing about, come a few degrees off and make life comfortable I say

s'funny though ..........oversheeted on my boat usually means OVERPRESSED especially with the cruising chute!



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[boatless]

No comment.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[TheCount]

John T

I have just studied your post in forensic detail!!

It now has become as clear as day (the demon chute handling!)

Many thanks I look forward to putting this into practice.

Just one final query, what diameter would you recommend for the sheets. would 10mm be too thick?

Regards Andy

<hr width=100% size=1>Still, what do I Know??

 

[johnt]

I should think not ............fancy trying to snuff a hardened in asymetrical spinnaker

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[boatless]

JohnT

If you look, you'll see that I said that a snuffer wasn't neccy - once you're used to using the chute properly.

John

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by boatless on 28/03/2004 22:11 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[bigmart]

A snuffer may not be imperative but it certainly makes life easier. There are occaisions when a Snuffer can bail you out if the wind gets up & they certainly make short handed handling of the sail simpler. Some may disagree with this but, hey, were all different!

I'll stick with my snuffer.

Martin

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[TheCount]

Now then Girls!

What about the thickness of the sheets then? Is 10mm too thick and heavy?

Regards

The Count

<hr width=100% size=1>Still, what do I Know??

 

[ChrisE]

Can't give you a definitive answer but we use 10mm on our Rival 38 with both spinnaker and cruising chute. From memory, Marlows recommend a little strong but as devout cowards we bring things flying from masthead down long before the lines could get any serious loads.

One thing I'd pass on is to have long lines so that in extermis you can depower by letting the sheet go and still have enough on board to keep the end on board.

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[bedouin]

Depends on the size of the boat!

We use lightweight 8mm for the Asymmetric (when flown like a cruising chute). In our case the Asym would be overpowering the boat before the loads got too much on those sheets

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[pandroid]

You can fly a cruising chute with either the tack down to the stemhead or alternatively on a pole like a spinnaker. Anything much beyond 130 degrees and you'll be better off with a pole. You can actually change from one setup to another while you are going along.

We prefer to think of it as an odd shaped spini - with the only problem being that its a bit more difficult to gybe.


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