Crusing Chute or Spinaker

[nikrud]

Hi, looking at getting a light sail for my Westerly Griffon for down wind sailing, whats best a Crusing chute or a spinaker? Also would appreciate advise on size of ether or both.

Regards Ed

 

[MoodySabre]

You can get the sizing here.

If you sail with just one crew and don't race then I would get a chute with a snuffer. Plenty here will have alternative views.

 

[arfa]

Cruising chutes are hopeless dead downwind unless you drop the mainsail or pole it out. On the plus side a chute tends to be easier to handle shorthanded whereas a spinnaker tends to need more tlc. I use a chute for what it is worth.

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

A cruising chute has a good area advantage over the genoa off the wind and can be goosewinged to give downwind performance.

 

[samwise]

Short handed, the chute with a snuffer is possibly the better option. I say possibly because Flaming will be along in a minute to say that we are all wimps and a full monty spinny is a doddle, without a snuffer that he regards as a work of the devil.

Seriously though. Big sails can be daunting , especially if the wind starts to get up and it takes a bit of a fight to get the thing down . We have both chute and spi on our boat. A couple of weekends ago we we we returning to the Orwell from Bradwell in rather light airs, Goosewinging wasn't working, the spi would have been a bit of a chore with just the two of us, so we rigged the chute ( having dropped the main) and had a speedy run back.

 

[Freedom]

Hi, looking at getting a light sail for my Westerly Griffon for down wind sailing, whats best a Crusing chute or a spinaker? Also would appreciate advise on size of ether or both.

Regards Ed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMltxP_Aj_0

Cruising chute with snuffer works well for me, not much effort needed.

 

[arfa]

If you want a really easy system for shorthanded use and have £££ to spend, have a look at magic furl by crusader sails - a very neat system

 

[simonfraser]

second the crusader thought, how often will you have competent crew ?

 

[BAtoo]

Hi, looking at getting a light sail for my Westerly Griffon for down wind sailing, whats best a Crusing chute or a spinaker? Also would appreciate advise on size of ether or both.

Regards Ed

If you already have a pole setup then get a narrow shouldered spinnaker and you can fly this from dead down wind up to a beam reach.

If you haven't a pole then get a cruising chute +/- snuffer.

Other opinions will vary !!!!!!!!!

 

[William_H]

Spin or cruising chute

A narrow shouldered spin is virtually a cruising chute. 0r put it another way a cruising chute or code zero whatever you call it is a very big lightweight genoa flown from ahead the forestay.
If you get the urge to fly it from a pole you might call it a spin. Flying the tack from a pole can bring the sail out from the shadow of the main when running.(like a spin) So get a cruising chute then try it as a spin. olewill

 

[mlthomas]

Hi, looking at getting a light sail for my Westerly Griffon for down wind sailing, whats best a Crusing chute or a spinaker? Also would appreciate advise on size of ether or both.

Regards Ed

Hi Ed
Had the same dilemma, however as there are only two of us most of the time and we don't race we went for the chute and snuffer option. Very easy to launch and recover, doesn't do some things, like dead down wind (easy to gybe though) but it was cheaper than gearing up for a spinaker or buying a Parasailor.
Seems to work for us.

 

[r_h]

I have both - a spinnaker for downwind and a chute for reaching. If you're not accustomed to using either I'd recommend getting someone who knows how to do it to come on board your boat. If you know what you're doing a spinnaker on a Griffon will be really easy to handle in winds F4 and less, but if you do it wrong there's potential for mishap.

 

[wooslehunter]

I have in the past rigged a cruising chute like a spinnaker for downwind sailing. Mine seems more stable than the genny when goosewinged. Downwind, it's useless unless goosewinged. There's a heading range around very broad reach where is useless in any configuration. It can't be goosewinged & is shaddowed by the main.

I'm not sure there's much advantage over my 145% genny though. It's not even on the boat at the moment. It really only comes into its own in very light winds where the genny wont hold out on its own.

For short handed if you must, go for a cruiser with snubber. If you have crew, a proper spinnaker is far better. I didn't buy mine, it came with the boat. I do mostly short or single handed sailing & would not buy a cruiser.

 

[Stemar]

I have a memory of a similar discussion some years ago. The conclusion was neither. Spend your money on a folding/feathering prop and you'll get the benefit all the time, with no hassle or extra sails & string to lug around.

It may not be the right answer for you, but I reckon it's worth thinking about.