Crusing Chutes

[FlyingSpud]

I have acquired a cruising chute with my new (old) boat, something I have never had before.
I have seen two ways of rigging, and gibing these sails
1. Rig it like a normal foresail and gibe it the same way
2. Take the lazy sheet around the front of the forestay. Then, to gibe, let the working sheet go so that the sail goes out like a flag, forward for the boat, before pulling in with the lazy sheet (similar to a windsurfer gibe, I suppose).
The draw back with option one is that there is a lot of sail to get between the forestay and the mast/babystay, so there must be a danger of a wrap. The drawback with 2 must be the danger of the lazy sheet going under the bow.
Any thoughts?

 

[kgi]

when i get ready to fly the sail, if i am going downwind then i rig the sheet forward of the forestay, if i am going up wind then i rig it as per a normal foresail, if you have roller furling having about 4 feet of the foresail out helps to stop wraps, i have'nt had a problem with sheets under the bow..........cheers ........keith

 

[bedouin]

The choice of how to rig it depends on where the halyard is rigged. If the halyard is attached to the mast above the forestay, then you tack the sail down in front of the forestay and lead the sheets round the outside. It's easy enough even to tack the chute that way by pulling it round the forestay. This is the usual situation if using a conventional spinnaker halyard

If the halyard exits below the forestay, then tack it down behind the forestay on the deck and run the sheets as for the genoa. This is the usual method if using a genoa halyard.

Doing it the wrong way can end up the the chute or halyard tangled with the forestay.

There must be certain configurations where either is acceptable - the best way is to try both and see which you prefer.

 

[steffen]

A question i have for some time: what is a cruising chute? How does it compare to the symmetrical spinaker that i have??

 

[bigmart]

A cruising Shute is a sort of big baggy genoa made of spinnaker material.

Generally can be flown when the wind is aft of the beam & stricktly for use in light airs.

Martin

 

[Spacewaist]

Manouvrability means outside everything....

Down wind on starboard gybe a racing fleet approaches you on starboard so you
need to gybe to pass round their stern. Options are:

1 Sheets rigged outside everything and a simple course alteration does the trick. Calm and controlled ......or....

2 If rigged as a genoa do you:

a) avoid the gybe by heading up, getting over pressed at best or more likely
get into a real mess?

b) drop the chute and then gybe the main? (OK if you are fully crewed -
a bit of a stress in a rush if it's just you and SWMBO - snuffer or no snuffer)

c) gybe anyway and hope you have the strength to winch in the chute
enough to avoid a wrap round the forestay?


LOOK OUT!!! Behind y.......! Five more hoots and you're history!

 

[FlyingSpud]

Re: Manouvrability means outside everything....

Thanks for the advice from all, see the points all make. I will be rigged to a spinnaker halyard so it seems the round the front approach will be the best