O'Leu tack collar

I might be missing something but I don't love the idea. Means jib must remain furled until spin and collar are removed. You still need an attachment to hold a down haul on the collar. Why not use that attachment for the tack of the spin. Perhaps even a rope around the anchor roller. ol'will
 
MagicalArmchair said:
Anyone used one of these? O'LEU - Tack Collar Large

I've been toying with a Selden bowsprit, however, for our cruising chute, I think one of these will require less drilling, it'll be one less thing to store, and it'll cost less!

She is a Bav 40 - sailing with young family in light airs (when family present), light handed.
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There’s a decent article on the use of a collar on UKsailmakers.com - looks like a worthwhile addition and a pretty easy diy
Thanks for the idea!
 
I sail SH so only go on the foredeck to clip the chute in place. The tack line is long enough to reach back to the cockpit twice. So if a gust suddenly hit I do not have to go on the deck to release anything. I let the tack fly, grab the sheet & pull the sail in under the boom. Whilst the uncleated halyard has one turn around the winch on the cabin top to provide a bit of friction for the first part of the drop.
If one had the proposed system it could be fitted with some sort of pulley arrangement so I could do the same but friction would be an issue. One would also have to go forward to take it off. In addition I may often sail with the jib then hoist the chute from the shrouds without going further forward. I do not use a snuffer as they are too dangerous.
Bearing in mind that the Op wants to sail short handed on a large yacht he might consider those points.
 
I have a 31 ft boat & sail single handed. This is different to a 40 ft crewed boat with a stable platform to work off. But I would still go for the under boom drop for speed ( important to get a nice efficient drop without any snags halfway) & ease.
First I have to get the sail hoisted in the snuffer. That is not so bad but because the nose is heavy GRP & because the tack line has some slack to reach back from the roller on the front where it is fitted i has a tendancy to roll around the forestay. That in itself is not too bad. Then having hoisted it from the cockpit I have to go forward ( Not necessary if not snuffed) & get it un snuffed. The first bit is always awkward & I have to be able to reach the nose piece to get some of the sail out because that is the widest part of the sail & it jams in the nose. Because I have to reach the nose I have to have the tack line loose to allow me to get the nose near to the deck. Then I have to grab the uphaul line & whilst pulling it I have to use one hand to get a lump of sail out.
Remember I am standing on the rolling deck of a 31 ft boat. I cannot do it sitting down as the nose is too high & invariably swings out of reach. So that part puts me at some danger & I should not be there.
Once I have the snuffer started it is a piece of cake to get it to the top & the sail now starts to flog & the 2 sheets trail in the water. The windward one drops below the bow & under the boat if I have let out too much at the start so I have learned to watch this. However, if it is too tight it causes the sail to "bag".
I have to get to the cockpit & sheet in.
It is a Hyde one & they make them for loads of other sailmakers, so the nose piece is a pretty standard unit for snuffers.
All this palaver could have been avoided with a simple hoist straight out of the bag. just forward of the lea shroud. I could have done it in safety from the cockpit. On one hoist I stopped half way & the snuffer swung more than usual & the top fitting smashed the steaming light.
Now to get it down
This is where the fun starts.
First the sheet has to be let fly. Then the tack line has to be released enough so I can reach the nose & the down haul lines.
Sods law dictates that one sheet will go under the bow, if it has not already.
Sods law also dictates that the downhaul line will be on the lee side of the sail. As the sail is flapping like hell I have to kneel on the deck reach as far as i can over the side to catch it & get a straight pull down. Pulling from an angle on the deck does not work. If I stand up & look up, not only will I have to maintain balance, but I can easily go giddy looking up making the whole affair extremely likely to tip me overboard.
I have also had the issue of too much snuffer stuck at the top ( because I have accidentally hoisted it too far up)& it refusing to slide down a damp sail. It is Ok once started but most times it will not move.
So now I have a sail with a lump of cloth complete with a KG of GRP stuck at the top, a flapping sail, a line under the boat, a tack out of control & me on the deck getting the hump & very giddy. As a migraine & vertigo sufferer that is very dodgy.
As I try to drop it on to the deck the top wants to stream out round the spreaders the bottom part of the sail is difficult to hold down on deck, other boats are getting near & the whole thing has to be stuffed into the bag. Also bear in mind that my halyard has to be controlled from the cockpit, so I have to lead it forward & control it with one hand.
& you ask why I consider it dangerous.
A simple drop from the cockpit under the boom whilst running down wind is so easy & safe from a safe position. The halyard is alongside me so I can control it with a bit of friction ( 1 turn loose around the winch & the clutch released) Get it into the cabin where it can be re packed at leisure ready for use again.
S.d the snuffer. Best place for it is in the garage, at home.
 
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That is a fascinating take on the snuffer, and thank you for the words of warning - that sounds like a nightmare. I sailed with a pal of mine with a Sadler Starlight 35 with a snuffer, and thought it a cracking idea. I have yet to use mine (no where to tack it!), and I, too, sail single-handed basically (as my very young family make up the other souls on board) also (bigger boat does not mean, necessarily, fully crewed. And the Bavaria is very easy to single hand white sails.)

Do we have anyone in favour of snuffers who can give the counter view?
 
One point I forgot to mention is that I put it on the yacht club lawn & hooked it to the balcony with the aid of some other cruiser sailors. We tried rigging the uphaul/downhaul ropes differently ( there are swivels inside the head) . We tried with & without the swivels. We tried with the rope inside/outside the seperate tube etc to find the best option. spent an afternoon . Cost me a fortune in beers. Loads of irrelevant advice ranging from "get a code zero to get a spinnaker & throw that girlie rag away, to give you £ 50 for the lot. Best was " dump it it's rubbish" . Still no better.
It is amazing the quality of advice you get from a bunch of semi drunks if one is buying the beers
 
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