Packing the spinnaker away

[Joe_Cole]

I suppose that I could get a snuffer, but I'm trying to learn how to use the spinnaker without doing it the lazy way!

Can anyone tell me the best way to pack the spinnaker away. Just stuffing it in the bag is asking for problems. Neatly folding it on a pontoon is fine...but means I can only use it once per trip. Putting it in the bag on deck isn't practical. Going down below isn't much better. Do I put the middle of it in first, then stuff everything else in and hope for the best.

Questions, questions, questions!

Joe Cole.


PS It's most satisfying when the brute is succesfully launched!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Talbot]

One way would be to take a bucket, cut off the bottom. Pull the spinny through the hole and as it goes through put elastic bands/very light cord around the roll. You end up with a long sausage that is easier to stow, and can be hoisted up the mast before being opened (much easier for short handed work) this is the origin of the snuffer. - I use a snuffer as it not only makes hoisting easier, but also enables you to have a much more controlled lowering. However, you can get twists inside the snuffer bag if you twist it up into the sail bag, so fold it well.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jimi]

well chuck it down below then locate the three corners hang 'em onto something like a hatch handle,follow luff , leech and foot from corner to corner folding as you go. Stuff the remainder into the bag and place neatly folded leech,luff and foot on top with the three corners poking out the top. Job done!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[qsiv]

The usual route is to stop from each corner - you wind with a '3 pointed star'.

I'd reccomend using wool (hence the racing term of 'wooling' the kite) rather either 'laccy bands or anything else as it tears easily.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[GeorgeP]

I use two techniques depending on the circumstances.

Slow drop - sheet the spinnaker in tight and go to the middle of the foot. Ease the halyard and shove it in the bag from the middle. Work your way up the sail, leaving the three corners till last. Tie or clip off the three corners. If you do it steadily, the spinnaker is ready bagged for the next hoist. Not really suitable for racing, very strong winds or short handed sailing. Also liable to get the sail wet if you're not careful, which then results in you needing to dry it.

Quick drop - pull it all in from the back by the clew and dump it in the cabin. You'll need to let the guy go and then let the halyard go. Very quick, but then you need to sort out the mess in the cabin. You can bag it in the same way as described above - start in the middle of the foot and be careful not to twist the sail.

Using the genoa to blanket the spinnaker during the drop helps in both cases.

I don't know if any of our racing friends have different methods.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Skyva_2]

I agree with Jimi. Wool and elastic bands never seem to be there when wanted.
Sort out the head and clews with no twists in the edges. For security loop and tie off a sail tie or similar through the corners. Stuff the centre of the sail into the bag (and get a proper spinnaker bag) and leave the head and clews on top.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[kgi]

must say i think jimi"s got it about right, the only thing i do is i have three of those S shaped hooks that i hang up then hang the corners of the kite from them, as i used to find that after i had stuffed half of it in the bag one of the corners had dropped in the mess and meant i had to start again.......keith

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[qsiv]

Without knowing the size of kite and crew involved it's difficult to be sure that a hoist from a turtle is viable or safe. Even with a race crew I wouldnt dare hoist mine without either a snuffer or stops in anything over about 10 knots of apparent wind. The fight to hoist the kite the last bit is just too great.

As for drops w/o a snuffer, the safest way (provided you have a loose footed main) is to 'letterbox' between the boom and foot of sail, and thence down main hatch, and sort out later. This more or less guarantees the sail stays out of water.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Laurin]

I use the hook method when racing one boat, on the other where there is no hook:
Get head of sail, put it between your legs and sit on it, starbord side of the kite to your left. Then work down one edge, running the tape at the edge of the sail through your hands making sure no twists. When you get to the end, put starbord clew under left buttock! Then repeat for port side putting port clew under right buttock. Quickly run round white tape at foot of sail to double check there are no twists and pack kite into bag (without lifting bum off seat). Eventually you have all 3 corners ready to tie with sail tie. If you want to be absolutely bomb proofly sure you have done it right, run tapes at edge of sail through hands again and leave tapes on top of bag.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Twister_Ken]

10 kts apparent?

Routinely used to hoist in much stronger airs that this without stopping the kite. Absolute essential is to set the guy up first. but put no weight at all on the sheet while hoisting (but take slack out of it so sheet does not twist itself, or flick around standing rigging). Kite will windcock off downwind as it goes up, so is very easily hoistable on the halyard. Only sheet in when the hoist is right. When racing, kite is always hoisted with a genoa set which prevents the kite wrapping if anything goes pear-shaped.

As to repacking Jimi's method was the one we used, hooking the head in the forecabin and working back along two sides to ensure no twist (don't need to check side 3). Then tie corners together, or on a posh spinnaker turtle there will be three velcroed webbing loops for each corner, before stuffing bunt of sail into turtle.

Also we used to write PC (port clew), SC and Head on the sail, just to avoid embarrasment when hoisting. Oh, and do remember to tie the turtle on deck before hoisting.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[vyv_cox]

We invariably sail two-up, so I do all packing myself. Spinnaker flies from the masthead on a Sadler 34. I always stuff the kite into a turtle but leave sheets attached until everything is complete, ensuring its readiness for next time. In light winds I have hoisted and packed single-handed but it might be tricky in any wind.

Procedure goes:
Release the guy from the winch, allowing the pole to swing forward. Turtle attached to guard wires and has a stiffening batten around the top, helping to keep its mouth wide open. Located immediately ahead of the main, which kills the kite in wind to at least F5. Begin to stuff the centre of the foot into the turtle. Release the sheet. Once most of the foot is in the turtle, helm releases the halyard and lets it drop slowly. With experimentation there are ways that this can be almost automatic, such as one turn around a winch and the tail hanging into the saloon, or throw the whole halyard overboard and let it trail astern.

My turtle has Velcro strips attached to the upper corner D-rings, for locating the clews. Once these are connected the sheets can be released. Head ring just sits on the top of the pile.

This method is easy in most winds, ensures the sail is always ready for re-use and cannot twist.

If there is a reason why we have to haul the kite into the saloon, very rare, we use the method others suggest. Gather the sail sides together from the head down to ensure no twists. Attach the clews to a hook each side on the hand rails forward in the saloon. Then again, stuff from the foot upwards. When we had smaller kites we did this as a single operation but the current one is hard work done like that, so we now use the two-stage process.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[qsiv]

Re: 10 kts apparent?

Maybe I'm a shade pessimistic... but the whole boat shakes something horrid if the kite flogs for too long. Bear in mind that also when 'we' race in the current boat we've always been lightly crewed (maximum of 6) whereas a race boat of similar size would have a crew of somewhere more than 14. By the time we have a driver, one person grinding, one tailing in the cockpit that only leaves a maximum of three to handle the hoist - that tneds to be one (bow) running pole, foreguy and feeding the kite out under the jib and a maximum of two (mast/pit) on halyard. When it all goes right it's ok - but if 3200 sq ft of kite gets away from you it can get very exciting - hence the caution. When I raced on a1/4 tonner with a small kite I dont ever remember hoisting in stops - one person could run the sale up hand over hand in a jiffy, and if it did pop open it was no sweat to finish the hoist.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: 10 kts apparent?

Point taken on staffing.

Racing we'd have the bowman hooking everything on, setting the pole, and then feeding the kite. Two guys at the mast to bounce then winch the halyard, a trimmer on the guy and a trimmer and a tailer on the sheet. The mast guys and the bowman would then drop the genny (and gybe it if neccessary).

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[brianhumber]

Re: 10 kts apparent?

Agree it can get alarming when the whole boat starts shaking wobbling but its great when its up and flying well.
I have flown the Barracudas lightweight massive spinny in light winds with just two of us, but never had the balls to try the small heavy weight one in the 25kts its supposed to be good for!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[qsiv]

Re: 10 kts apparent?

Hah! the new boat (talked about excessively ..) has a chicken chute as part of the inventory that is rated to 35 knots - apparently if you dont fly it the boat is unmanageable downwind as you need the lift the asy gives to stop the bows burying...

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Joe_Cole]

Re: 10 kts apparent?

Thanks for all the tips guys!

This forum really can be great.

Regards

Joe

<hr width=100% size=1>