Singlehanded Spinnaker - how?

[Tintin]

My spinnaker has lain unused and unloved in the sail locker for the past 4 years on my 27 foot boat.

And I have never been "in charge" when flying one, only one of the crew a few times.

But this is the year I intend to try to use it solo / single handed.

I tried once before but it all went pear shaped when coming out the drawstring bag, so I've bought it a nice new deck bag to make that bit run smoother.

I have the pole with bridles top and bottom, I have the uphaul and downhaul all sorted out.

I have an auto pilot

But what next.... what are the must do's and must nots?

 

[Robert Wilson]

I await with bated breath the answers from the wise-ones.
I am in exactly the same position and intend to attempt this rib-tickling endeavour shortly............

 

[mikecontessa26]

I did it a few times on the 26' too scared on the 32... i could probably get it up it's what would happen if it went awol which worries me

 

[Vara]

Like all single handed operations, a bit of thought and pre planning go a long way, I only ever single handed a spinnaker in fairly sedate winds.

But with out going into a step by step list, a snuffer makes short/single handed spinnaker use much easier.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I've no doubt someone will be along to tell you how easy it is. Personally I find it a bit fraught with a 4 man crew when racing, albeit a bigger boat. I guess you would have to do it something like this:

1/ boat onto a broad reach on pilot. Dont be daft to try it for the first time in 20knots
2/ get out the pole and attach it to the guy
3/ pull in the guy to get the pole a foot or so clear of the forestay and cleat it off
4/ pull in the sheet just to get a few feet of the spinny out of the bag and cleat off
5/ hoist the spinny
6/ adjust the guy and the sheet as necessary
7/ roll in the genny
8/ boat on proper course
9/ trim

TBH I dont see the point. It isnt a seamanlike rig at the best of times but singlehanded - no way.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I've no doubt someone will be along to tell you how easy it is. Personally I find it a bit fraught with a 4 man crew when racing, albeit a bigger boat. I guess you would have to do it something like this:

1/ boat onto a broad reach on pilot. Dont be daft to try it for the first time in 20knots
2/ get out the pole and attach it to the guy
3/ pull in the guy to get the pole a foot or so clear of the forestay and cleat it off
4/ pull in the sheet just to get a few feet of the spinny out of the bag and cleat off
5/ hoist the spinny
6/ adjust the guy and the sheet as necessary
7/ roll in the genny
8/ boat on proper course
9/ trim

TBH I dont see the point. It isnt a seamanlike rig at the best of times but singlehanded - no way.

And then getting it down again??

 

[michael_w]

Make sure the kite is packed properly! No twists. Never use a kite without the main; there is nowhere to hide it from the wind if you don't. To take down, the letter box method is favoured by the single handed contingent.

Another good tip when dropping is to chuck the halyard overboard, blow the guy and halyard and gather the sail. The water drag on the halyard is just enough to slow things down, it may need experiment to get the right amount of drag, on one boat I used a bit of rag tied in the stopper knot to add a bit of bulk. The friend who taught me this technique use to use it when sailing short handed on an ex Whitbread Maxi; in their case they used a children's bucket to control the hlyard

 

[Sandyman]

Why do you say 'no way' ? Its not that difficult. I often fly one on our 12M boat singlehanded with few problems.

 

[Tintin]

……..But with out going into a step by step list, a snuffer makes short/single handed spinnaker use much easier.

I had read that a snuffer means more lines which means more potential for problems.

……TBH I dont see the point. It isnt a seamanlike rig at the best of times but singlehanded - no way.

Thanks Bosun (are you and your good lady on the Falmouth mooring this year?) – several times I have donw some long down wind passages and while I am quite happy goosewinging with my no1 poled out and main with preventer, the swept back spreaders mean the main is not out that far so I reckon I’m losing a fair bit of speed, e.g. in 8 knots apparent I am doing at best 3 knots, so a way to harness more would be very useful.

Why do you say 'no way' ? Its not that difficult. I often fly one on our 12M boat singlehanded with few problems.

Do you have the time to type the steps you go thru?

 

[Iain C]

If you want my advice, don't even think about it until you have been "in charge" of it a few times in a fully crewed situation and know your onions. If you can't tell the crew what needs doing, where and when, you can't tell yourself either. And when you do get confident, you probably won't need to ask the question.

I have a symmetrical kite, and have just bought a cruising chute to make things easier for short or singlehanded sailing. I went for a snuffer...never used one before, and they are brilliant (in a cheating kinda way).

 

[Vara]

I had read that a snuffer means more lines which means more potential for problems.

Basically you have one more line which is within the snuffer, you have to go forrard to operate it, no big deal, on my first snuffer that line did tend to snag, but putting a low friction block at the top of the device sorted that.

The great thing about the snuffer is that the hoist can be made in leisurely fashion, spinny in sock..to top of mast, scan round to check all lines, then unleash the beast! Similar on way down.

Also greatly reduces risk of acres of ripstop falling in the sea, and is self packing, no knots or twists.

Wouldnt be without one, and I only have a cruising chute.

 

[Vara]

Ooh and another thing,makes gybing easy, snuff, sort out pole and bits of string, unsnuff and off you go.

You may gather I'm a fan!

 

[alahol2]

This is how I did it on a previous boat and would do it on the current boat if I had a spinnaker (only cruising chute at the moment)...
Please note this is only ever done in pretty light winds.

Ensure the spinnaker is not twisted in its bag. Run the spinnaker through your hands, from the head, putting both luffs together then put it into the bag with head and clews tied lightly together so they can't tangle themselves.
Put the boat on a broad reach
Set up the pole, with uphaul and downhaul, resting against the forestay.
Tie the spinnaker bag to the leeward guardrail midway between mast and forestay.
Put the windward sheet (guy), outside everything, through the pole end and run it down to the leeward guardrail and clip on to the spinnaker tack (? windward clew?).
Clip on the leeward sheet.
Bring the spinnaker halyard to the bow then round the back of, and under the genoa. Clip it to the head of the spinnaker.
I then try to get as much of the foot of the spinnaker spread from forestay back along the guard rail toward the stern as possible. This can take a couple of trips back to the cockpit to pull the sheets/guy tight and made off. This will be the contentious bit, I'm sure, with dire warnings of what may happen when you start to hoist but I've never had a problem and I virtually never get a twist when doing this.
Double check that all the lines are running where they should and hoist the spinnaker.
Adjust sheets/guys to approximate positions and roll the genny.
Trim properly.
Enjoy the sail....

To drop...
Put the boat onto a broad reach.
Let the pole forward to lie on the forestay.
If the halyard is not already led to the cockpit, hook it under a mast cleat and lead it temporarily to the cockpit.
Blow the windward sheet clip at the pole so that the spinnaker flies like a flag behind the main.
Back in the cockpit, lower the halyard and pull in the spinnaker under the boom and down the main hatch.
Tidy up at leisure.

It has always worked for me.

 

[William_H]

It really is all about the size of the spin and the wind strength. Certainly not a problem in light winds provided they stay light.
Re the above description. "blow the wind ward sheet clip at the pole" is not so easy. Easiest is to allow the wind ward sheet brace or guy to run through the pole end so that as you pull the sheet in under the boom the brace is released and allowed to run as is the halyard. I would tend to agree with those who suggest you should try to find a crew for initial adventures in spinnaker madness. olewill

 

[Fantasie 19]

I've no doubt someone will be along to tell you how easy it is. Personally I find it a bit fraught with a 4 man crew when racing, albeit a bigger boat. I guess you would have to do it something like this:

1/ boat onto a broad reach on pilot. Dont be daft to try it for the first time in 20knots
2/ get out the pole and attach it to the guy
3/ pull in the guy to get the pole a foot or so clear of the forestay and cleat it off
4/ pull in the sheet just to get a few feet of the spinny out of the bag and cleat off
5/ hoist the spinny
6/ adjust the guy and the sheet as necessary
7/ roll in the genny
8/ boat on proper course
9/ trim

TBH I dont see the point. It isnt a seamanlike rig at the best of times but singlehanded - no way.

...better off part-ex'ing it for a cruising chute (and snuffer)???????????????

 

[Spyro]

I wouldn't think about dumping the halyard over side. Just asking for trouble. I've been there accidently and and it's not pleasant if the sail ends up in the water. As long as you know where all the bits go and you know how to get it up and down just make sure you have plenty of sea room and light winds. IMHO it's not worth it single handed unless it's going to be up for a couple of hours at least. I have a snuffer and have flown it single handed it makes it much easier.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

Make sure the kite is packed properly! No twists. Never use a kite without the main; there is nowhere to hide it from the wind if you don't. To take down, the letter box method is favoured by the single handed contingent.

Another good tip when dropping is to chuck the halyard overboard, blow the guy and halyard and gather the sail. The water drag on the halyard is just enough to slow things down, it may need experiment to get the right amount of drag, on one boat I used a bit of rag tied in the stopper knot to add a bit of bulk. The friend who taught me this technique use to use it when sailing short handed on an ex Whitbread Maxi; in their case they used a children's bucket to control the hlyard

There should not be any stopper knots on spinnaker lines.

 

[chewi]

There should not be any stopper knots on spinnaker lines.

I have read that but never really understood why not. Maybe someone can explain a risk I haven't seen.
the prospect of the kite streaming only from the masthead gives me the willies.
I put stopper knots in, but with enough tail remaining to get it on a winch.

 

[Seatrout]

I have read that but never really understood why not. Maybe someone can explain a risk I haven't seen.
the prospect of the kite streaming only from the masthead gives me the willies.
I put stopper knots in, but with enough tail remaining to get it on a winch.

In the case of a broach while your spiny is filling with water and about to sink your yacht, it is an imperative that the sail is detached from the yacht ASAP. A couple of seasons ago, I witnessed just such an event when it took a 19' keelboat 10 seconds from initial broach 'til top of mast disappearing below the surface.

 

[chewi]

In the case of a broach while your spiny is filling with water and about to sink your yacht, it is an imperative that the sail is detached from the yacht ASAP. A couple of seasons ago, I witnessed just such an event when it took a 19' keelboat 10 seconds from initial broach 'til top of mast disappearing below the surface.

Thankyou, Thankfully I have never been in that position. Food for thought.