Spi as code0

kingfisher

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Can you use a symmetrical spinakker as a code0 sail:
Attach SB clew to the foredeck, topclew to a halyard and Pclew to a sheet, and thus use it as a HUGE genua in light airs ?

Lemme guess: yes, if you can afford a lot of ripstop nylon to make a new one ?


Obi-Wan
 

AndrewB

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Sound doubtful, but ...

Not the right shape. Think what happens on a reach. Slack off the guy until the pole is on the forestay, once the spi is around so far that its luff is to the lee of the forestay, it's just pushing you over, not forward.

How about folding the spi longitudinally, tying the clews together, tacking the spi from the centre of the foot. Would that work?
 

Twister_Ken

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Re: Sound doubtful, but ...

You've got a very soft luff, so whatever you do the leading edge of the sail is going to fall well off to leeward, putting the CE a long way outboard and setting up a couple that will require quite a lot of helm to overcome (rudder angle = brakes). And as Andrew says, when you shy reach a kite, you soon see that 90% of the drive is going sideways.
 
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