Spinnaker bag in companion way

[ifoxwell]

I tend to sail on my own a lot and in any kind of breeze find it easier to stuff the spinnaker down the companion way when dropping it.

Does any one have any clever ways of holding the bag in place here, or ways of making a bag that will do the job.

Thanks

Ian

 

[flaming]

I tend to sail on my own a lot and in any kind of breeze find it easier to stuff the spinnaker down the companion way when dropping it.

Does any one have any clever ways of holding the bag in place here, or ways of making a bag that will do the job.

Thanks

Ian

2 lines along the deckhead just outboard of the hatch, with the bag suspended between them. Extend them further forward to be able to push the bag out of the way when necessary. As seen in the links below.

http://sonata.org.uk/spinnaker-hoist/

http://www.hydesailsdirect.com/Companionway-Spinnaker-Launch-Bag-Small-p/bag-spinn-squib.htm

http://wyckam.com/product/companionway-spinnaker-bag/

 

[crewman]

I have that on my Sonata. If your sheets and halliard are long enough you do not need to unclip when you drop so do not need to repack before rehoisting.

 

[William_H]

I found that retrieval into the companion way is excellent when things get rough a hairy. It means you can keep weight off the bow when spin is up. Hoisting from the companion way is a bit more difficult both in hauling the spin around to the front and in knowing what tack you will be on. I use to use this method (with a crew) but found it tedious to disconnect the spin tie the halyard and sheets together and pull around the front back into the companionway and reconnect spin just to launch on the other tack.
I ahve now settled on keeping the spin in the top of the anchor hatch. You can hoist on either tack but retrieval does need a man on the bow to pull spin down. So I keep the under the boom into the companionway option for emergencies ie when the wind gets up. Bit usually only on the last spin run of the day.
Now with regard to supporting a bag in the companionway. I just let the spin drop onto the floor. (no bag) It makes rehoisting easy.
Took a young lady exchange student out for a sail (race) and she put her camera on the step inside the companionway. Never saw the camera again and presume it fell into the spin then went out with the spin into the ogin. olewill

 

[ifoxwell]

Thanks guys. I'm happy dropping down the hatch, it works well so thanks for the ideas and links guys. I'll see if I can come up with something cheap and simple that works first other wise I might just have to spash out on something