Spinnaker Barber Haulers

[Miker]

I've been reading the latest PBO and am wondering whether I should fit barber haulers. My boat is a Beneteau 260 Spirit which is 7.70 metres LOA. , and I have been happily flying a spinnaker without them.

My questions are:
- What are they for?
- How and when are they used?
- Is there much advantage in having them for a boat of my size?




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[john_morris_uk]

If you mean what I think you mean, then when flying the kite with single sheets/guys - ie only one line to each clew, then the barber hauler is a line onto a small block through which each sheet/guy is lead. The line is lead through a block on the rail somewhere midships or just aft of midships. When the particular spinnakaer line is being used as the guy, the barber hauler is pulled in and ensures that the lead for the guy is from a more forward position (with a bit more down in it than back) and thereby stops the tendency of the pole to sky.

We run single sheets/guys on our Sigma, and with our current pole down haul arrangement, we don't usually need barber haulers on the guy. If you are flying the kite successfully wihout them, why worry?

I just read my attempted explanation and if someone else wants to have a go I will read theirs with interest!

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[billmacfarlane]

I understood it OK. Doesn't the barber hauler also stop the boat rolling from side to side going directly downwind as the barber haulers will absorb any shock load caused by a sudden gust?

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[Richard_Blake]

My memories of spinnakers are a fair way back, but as I understand it the rolling comes from the spin. rig swaying about in the gusts as the pole skies, etc. So the Barber hauler doesn't so much absorb shocks as hold the whole caboodle steady, reducing roll by reducing the swaying about.
We sail an ex-smack now, so our downwind secret weapon is the tow stays'l (a sort of 19th century genny - huge stays'l - used for extra power towing nets) stuffed out on the wrong side with the boathook, and improvised guys. Works.
The smack skipper who taught us to sail ours rigged up Barber Haulers to adjust our headsail sheet leads. Just splice the end of a line around a plastic eye (low friction, hurts less flailing about), thread the sheet through it, and pull down to any convenient point. He called this a 'Lizard', and was contemptuous, naturally, of tracks along the side decks!
There's a little useless information for you! Simple lizards might be a cheap and easy way to try things out, though.

Richard



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[extravert]

I had these on both my previous symmetric spinnaker equipped boats, of 7m and 10m, so I don't think size should be much of a consideration.

They allow you to set the height of the tack and the clew, relative to the deck and relative to each other. The tack height can also be controlled with a pole downhaul, but I have found some of these either to be inconvenient (tale not brought back to the cockpit) or lacking sufficient purchase in order to get enough welly to counteract what can be considerable loads.

They give you more control over sail shape to get the last bit of performance out of the boat, but if you are happy as you are and have enough bits of string already, don't bother. However, if you are an insatiable tweaker, get them fitted.

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[Gordonmc]

A different take from the other replies...

I use barber hauliers for my genoa 'cos I don't have sheet tracks, just two through-deck eye-bolts. The sheet block is attached to the aft eye-bolt with the sheet rising to a second block on a strop run through the fore eye-bolt.

I can adjust the angle of sheet rise by easing and tightening the strop. I assume the same would apply with a spinny.

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[Miker]

Thanks everyone

I think that I will fit them, though perhaps not awhile. If nothing else, it will give my crew something else to play with.

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[bugs]

Re: Thanks everyone

I had to fit them! The have a few uses.
If you are on a reach and the pole is forward near the forestay then the guy can put loads on your guard rail. The tweeker line will pull the guy down preventing rail damage. For the sheet the tweeker can be used to prevent the sheet from wearing off the boom on long legs to prevent the sheet from lifting the boom in light airs.
On both sides these lines will flatten the spin in heavy conditions thus depowering it. The same point and block (although a snap shackle is best here) can barber haul the genoa out on reaching legs preventing the top of the sail twisting off too much.

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