Spinnaker Pole downhaul

[Chris_Robb]

Snuff advice wanted

Only used a snuffer once - decided it was easier without! I've no idea!



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[ChrisE]

Whilst by no means a spinnaker expert, I use one with a snuffer.

Unless I'm missing something from the previous posts, with a snuffer there's no chance of going up the mast as you hoist the spi up in its snuffer, get the lines ready to go then un-snuff by pulling the sock up to sit on its strop at above the spi. The spi slowly powers up as it fills, we keep the sheet loosish until completely un-snuffed then tighten up once all of the gubbins (snuffer line attached somewhere where it won't tangle, etc) have been squared away. Not a racing start but it seems to work for us. The other thing we have are spi sheets twice length of craft so that we can depower quickly merely by letting go without loosing end overboard.

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[Twister_Ken]

> the only thing I can't quite understand is how you fasten the snuffer to the halliard <

The spinnaker head is shackled (semi) permenantly to the snuffer. The snufffer then snap shackles to the spinny halyard. Pull the string and up goes the whole caboodle. Then pull the snuffer 'hoist' line and up goes the snuffer mouth, allowing various mice, Tennants empties and bird nests to tumble from the spinnaker into the foaming bow wave.

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[Chris_Robb]

agreed - a snuffer totally removes this danger - and the way my boat is currently set up - it is dangerous, as I found out on Saturday in a nice gentle 15 knots.

Claymore was not sure how you set up the snuffer up and down haul. - all I know it there is loads of line around!

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[ChrisE]

Yes, the snuffer line usually manages to get itself wrapped around both the spi and the furled gen, much f-ing and blinding ensues with t'other half offering many sweet words of encouragement from the back!

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[Chris_Robb]

I suppose if your confidant about flying a spinnaker then a snuffer may be just more string and more complications. Certainly when you take the spinnaker down it will save you all the repacking to make sure there is no twist. We find no problems with one of nearly 100 m2 provided you get it into the lea of the main.

On Saturday we flew it alone without the main, and getting it down was much more difficult as the crew had difficulty gathering it in. Couple with this - I got a snag in the halyard - the line came of the winch, I let it slip through my hands for a second - and got a bloody great rope burn for my pains!

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[ChrisE]

Yes, damned if you do and damned if you don't, kind of like most of my sailing experiences.

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[qsiv]

Some would say you shouldnt have a line to pull on your guy snap shackle as the line or ring can snag and release when not required.

The better soultion is to use something like the Tylaska shackle, and use a fid to release - it can never release until you say so.

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[Chris_Robb]

I agree with you, however in 20 years that has never happened - and if it had then the worst would be to take it down and reset, Oh and those quick release thingamies are £120 against £40!!!!!!!

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[qsiv]

We had a 'conventional' one let go on a sheet two seasons ago. I'll agree Tylaska cost more, but they do seem better engineered. We've had 3 Gibb snaps explode in two years (and yes they are at least correctly sized, if not oversized). By the time you've paid someone to splice (I dont do spectra or Dyneema splices) in a new shackle the Tylaska ones seem quite good value. None of the Tylaska snaps or JLocks have ever failed.

JLocks now seem quite cheap when compared to the wonderful new spectra bobbin shackles that have appeared!

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