Spinnaker Sheets - Sadler 32

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muzzaman

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I am about to rig my 32ft Sadler for a spinnaker for the first time.

I am reasonably clear as to length of sheets/guys but I would be grateful for any advice on the most appropriate diameter of the sheets.

I was thinking of dyneema but any suggestions or advice would be welcome,

Thanks.
 
Racing or cruising?

There's an argument for using braid on braid as it will cushion the shock loads and ease the strain on the spinnaker if you're wont to let it collapse and refill.

You need to consider in what conditions you will fly the spinnaker. You'd need a reasonable amount of wind to take the weight of 12mm lines for example.

Also check what diameter lines your blocks are designed for. There seems to be strong body of opinion on this forum that calls for way oversized lines that go beyond what the blocks can comfortably take.

Firstly, compare the breaking strain of the line you choose and the blocks you have. No point in having one way stronger than the other.

Secondly look at the optimum line thickness for your blocks. If you go beyond that you'll have a lot more friction.

An advantage of dyneema is that you can strip off the braid where you're not handling it, which reduces windage and the weight attached to the spinnaker.

You'll probably be wearing gloves anyway if trimming the spinnaker, so grip shouldn't be an issue.
 
Spin sheets

Ordinary polyester braid on braid is good. I would perhaps think that 10mm would be oK. Stretch in the rope is good minimising shocks. Certainly not dyneema. good luck olewill
 
William_H said:
Ordinary polyester braid on braid is good. I would perhaps think that 10mm would be oK. Stretch in the rope is good minimising shocks. Certainly not dyneema. good luck olewill
Click to expand...

+1 The standard sheets supplied by Sadler were 10mm. Polyester braid on braid. White with a red fleck.
 
muzzaman said:
I am about to rig my 32ft Sadler for a spinnaker for the first time.

I am reasonably clear as to length of sheets/guys but I would be grateful for any advice on the most appropriate diameter of the sheets.

I was thinking of dyneema but any suggestions or advice would be welcome,

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Dynema is intended mainly for uses where stretch is important and so is weight. Stretch doesnt matter with your spinny sheets and whilst low weight is an advantage, the diameter you would need to go down to to gain anything much in light airs would be so small as to be hard to handle.

On a 36 foot masthead rig we run with a set of light sheets , single 10mm BOB with plastic clips and for heavier weather we have some doubles ( ie sheet and guy both sides joined to a single clip) with steel clips. They are a bit heavy at 12mm but are what Bowman supplied.
 
On a Sadler 34 we use 12 mm for both sheets and guys. The guys are probably about right, taking quite a load at times, but the sheets are oversize and could easily be 10 mm. All are braid on braid. I would guess that going down to 11 mm guys and 10 mm sheets for a Sadler 32 would be about right. Barry Edwards sells imperial size rope (Ebay) one of which works out at 11 mm IIRC.
 
The only advantages of Dyneema sheet and guys on small keelboats, is that they don't absorb water and get heavy in light airs, you can get away without a pole downhaul as the guy through the twinning block is non-stretch enough to stop it sky-ing, and you can strip the polyester outer back from the part you don't 'handle', to make it lighter.

But on larger boats non of this would warrant it's use.
 
On my Contessa 32 which is obviously very similar I use 12mm or 10mm BOB, any larger than this and you are paying for unnecessary strength, also the weight can be an issue in light airs as it pulls the spinnaker corners down (that's when the 3mm line comes out).

I would stick with BOB as it will absorb some of the shock loads, although Dynema would be good on the Guys where stretch can be problematic on a fine spinnaker reach and there is a lot of load on the guy keeping the pole just off the forestay.
 
Many thanks for the responses....all very helpful and appreciated. Will probably go with 10mm BOB. Finally, any thoughts as to the use of snap shackles on the sheets......do I need to fork out for these, they are fairly expensive (which is OK if they are essential).
 
muzzaman said:
Many thanks for the responses....all very helpful and appreciated. Will probably go with 10mm BOB. Finally, any thoughts as to the use of snap shackles on the sheets......do I need to fork out for these, they are fairly expensive (which is OK if they are essential).
Click to expand...

spinnaker snap shackles have the hinge in the middle NOT on the side ( they are Hilliard shackles)
 
and if you're going to use separate sheets/guys then I would suggest threading the guys through 'stopper balls' to prevent the spliced on snap shackle from jamming itself into the pole end fitting.

If using a dual purpose sheet/guy then fit them anyway. Suggest a red ball on port sheet/guy and a green on the other side.
 
William_H said:
Just use a bowline at the sail. Much lighter and cheaper. Certainly try it that way.
olewill
Click to expand...

So how do you drop the spinnaker? Do you really pull the whole guy out through its blocks and round the forestay? Or do you unknot it? Or do you use a shackle on the guy alone in which case what do you do when you jibe the spinny?

The breaking strength of even 10mm BOB polyester is about 3 tonnes which is way way more than you will ever get on a guy, so rope strength isnt a consideration so much as what is handle-able.
 
sailorman said:
surely it would depend what size boat, i would never personally tie sheets or guys on any displacement yacht
Click to expand...

I agree, go for snap shackles for both the sheet and the guy. As much as it may be painfull go for decent (i.e expensive) snaps, I have Gibb. The cheap ones are not well finished and the springs are/go soft resulting in the snap opening just when you don't want it (normally due to brief flogging). If you buy decent snaps you can cut off and re-use on your next set of guys when these wear out (I have just done this).

My guys have a large 2-1/2" plastic disk on the end that the spi-pole butts up to. I have also had my rigger add an extra layer of outer brade to the end 18" as my last set were being chafed badly on long spinaker runs (as-in the kite was up for 2-3 days at a time). you can then just replace the outerbrade.

I appreciate this is the bullet-proof answer but I hope it helps.
 
Big advantages in using dyneema/spectra for guys - less important for sheets. Particularly when close reaching and the guy is under the most tension, it means the pole doesn't bob about, but stays where you put it.
 
wotayottie said:
So how do you drop the spinnaker? Do you really pull the whole guy out through its blocks and round the forestay? Or do you unknot it? Or do you use a shackle on the guy alone in which case what do you do when you jibe the spinny?

The breaking strength of even 10mm BOB polyester is about 3 tonnes which is way way more than you will ever get on a guy, so rope strength isnt a consideration so much as what is handle-able.
Click to expand...

My spin is obviously quite small compared with some boats but it does get a lot of use like 3 hoists per week in regular short races. (for about 20 years just tied on) The spin currently is hoisted out of the anchor well which has bomb bay like doors to hold it in. It is retrieved and stuffed in in the same way. This means no setting up for next run and it can be used on either tack without changing anything.
In the past and still in emergencies the brace (also sheet ) in this case is released and the whole spin hauled around to be pulled in to the cabin under the boom. You just need long enough sheets. olewill
 
The main advantage of dyneema is on the guy, it stops the pole touching the forestay in the gusts. at to the choise of snap shackle, the cheap one don't work. so you will need to pay about £120 each for a good one.

The other option is use a "soft" shackle. I was talking to one of the guys on the Harken stand at the SBS, the other week. he said they use a soft shackle, easey to buy £10, much cheaper to make (£1.50). I plan to try them on my X-302. Spinnaker is probabley the same size as your Saddler.
 
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