Spinnaker Virgin Help Required

[greggron]

I acquired a new-to-me Sadler 25 at the beginning of the season. She came with both a spinnaker and a jockey pole as well as a symmetrical spinnaker (no snuffer). She has all the necessary rigging and winches etc. Trouble is, all the sailing I have done has involved only two sails and a spinnaker was not one of them.

I really would like to overcome my fear of flying the kite based purely upon ignorance so I can get the best out of this great little ship. Can anyone give this novice some basic advice to get started or a good reference book to get hold of on the subject? I usually sail with one other competent but similarly naive person.

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Shuggy]

See my post elsewhere on this page about spinnakers and spinnaker virgins... and then have a look at this. It's where I started this season.

My top tip would be to read up and then rig the boat for the spinnaker when you're tied up but don't fly the thing. Then put it away and try it when you're sailing in light winds - but again don't fly it. Then try it again in really light winds (2-3 knots) and then this time unleash the beast... you'll begin to get the hang of where everything goes.

It's not as hard as it looks on paper!

Good luck.

 

[Twister_Ken]

When I raced, we sometimes used to do pre-season spinnaker drills while anchored by the stern so that there wasn't a problem of sailing past other boats, and so on. No reason it wouldn't work when you're learning. You have all the time in the world, and a cock-up is not going to put you up the beach.

 

[flaming]

See my post elsewhere on this page about spinnakers and spinnaker virgins... and then have a look at this. It's where I started this season.

My top tip would be to read up and then rig the boat for the spinnaker when you're tied up but don't fly the thing. Then put it away and try it when you're sailing in light winds - but again don't fly it. Then try it again in really light winds (2-3 knots) and then this time unleash the beast... you'll begin to get the hang of where everything goes.

It's not as hard as it looks on paper!

Good luck.

Not sure I agree about the very light winds being the best time to learn - in my experience that's when Spinnaker flying becomes frustrating. I'd pick a day with a steady 10 knots.

But the top tip is to get someone who knows what they're doing on board, and then go have fun! Make sure you know how to get it up and down without any issues before you do anything crazy like gybe the thing.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

When I raced, we sometimes used to do pre-season spinnaker drills while anchored by the stern so that there wasn't a problem of sailing past other boats, and so on. No reason it wouldn't work when you're learning. You have all the time in the world, and a cock-up is not going to put you up the beach.

I like that idea, it would have saved me some very exciting moments a few years ago.

The fastest my Twister ever went through the water was around 7.5 knots.
We were so engrossed in our success at having got the thing to fly, that we hadn't looked behind for some time and a squall suddenly accelerated us from around 4 knots.
A loud 'thwack' and a ripping noise soon sent us scurrying to the sail loft for a speedy rebuild of our poor old spinnaker.

 

[Twister_Ken]

A loud 'thwack' and a ripping noise soon sent us scurrying to the sail loft for a speedy rebuild of our poor old spinnaker.

The foredeck crew's spinnaker mantra.

"We put'em up. God takes'em down."

 

[fireball]

When I raced, we sometimes used to do pre-season spinnaker drills while anchored by the stern so that there wasn't a problem of sailing past other boats.

I was going to suggest a "if you're marina berthed" option .....

In a very light breeze turn the boat so it's stern to wind or as much as possible - definitely on the aft qtr. Ensure the boat is tied off securely and have a play with setting up and hoisting the kite. Other than keeping a wary eye on your warps you don't have to worry about steering and little panic in getting the sail down to avoid other people/objects.

Whilst tied up you've got two quick methods of depowering the kite:
1) release the guy line (the windward line)
2) release the halyard

underway you've still got option 1 - option 2 needs a quick gathering up unless you want to run over it!

 

[Shuggy]

Not sure I agree about the very light winds being the best time to learn - in my experience that's when Spinnaker flying becomes frustrating. I'd pick a day with a steady 10 knots.

Worked for me! But then I am a big chicken...

 

[greggron]

See my post elsewhere on this page about spinnakers and spinnaker virgins... and then have a look at this. It's where I started this season.

My top tip would be to read up and then rig the boat for the spinnaker when you're tied up but don't fly the thing. Then put it away and try it when you're sailing in light winds - but again don't fly it. Then try it again in really light winds (2-3 knots) and then this time unleash the beast... you'll begin to get the hang of where everything goes.

It's not as hard as it looks on paper!

Good luck.

Many thanks for the help and reassurance. Yes, on searching this and Scuttlebutt it seems I am among good company

 

[William_H]

Spin novice

I think the secret to mastering spin is to have a tiny spin then fly it in gentle but reliable winds to get used to it. However you probably have only the one spin. I was given a spin off a 14ft skiff that really sits well on the 21fter. We can now fly it in confidence in quite strong winds. it really gives a boost to down wind performance when we are reefed with tiny jib which alone down wind would be pretty ordinary. (mediocre)

I also use this spin to teach spin operation while tied up to a jetty stern to wind. It is great on a small boat to have bystanders and in fact me on the jetty giving advice and one person on foredeck one in cockpit. Usually we can gybe the spin reasonably in simulation mode. Certainly it is good for hoisting and recovery drills. good luck olewill

 

[rob2]

I'm assuming you want to cruise with the spinnaker initially, rather than race? The suggestions so far on getting used to flying it whilst tethered sound good to me, but my caveat for the real thing is to allow yourself plenty of searoom when launching and dousing so it can be done calmly and unrushed. One trick often employed on racing boats is to recover the kite by collapsing it behind the mainsail and pull it down the companionway, dumping it in the cabin until you have time to sort it out. You really won't be able to manouvre or pick up a mooring with an acre of lightweight sail billowing around on the foredeck, so get it down in good time and stashed out of the way!

So far my only spinnaker "disaster" was getting it caught on a deck cleat during the launch and tearing it - less haste, more speed, eh? A bit like saying I haven't landed with the wheels up yet.

Rob.

 

[johnalison]

I'm no expert on spinnakers, but we used one for many years on a couple of boats, both cruising and racing, one of them about the same size as the OP's.

The easiest way to hoist was from a turtle (or bucket if you want) from the pulpit, keeping the jib up. A snuffer was much harder & more complicated. The spinnaker needs to be raised quickly and the sheet immediately pulled in and then sail brought round into the wind with the guy. By doing this, followed by dropping the jib, we never had a twist in the sail. It helps to pack the sail with the three corners left handy and the edges flaked tidily in between, much as described in the link above.

As rob2 suggests, freeing the guy and bringing the sail down under the boom into the companionway was for us the easiest way of dropping the sail.

 

[Spyro]

But the top tip is to get someone who knows what they're doing on board, and then go have fun! Make sure you know how to get it up and down without any issues before you do anything crazy like gybe the thing.

2nd that, even if you do get it up on your own you'll never know if you're doing it right or not or if you could do something different or what to do when it goes wrong.
I'm surprised no one has offered their services yet (I'm too far away).

 

[greggron]

Thanks for all the sound advice

2nd that, even if you do get it up on your own you'll never know if you're doing it right or not or if you could do something different or what to do when it goes wrong.
I'm surprised no one has offered their services yet (I'm too far away).

Many thanks to all for your sound advice. I'll have a bit of a bumble around with it and see how I get on. Of course, if someone does fancy a bit of hands on tutoring any offers would be gratefully received.

Greg

 

[E39mad]

I find that many peoples problems with a spinaker can be due to not controlling the spinaker pole properly or not having the halyard pulled right to the top - both can cause loss of control as the spinaker appears to have a mind of it's own, so ...

Ensure that before you hoist the sail, the pole is roughly at the correct sailing angle and height then ENSURE the downhawl is on hard (big mistake for many), sneek the guy (bring the clew to the end of the pole if possible) before hoisting and make fast. When hoisting ensure that the sheet is fairly free until the halyard is all the way up. With the pole and halyard tight and the guy clew against the pole you are free to sail it on the sheet under control!