Spinnaker with a slot

[capt_courageous]

Hi all
Last Sunday I saw a yacht in the Solent with a spinnaker which had a slot in it, rather like the ones used on high performance parachutes. Does anyone know where I can get details about these spinnakers? Not that I want one - just interested since I dabbled in aerodynamics at one time. Thanks in advance.

 

[FullCircle]

Its called a Parasail, give it a google.

 

[capt_courageous]

Hi
Thanks for that. Just looked at their website. It is certainly seems a good idea, based on a parachute as the name implies and the video is interesting. Another toy I can't afford.

 

[snowleopard]

I have recently done a passage with one (Plymouth to Dover) and was pretty impressed. The teltales clearly show air from top and bottom of the chute passing through the slot and over the parasail wing. It seems to reduce roll and the makers (Seateach IIRC) say it is best flown without the main. It does seem to impart some lift and the owner says they got 14 knots from their 16 ton Island Packet when caught by a squall once.

It comes with a giant snuffer so not too hard to put up or down. It also seems to produce less of a bang when the luff or leech uncurl. If I had a boat suitable for a spinnaker I would opt for one.

 

[Judders]

It's called a parasail. It's a fantastic piece of kit and rather faster than a kite but takes longer to set. I've raced with one but would only do so again on downwind legs that lasted long enough to make it worth it. Indeed in last years Swan Europeans, Best Buddies was tracking us down with hers (and they had the sailmaker onboard), I assured our skipper that they would catch us before the mark but that they would then more or less stop as they struggled to get it down and I was right, we pulled away again. But it's a cracking kit for the right circumstances.