Spinnaker

Fire99

Fire99

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Evening folks,

Well i've dug around behind the sofa n robbed piggy and ordered myself a second hand Spinnaker for the mighty Snappie. So I think I now have a the full compliment of sails.
It's off another 'Snappie 23' so it's the exact right size as per how they were shipped out the factory.

Only one small point. I've never used on in my life. Any tips for a Spinnaker novice?

cheers,

Nik
 
A big question, here is my big answer.

Start by bagging it properly, in your saloon, tie each corner to a different part of the cabin at shoulder height and equal distances apart. Run your hand along each edge ensuring that the bulk of the sail is in the middle. Then stuff the belly into the bag until just the corners are left, tie those neatly to the bag drawstring. Make sure you can distinguish the head from the clews.

Next, confirm your arrangement of lines. Do you have separate sheets led to the quarter and guys to somewhere forward or sheets threaded through barber hauliers, or just sheets without guys. Assuming the latter for now, go sailing. On a day with light winds sail with main up on a broad reach. Fit a preventer to your boom. Then aim to raise your spinnaker behind the head sail to keep the power out of it until you are ready. If you want to do without your head sail then aim to blanket the spinnaker behind the main, again until you are ready to let it draw. So assuming behind your head sail, lead the halyard down in front of the head sail then under its foot to the deck. Lead the sheets outside everything to the same location. In my mind's eye you are on sbd tack, so reverse everything I am about to write if you are on port. So sbd sheet goes from your sbd quarter outside everything and in front of your fore-stay then over your guardrail to a point half way between your pulpit and the mast. Port sheet goes from the port quarter outside everything including your shrouds then under the foresail to the same point. Set your pole to the Sbd side of your forestay with up haul to mast and down haul to a point on the centre line and back to where you would like to control it from. Some advocate 2 down hauls from pole to each toerail forward of the mast so the pole is fixed with 3 lines; I've tried it and felt very secure compared to a loose pole until the spinnaker is up and set. What ever arrangement put the sbd sheet through the pole's piston end.

Assuming you are going to hoist the spinnaker out of its bag (this requires a turtle shaped bag) tie the bag to the deck where the lines meet. If you have an ordinary bag, then tie it anyway, but be prepared to have a crew member help it out of the bag. Connect the halyard to the head, each sheet to each clew. If using guys connect them to their corresponding sheet's shackle.

Now for the moment of truth. Your aim is to hoist the sail by its halyard behind the foresail, pull in on the sbd sheet or guy if fitted until the clew is near or at the pole's end, pull in the port sheet until the sail begins to draw, before furling or dropping your head sail. Then set your course, adjust the main to best effect, then the spinaker so that the pole is in line with the boom. So, hoist the spinnaker ensuring that it draws out of the bag smoothly. As it nears the top pull in on stb sheet or guy if fitted, don't worry if the port clew flaps, you don't want power yet. Get rid of the foresail and take in on the port sheet just to stop/reduce flapping for the time being. Set your course, set your main remembering to tighten in on the preventer, then pull in on your sbd sheet or guy until pole is in line with the boom. The further the pole is out to the sbd side, the higher it needs to be at both ends. Adjust uphaul, inboard mounting and down hauls to get it at right angles to the mast.

Keep the spinnaker flying by filling and drawing on your port sheet. Fill and draw, fill and draw.

To drop is a matter of holding the port clew, release sbd sheet, lower halyard and gather it to a bundle and dump down the fore hatch for future re-packing in the cabin. This can be done behind the foresail if you want.

There are many variations on this theme which others are invited to expand on. I've written enough.
 
Thanks alot for that..

To be honest, i've got to work out what sheet arrangement works with it, though the boat was designed for this sail (or visa versa) so it should all come together ok.

My only slight problem with your advice is that I have hanked-on foresails so the Spinnaker will be using the Halyard for the foresail and so I won't be able to use the foresail as a shield etc for the spinnaker. Any shielding will have to be done by the mainsail. (which fortunately is rather big)

It sounds quite involved ths spinnaker lark. :)
 
Genarally agree with oldfat git, however the "disclosure" that you have only one forward halyard is a bit of a worry.
Unless , for the lightest of conditions, hoisting the spinnaker without the shelter of the genoa its likely to result in chaos!
It WILL fill before it's halfway up , drag your boat over on it's side resulting in general panic/ shouting etc.
Fair chance this will consitute grounds for divorce etc.
You have been warned - fit an additional halyard!

Apart from the above, it's not all bad news.
If you do it right, have all the gear set up and working, they are great sails ( as long as YOU stay in charge - NOT the spinnaker)
 
Bav32 said:
Genarally agree with oldfat git, however the "disclosure" that you have only one forward halyard is a bit of a worry.
Unless , for the lightest of conditions, hoisting the spinnaker without the shelter of the genoa its likely to result in chaos!
It WILL fill before it's halfway up , drag your boat over on it's side resulting in general panic/ shouting etc.
Fair chance this will consitute grounds for divorce etc.
You have been warned - fit an additional halyard!

Apart from the above, it's not all bad news.
If you do it right, have all the gear set up and working, they are great sails ( as long as YOU stay in charge - NOT the spinnaker)
Click to expand...

Well I won't add in that I sail mostly single handed then.. :D

I see the point about the halyard and foresail. Well I like excitement in my sailing so methinks this could add that dimension.. :)
 
it seems surprising that you have the fittings for a pole, uphaul & downhaul & no spinnaker halyard.

If the halyard's missing are you sure there isn't a sheave for it where you could run a new halyard?
 
Although a relatively small boat and hence spinaker, I suggest using the jib halliard, which will be below and behind the forestay, is not a good idea. The halliard will chafe on the forestay/forestay tang and the possibility of it getting stuck is not something I would countenance. You really need a swivel block fitted above and forward of the forestay to give a proper lead to the spinaker halliard.
 
JCP said:
it seems surprising that you have the fittings for a pole, uphaul & downhaul & no spinnaker halyard.

If the halyard's missing are you sure there isn't a sheave for it where you could run a new halyard?
Click to expand...

Yep pole fittings are there etc. I wondered what that odd eye was part way up the mast. :D

I'm not sure to be honest about the sheave.. I'll have to investigate..
 
alahol2 said:
Although a relatively small boat and hence spinaker, I suggest using the jib halliard, which will be below and behind the forestay, is not a good idea.
Click to expand...

Seconded. I don't know anything about Snapdragons, but I can't imagine this working properly on any boat I've sailed. You need a proper spinnaker halyard, coming out forwards and in most cases from the top of the mast.

Pete
 
Bav32 said:
Genarally agree with oldfat git, however the "disclosure" that you have only one forward halyard is a bit of a worry.
Unless , for the lightest of conditions, hoisting the spinnaker without the shelter of the genoa its likely to result in chaos!
It WILL fill before it's halfway up , drag your boat over on it's side resulting in general panic/ shouting etc.
Fair chance this will consitute grounds for divorce etc.
You have been warned - fit an additional halyard!

Apart from the above, it's not all bad news.
If you do it right, have all the gear set up and working, they are great sails ( as long as YOU stay in charge - NOT the spinnaker)
Click to expand...

I regularly fly my spinnaker with the genoa rolled - singlehanded - and recognise none of the outcomes to which you refer.

Perhaps it's because it's a very small spinnaker of only 80m2.
The secret (of course) is to always go downwind when hoisting or dropping the spinnaker and use the main as the blanket.

PS. The OP needs to fit a proper spinnaker halyard, above the forestay, a pole lift on the mast leading edge near the inners and a pole downhaul in the centre of the foredeck.
With a small spinnaker like his he probably won't need doubled guys/sheets, but would be well advised to fit swivel shackles on the quarters to run the sheets to.
 
Last edited:
charles_reed said:
I regularly fly my spinnaker with the genoa rolled - singlehanded - and recognise none of the outcomes to which you refer.

Perhaps it's because it's a very small spinnaker of only 80m2.
The secret (of course) is to always go downwind when hoisting or dropping the spinnaker and use the main as the blanket.

PS. The OP needs to fit a proper spinnaker halyard, above the forestay, a pole lift on the mast leading edge near the inners and a pole downhaul in the centre of the foredeck.
With a small spinnaker like his he probably won't need doubled guys/sheets, but would be well advised to fit swivel shackles on the quarters to run the sheets to.
Click to expand...

Interesting stuff Charles.

The Spinnaker was OEM on the mighty 'Snappie 23' but obviously 40 years is a long time with rigs and no doubt lots of changes get made over the years so I'll have a chat with the trusty owners association as to how they were setup originally and modify my setup to suit.
 
If you're giong to fly a spinnaker single handed, you'll need plenty of searoom and a tiller pilot as you'll have your hands full during launch and recovery! Most small boats use a single uphaul and single downhaul to control the pole and simply use the redundant sheet as the guy, without bothering to change its lead. Usually, as mentioned already, the sheets are taken to swivel blocks at the quarters to get the longest (= highest) lead possible.

Suggest you read up a bit on the theory (don't take all the cautions too seriously - everyone screws up from time to time and we mostly get away with it) and either crew for a nice, placid cruising skipper or get him to sail with you whilst you try it out in practice. Racing procedures just aren't going to work for you when single-handed! if you ever get as far as gybing the spinnaker on your own, you'll not only be a hero, but could sell the training video!

Good luck,

Rob.
 
rob2 said:
If you're giong to fly a spinnaker single handed, you'll need plenty of searoom and a tiller pilot as you'll have your hands full during launch and recovery! Most small boats use a single uphaul and single downhaul to control the pole and simply use the redundant sheet as the guy, without bothering to change its lead. Usually, as mentioned already, the sheets are taken to swivel blocks at the quarters to get the longest (= highest) lead possible.

Suggest you read up a bit on the theory (don't take all the cautions too seriously - everyone screws up from time to time and we mostly get away with it) and either crew for a nice, placid cruising skipper or get him to sail with you whilst you try it out in practice. Racing procedures just aren't going to work for you when single-handed! if you ever get as far as gybing the spinnaker on your own, you'll not only be a hero, but could sell the training video!

Good luck,

Rob.
Click to expand...

Cheers Rob,

Well fortunately I have a tillerpilot as, even without a Spinnaker, Single-handing can end up with 'Tiller with your right foot, Jib sheet with the right hand and trying to adjust the main with the left' Then someone gives you a wave and you're knackered. :)

Well i've decided my course of action will be to speak to the Snappie technical chap and find out exactly how they were designed to be rigged and set mine up accordingly.
In the meantime, track down a friendly 'Spinnaker flyer' who I can come out on their boat and see how its done.
 
Fire99 said:
Evening folks,

Well i've dug around behind the sofa n robbed piggy and ordered myself a second hand Spinnaker for the mighty Snappie. So I think I now have a the full compliment of sails.
It's off another 'Snappie 23' so it's the exact right size as per how they were shipped out the factory.

Only one small point. I've never used on in my life. Any tips for a Spinnaker novice?

cheers,

Nik
Click to expand...

Nik,
your fine craft will need a few more ropes and blocks mate.....
 
FullCircle said:
Nik,
your fine craft will need a few more ropes and blocks mate.....
Click to expand...

:) Yeah I got that picture... Well sheets (and relevant guides to the stern) / Spinny-Pole are sorted. (Infact the boat came with a pole, so I'll now have two!!) Halyard and uphaul / downhaul will be the outstanding issues.
 
oldfatgit said:
A big question, here is my big answer.

Start by bagging it properly, in your saloon, tie each corner to a different part of the cabin at shoulder height and equal distances apart. Run your hand along each edge ensuring that the bulk of the sail is in the middle. Then stuff the belly into the bag until just the corners are left, tie those neatly to the bag drawstring. Make sure you can distinguish the head from the clews.

Next, confirm your arrangement of lines. Do you have separate sheets led to the quarter and guys to somewhere forward or sheets threaded through barber hauliers, or just sheets without guys. Assuming the latter for now, go sailing. On a day with light winds sail with main up on a broad reach. Fit a preventer to your boom. Then aim to raise your spinnaker behind the head sail to keep the power out of it until you are ready. If you want to do without your head sail then aim to blanket the spinnaker behind the main, again until you are ready to let it draw. So assuming behind your head sail, lead the halyard down in front of the head sail then under its foot to the deck. Lead the sheets outside everything to the same location. In my mind's eye you are on sbd tack, so reverse everything I am about to write if you are on port. So sbd sheet goes from your sbd quarter outside everything and in front of your fore-stay then over your guardrail to a point half way between your pulpit and the mast. Port sheet goes from the port quarter outside everything including your shrouds then under the foresail to the same point. Set your pole to the Sbd side of your forestay with up haul to mast and down haul to a point on the centre line and back to where you would like to control it from. Some advocate 2 down hauls from pole to each toerail forward of the mast so the pole is fixed with 3 lines; I've tried it and felt very secure compared to a loose pole until the spinnaker is up and set. What ever arrangement put the sbd sheet through the pole's piston end.

Assuming you are going to hoist the spinnaker out of its bag (this requires a turtle shaped bag) tie the bag to the deck where the lines meet. If you have an ordinary bag, then tie it anyway, but be prepared to have a crew member help it out of the bag. Connect the halyard to the head, each sheet to each clew. If using guys connect them to their corresponding sheet's shackle.

Now for the moment of truth. Your aim is to hoist the sail by its halyard behind the foresail, pull in on the sbd sheet or guy if fitted until the clew is near or at the pole's end, pull in the port sheet until the sail begins to draw, before furling or dropping your head sail. Then set your course, adjust the main to best effect, then the spinaker so that the pole is in line with the boom. So, hoist the spinnaker ensuring that it draws out of the bag smoothly. As it nears the top pull in on stb sheet or guy if fitted, don't worry if the port clew flaps, you don't want power yet. Get rid of the foresail and take in on the port sheet just to stop/reduce flapping for the time being. Set your course, set your main remembering to tighten in on the preventer, then pull in on your sbd sheet or guy until pole is in line with the boom. The further the pole is out to the sbd side, the higher it needs to be at both ends. Adjust uphaul, inboard mounting and down hauls to get it at right angles to the mast.

Keep the spinnaker flying by filling and drawing on your port sheet. Fill and draw, fill and draw.

To drop is a matter of holding the port clew, release sbd sheet, lower halyard and gather it to a bundle and dump down the fore hatch for future re-packing in the cabin. This can be done behind the foresail if you want.

There are many variations on this theme which others are invited to expand on. I've written enough.
Click to expand...

Gosh. If that's the easy way, I think my decision to not have a Spinnaker and get there later was a good one ! :)
 
SolentBoy said:
Gosh. If that's the easy way, I think my decision to not have a Spinnaker and get there later was a good one ! :)
Click to expand...

Honestly.... You probably have the right idea.. :D

However, my boat came with one back in 1066 and while i'm sailing a fairly small boat I thought i'd take the chance to learn these things.

Obviously when i've picked up my Oyster 575 no doubt there'll be a button for this kind of malarkey. :)
 
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