spinnakers

[sailbadthesinner]

my foray into dinghy racing has stalled
mrs s wont give me time off and keeps organising stuff for me instead
anyway what it did show me is spinnakers can be damn tricky both to set band to bring down.
the one on the silhouette is easy cos it is so damn small that you can wrestle it down but conversely not really adding to boat speed and anyway with twin keels the last place you want to be heading is downwind cos it takes an age to get back up
but i digress

how many people actually use them when cruising???

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>if guinness is good for you. i must be very very good</font color=red>

 

[doris]

Got to have something exciting to do during the day hasn't one. A decent snuffer, a bit of practice and searoom, where's the problem? Any time we have younger people on board, under 60 that is, spinnakers seem to be expected. Even short handed the same applies.

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[bedouin]

We use one frequently when the winds are F3 or less. Without it progress can be leisurely in our comparatively heavy boat.

If we are feeling lazy we have a very nice light-weight asymmetric that is fitted with a snuffer and can be tacked down to the bow and flown like a cruising chute. In that configuration it is very easy to handle and can be set with almost any AWA. For deep downwind angles the symmetric set on the pole is better, but more work so rarely gets used these days.

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[Twister_Ken]

Rarely. The cruising chute gets used more often, gybing reach to reach if we want to go deep downwind.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[david_e]

Ah ha! Perils of a long keeler - downwind sailing!

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[david_e]

We started to use a spi for the first time this year when racing. It was only when we got experienced crew on board that we learnt how to get it up, down and repacked effectively. Up until then it was once up and down and stuffed into the turtle till we got ashore to sort it out. Have made many mistakes and had many a hairy moment but it is still an exhilarating ride with the spi up and is a must when sailing downwind.

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[extravert]

I use mine when cruising as long as there are at least 2 of us. It gets a bit dull downwind without it unless it is blowing strongly. I have an asymmetric with a sprit and a snubber, so it's easier than the symmetric+pole on my previous boat, which took more people to tame. Plenty of space to bounce around on the tramps and not having to contend with slopey decks also makes life easier, so perhaps I have it easy.

<hr width=100% size=1>One day, I hope to own a real boat.

 

[Neraida]

We use ours whilst cruising up to about a force 5, 4 if just the 2 of us.

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[bedouin]

That must be something like Kite surfing

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[jimi]

GP14 sailing with a spinnaker .. guy I know reckons its great in F6/7 as it steadies it .. would'nt know myself as I'd be swimming long before then!

<hr width=100% size=1>.. whit way roon should it be again ..

 

[Neraida]

It is a bit

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[qsiv]

I fly mine up to 25 knots singlehanded/with family, up to about 35 knots with crew.

To be fair, we fly asymetrics and dont worry with a pole unless needed in very light weather. The kites are big, up to about 3000 sq feet, but the really useful sail is undoubtedly the code 0 - this enables us to make ground upwind when we would otherwise have to rely on the engine.

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[Gunfleet]

What's a code 0?

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[Miker]

Used mine for cruising over the last two years having gained encouragement from this forum. We sail 2 up and for short runs we can lose as much time putting up and down as we gain. But it is fun and we are getting better. Haven't flown it above the bottom end of a F4. Last summer we had two great spinnaker runs back from IOM to Fleetwood. I've yet to risk flying it in the dark and always take it down at dusk.

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[qsiv]

Simplistic description is an 'upwind spinnaker'. It's a very, very large headsail, set in the same manner as a spi. On my boat the clew is roughly in the same place as the clew of the main.

We cant carry ours above 14 kts of apparent wind, and we carry from about 35 degrees AWA. For a big heavy boat to be 'full and bye' in 7 knots of breeze and making 5 or 6 knots through the water is wonderful.

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[Gunfleet]

code 0

Sounds great. I'm looking forward to spotting one.
John

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[qsiv]

Re: code 0

Unusually they are predominantly white (I've never, ever, seen any other colour). You wont usually see them on cruisy style boats, more a race thing - but they shouldnt be. They go under a raft of names Code0 (because thats where they fit into the new numerical coding system for spinnakers), Code Alpha (Doyle amongst others) and Doyle also do a more forgiving crusiing oriented version called a UPS (Utility power sail).

they are not AT ALL the same thing as a cruising chute, and can be tetchy and demanding sails to fly - but very rewarding.

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[bedouin]

Re: code 0

Don't hold your breath!

The Code 0 is a specialist racing sail cut in such a way as to give good close-hauled performance while still counting as a spinnaker rather than a headsail for rating purposes.

If you are not constrained by rating rules then a "gennaker" is a more appropriate I have one made of spinnaker fabric, but cut like a large light airs genoa (about 180%). But even that is a very specialised sail - as soon as you get onto a close reach the asymmetric is a better alternative.

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[MainlySteam]

qsiv - do you have the asymetrics on line furlers or do you find that you can handle them alone without?

Regards

John

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[Gunfleet]

Re: code 0

Thanks for that info. This is turning into a very interesting thread!

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