spinny equipment

[wotayottie]

Apologies if this seems like a repeat of an earlier post, but we are still having difficulties getting a decent spinny handling set up on our boat. Thanks to help from the forum (and of course native skill from the skipper ;-) ) we are doing OK flying the thing but have problems recovering it, re-packing and then re-hoisting on the second or third spinny run in a race.

Hitherto we have tried the round bag perched on the pullpit in front of the roller genny. Fine for launch particularly since we can connect both guy and sheet before leaving the pontoon. Recovery ( we unfurl the genoa before recovering the spinny) in the last 2 races has been direct into the anchor well since its really not on to try and hang out over the front of the boat to recover into the bag on the pullpit. And the pullpit bag, being then floppy, immediately fouls the roller reefing on the next furl.

We have a loose footed main but with lazy jacks we arent in a position to do a letterbox drop. And in any case I really dont want acres of wet spinny on top of the upholstery below whilst we re-pack.

We have a side launch bag. Would that be any easier to recover into - it would obviously be more difficult to launch from since we would need to pass sheets round the roller furling as well as move the bag about when under way and after we have worked out which tack the spinny run would be on. Cant say that repacking all that nylon on deck with 25 knots over the deck (as last Sunday) sounds exactly easy.

Boat is 36 ft masthead about 7 tonnes. 4 crew.

 

[flaming]

wow, you really are making life difficult for yourselves!
Packing a kite on deck is really not easy, and downright not reccomended.

To solve the issue of the bag fouling the furling gear, how about removing the bag once it's hoisted?

And to solve the issue of the wet spinnaker all over the upholstery - put all the cushions in the aft cabins. Because IRC says we have to have the cushions on board, but we don't want them to get wet, that's what we do.

I actually think your best bet is to hoist out of, and drop into, the forehatch. With some planning you will then never have to reset the gear, if you drop the side the next side you need to hoist.

If you don't fancy this, drop into the main hatch, repack into the "side hoist bag", which I assume is a regular kite bag, and re-rig under the genoa.

 

[curve]

If your lift and drop are perfect the spinnaker shouldn't be wet to damage the cushion covers unless of course it is raining. Or can't you just buy some plastic covers? It is a race after all and you are trying to win.

Trying to pack on deck is fraught with disasters. I'd be much more inclined to drop down the forehatch ready for the next hoist.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Concur. Repack downstairs.

Put a hook of some sort (could be a velcroed tape loop) in the forecabin. Hook the head onto this.

Pull one luff tape back into the saloon, making sure it is on top of everything (i.e. not twisted around the sail). Tie off that clew on something convenient.

Follow the foot to the other clew, again ensuring it is not twisted under the bunt of the sail. Bring that clew back and join it with the other.

You now have two straight edges, ergo the third edge must also untwisted.

Take the two clews back over top of the sail and hook them with the head.

Then working from the bunt of the sail, start stuffing it into its bag, until you end up at the clews/head.

Tie those off onto the bag with whatever system the sailmaker has provided.

Result, one spinnaker, untwisted, corners available, ready to hoist.

Should take one person no more than three minutes (provided we're not talking superyots). Two people, rather less.

 

[ianat182]

Your spinnaker can still be dropped letterbox style beneath the main boom,there is no need to feed between the mainsail and boom;Can I suggest that you rig snapshackles to each of the spinnaker clews with a 12" loop of cord attached to the pin. Assuming that your spinnaker is rigged with the sheets and guy able to slide through the end fitting of the spi pole,then all that is needed is to pull the cord to free the snapshackle on the guy. The clew will then weathercock behind the main.Gather the foot of the spinnaker from the sheet clew and release the halyard,,taking the spinnaker down directly into its bag,ensuring the free(guy) clew is left showing, continue filling the bag, leaving all three corners protruding from the bag,having detached halyard and secured to pulpit; detached and taken the sheet forward and secured; finally detach the guy from the pole and secure the guy to the pulpit; remove the pole, uphaul/downhaul, and securethe pole.
This is a method for lowering whether or not the genoa is set, and generally the spinnaker is ready to be flown without re-packing. A couple of clips to hold the bag when placed in the main hatchway will help when stowing. A swivel on the halyard will help should a 'wineglass' be formed. The above has ignored the lazy sheets and guys if used since they are usually part of the sheeting anyway.
As regards the launchers,provided the clews and head are visible the spinnaker will fly out of the bag quickly( spray a little silicone to the inside of the bag -works wonders!

ianat182

 

[flaming]

Also, I might have mentioned this before, but you are really undercrewed with just 4 on that boat.

 

[ianat182]

P.S.
I assume that you allow the spinnaker pole to rest against ,or close to, the forestay or foresail luff when lowering,this will make the triggering of the snapshackle that much easier to reach and support for the crew member doing the job.

ianat182

 

[dt4134]

My favourite technique is still the forehatch drop. Put the bunk cushions safely out of the way and tape up anything sharp or vulnerable.

You don't need the letter box drop unless you're shorthanded or are caught out by a squall. You can always rig your lazyjacks so they can be lowered to lie along the boom and mast. That way the spinnaker will go over the stored lazyjacks lines and under the mainsail foot.

I agree with Flaming, you're under crewed. Try six at least and make sure people learn what their role is in each manouvre. You can always leave spare crew in the bar if it's a light airs race.

If you don't want to drop down the forehatch I'm afraid it's the companionway. Again, bunk cushions out of the way (in a cabin as Flaming says), cruising gear out of the way (in a garage perhaps) and if there's anything needs protecting get some foam to protect it (raced on one boat where the woodwork was thoroughly protected by foam during racing).

You could rig up something to hook up the corners of the spinny during packing, but tying them to a grab rail using sail ties is quite effective too.

You also want to make sure that there is a person who is responsible for the kite being packed properly, during and after the race and before the next. Usually it is the bowman & they're responsible even if they get somebody else to actually do it. If no one is responsible you always run the risk that maybe no one will do it.

 

[wotayottie]

Also, I might have mentioned this before, but you are really undercrewed with just 4 on that boat.

Thanks Flaming but the cockpit doesnt really accommodate more than 5 and at that it's crowded.

 

[flaming]

Thanks Flaming but the cockpit doesnt really accommodate more than 5 and at that it's crowded.

They shouldn't be sat in the cockpit....

 

[dt4134]

Thanks Flaming but the cockpit doesnt really accommodate more than 5 and at that it's crowded.

What you need is a sign on the outside of the cockpit coaming saying "No Unauthorised Personnel".

Seriously, on a race boat no one should be in the cockpit unless they have a job to do that requires them to be there and they should remain there only as long as they need to to complete that job.

To give an example, the trimmer tailing during the tack should move backwards up onto the side deck as quickly as possible whilst hauling in the sheet, should spin around and hike as soon as he no longer needs to be pulling hard and should load up the lazy sheet on the winch from the rail, before hiking hard (or hike hard then lean in later to sort out the lazy sheet - it depends upon the circumstances).