Tackline on Cruising Chute

[catalina1]

As the owner of a recently discovered chute.
Whats the best way of attaching the tack line to the stem head.?
I am considering a swivel block shackled to the pulpit and the line led back to the cockpit
Will that be strong enough ?
or is there a better way?

 

[ianat182]

There are some very recent posts regarding this.
My setup for the tack line is to have a snapshackle attached to the end of the line ,leading through a swivel pulley attached to the bow roller fitting, ( Others run their tack line through the bow roller itself) and back to a winch or jammer on the cabin top ,and tail into the cockpit.
I also use a light line(cord) and tie to the plunger of the tack snapshackle; this cord is brought back to the cockpit also but not tightened or secured, left slack,to permit adjustment of the chute during sailing. To dowse the chute, the cord is tugged ,releasing the Tack of the chute, and chute is retrieved into the main hatchway from beneath the boom, directly into its bag. Draw in the now empty tack line, and bring in when finished sailing.
There is then no need for anyone to leave the cockpit during this operation.

I don't recommend using the pulpit as a tack pulley point, pulpit height is probably the highest point the tack height should be, and there can be a lot of pressure on the tack too.

Hope this answers your query.

ianat182

 

[catalina1]

Thankyou for the comprehensive reply.
Ill shall try that this weekend ( I hope)

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I've always used a fixed length plastic coated wire strop, even when racing. A cruising chute is simply a light weather large size genoa so I dont see why it would need a variable height at the tack and more than your genoa does.

 

[ianat182]

If you're a fiddler of sails as I am (former dinghy sailor), you can tune the power and shape of your chute by either slackening the head about a foot away from the mast; or drawing in or letting out the tack line (and of course the sheet).
Be aware that there is considerable pull on both halyard and tack line,and being ready to jamb the rope will be important, else rope-burned fingers may result.
It really does make a difference in the lighter winds, and really just tweaking a spinnaker albeit in a different way.
Bosun Higgs's strop is as mine was rigged originally, with no tackline involved to help with dowsing the chute, but each to their own method.

ianat182

 

[aquaplane]

I'm only learning how to use my cruising chute but so far have found it usefull to be able to let the tack fly a bit when going down wind. As I come round on to a reach I pull in the tack and sheet and find I can sail with the wind abeam.

I drilled a hole near the front of the bow roller fitting and have a small block shackled there permanently. I tried running the tack line back to the cockpit the last time I had a play and found that handy so will do it again. Eventually I will fit a dedicated cleat so I don't have to use the genoa reefing line cleat.

I'll probably run the halyard back to the cockpit too so that I can play a tune on the halyard, tack and sheet to see what happens.

Then I'll see about dispensing with the snuffer

 

[bbg]

I'll probably run the halyard back to the cockpit too so that I can play a tune on the halyard, tack and sheet to see what happens.

Then I'll see about dispensing with the snuffer

If you have a long enough tack line, you definitely can dispense with a snuffer. To douse the chute: unroll the jib, bear away to nearly DDW (say 165 degrees) so the chute is blanketed. Get a hand on the loaded sheet and blow the tack line completely off - let it run (you need a long tack line - maybe 3 x boat length but I'll have to measure mine). Then pull in the foot of the chute, then drop the halyard slowly while you gather it into the cockpit and shove it down the hatch.

Easy peasy.

I keep meaning to record a video of how easy this method is and post it on youtube, but I haven't got around to it so far.

 

[aquaplane]

Yep, that's about what I thought but:
The halyard is at the mast but long enough to run back to the cockpit.
The tack line is "the other sheet" that I'm not using so it's way too short, but now I have used it from the cockpit I'll get something longer.
The sheets are laid rope, I'll have to get some braided rope 2 x 2.5 x the boat length I was thinking.

 

[Quandary]

I don't think you will need anything like three boat lengths for your tack line and over long tails can be a real nuisance. It should be long enough to run forward from the jammer forward to the block on the bow and then back to the hatch where you plan to dowse it plus about 2m. for handling. Don't underestimate the stress on the line and block, we use a gennaker on one of those Selden sprits that only projects less than a metre when extended and in quite moderate wind it can be seen bending upwards.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

we use a gennaker on one of those Selden sprits that only projects less than a metre when extended and in quite moderate wind it can be seen bending upwards.

Interesting comment that . Was discussing just that issue with a pal yesterday and thinking of a U bolt in the bow and a wire strop to the end of the sprit.

Or would it be better with a heavier stainless tube sprit that didnt bend so much?

 

[richardm47]

If the tack line is attached to the sail with a snap-shackle then could you just pull the toggle on the snap-shackle, letting the tack of the sail fly free. Then use other sheet to pull clew in under the boom, in lee of the main. Followed by foot of the chute, then releasing its halliard and - down the hatch. Just like we used to retrieve spinnakers.

You do need a serious snap-shackle though, must be able to release it when it is under heavy load.

 

[Quandary]

Interesting comment that . Was discussing just that issue with a pal yesterday and thinking of a U bolt in the bow and a wire strop to the end of the sprit.

Or would it be better with a heavier stainless tube sprit that didnt bend so much?

Selden supply the pole uncut in two strengths/diameters for different sizes of boats/sails, they specify the safe projection, which is surprisingly short and the safe ratio of projection to back length behind the ring, and it still can bend. In practice unless you have a flush deck the position of the rear deck pad eye and the distance from it to the ring can control the overall length. If you have an anchor well that can control the position of the forward padeye. Most of the stress is on the forward ring which on our boat is anchored to the pulpit base and deck.
If you are making a home made version I would recommend very strong tube, you might be able to adapt plain anodised spinnaker pole tubing, you local rigger will have offcuts or damaged spars, but at least that strong, the ring or eye through which it slides forward needs to be strong and very well anchored, the forward padeye or what ever you use will be subject to strong lateral stresses but the main force is downward. I would prefer a short concentric tube to a U bolt for the slider. I suspect that the ratio of extension to diameter would be about ten in aluminium tube, thick walled steel might be stronger, but anodised aluminium usually has end fitting options which might be adapted. Running the tack line forward from the cockpit makes the thing much more usable and it is tidy if it goes through the tube. An incidental advantage of this is if you need to get into the anchor well in a hurry you just detach at the rear fixing and shove it back along the line which is stowed cleated to the pulpit, but the main advantage is in switching easily between efficient close and broad reaching.
If I did not have this (it comes with the boat) I would consider using the bow roller or a very short cast alloy extension to it of the type that Beneteau etc. do. The only thing wrong with the Selden kit though is the price. On cruising boats extended forward projection is not that big a factor, you just need to get it clear of everything else. If using the bow roller make sure it can withstand the upward loading as this is the opposite to what it was designed for. A long tack rope back to the cockpit with some stretch should reduce the stress on the sprit, just don't be greedy keep the projection short.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I once test sailed a Southerly RS which had a sprit. It has been fabricated from stainless steel tube in the shape of a hockey stick with a flange underneath to allow a pin to go through it and the bow roller and anchor things. I didnt notice how they had located the end which sat on the deck. From that sprit they flew a gennaker on a flexible furler . Struck me then as a good crusing compromise.

I guess that such a fabrication would be one way to go though whether the end resulkt would be much cheaper than the Selden kit, I doubt.

 

[ianat182]

Richard47 - Yes that is what i was describing above, and on earlier threads. Its the windward sheet that has to be able to run free, whilst pulling in on the leeward clew /sheet.
Leave the tack line rigged,no need to run it all out ,that's why the snapshackle is freed, to release the tack of the sail.

Regarding the gennaker bowsprits, on the larger boats that use them there is a 'dolphin-striker' below the bowsprit ,usually stainless wire, and the bowsprit built in to the bow of the boat, indicating the upward pressure generated when flying gennakers.
If you've ever watched the gaffers under sail you'll see that there is a distinct upward bend in their bowsprit,which of course is also a forestay, so tremendous pressure in any kind of breeze there.



ianat182