What height is a storm spinnaker flown at?

[dgadee]

I was wondering whether, when you were flying a smaller than usual spinnaker and racing in heavy weather, do you raise it off the deck or fly it lower from the halyard? The sail is smaller, so I'm wondering whether the usual advice of making sure the head is fully raised is appropriate.

 

[awol]

Same as the normal spinnaker - tight on a reach and eased a bit down wind.

 

[saltylegs]

Used a "chicken chute" many times in the past, it was full hoist on the halyard but the shape was different, very narrow in the head with almost no shoulders, cut fairly flat and the pole set a little higher and rarely carried on a dead run, this was narrow stern death rollers and dead down wind was faster with a poled out jib.

 

[flaming]

I was wondering whether, when you were flying a smaller than usual spinnaker and racing in heavy weather, do you raise it off the deck or fly it lower from the halyard? The sail is smaller, so I'm wondering whether the usual advice of making sure the head is fully raised is appropriate.

Absolutely. The last thing you want is an unstable kite. The storm kite will be narrower, with less shoulders and cut much flatter, but it'll still be full hoist.

If you have a fractional rig, these days it is pretty common to have a masthead kite halyard, but many also have a fractional halyard just above the forestay for the small kite, to further reduce the area.

We have a kite that is basically the kite to put up when you actually think putting a kite up is an all round bad idea. Fabulous sail though, it's won us many races, and we recorded easily our best speed ever with it up.

 

[blackdogsailing]

If you have a fractional rig, these days it is pretty common to have a masthead kite halyard

Is that ok with the rules Flaming ? It never used to be I'm sure.
Chris

 

[flaming]

Is that ok with the rules Flaming ? It never used to be I'm sure.
Chris

Under IRC hoist point is not measured, just area.

 

[dunedin]

Storm? Spinnaker? Height is just below front cabin cushion.

 

[dgadee]

Many thanks for the answers. I suppose it makes sense - spinnaker is under control and you keep the important edges of the aerofoil long.

 

[savageseadog]

I tried flying a smaller heavy duty kite a while ago as an experiment. It wasn't full hoist, our normal kite is about 16m and this kite was 3m less and it didn't work at all, we tried putting the pole higher but no go. You might be able to take a bit off the luffs but nowhere near what we were trying. The only thing that might have worked was another lower halyard but it would have been below the forestay exit, perhaps an asymmetric cut and no gybes?

 

[aquaplane]

Storm? Spinnaker? Height is just below front cabin cushion.

Good answer, it's what I thought too.

 

[doris]

Properly designed chicken chute is a delight to use. Just as your buttocks are clenching at the very thought of having a kite up you get brave and put it up. Suddenly the boat is much more stable, faster and exraordinarily alive. Hoisting and trimming, IMHO and experience, is just the same as any other kite. It's all in the design.

Americas Cup millions have resulted in lots of wind tunnel testing and modern design, with an informed designer, has improved spinnakers tremendously. Our heavy kite is also delightful to use when cruising, we don't have to worry about gusts etc and we are only a little bit slower than with a big one. The heavy kite is, IIRC, about 22% smaller as well flater, than the biggie.