Wrapped Spinnaker around the Forestay!

[flaming]

As said by others, most spinnaker issues are caused by the bloke with the wheel in his hands... With wraps this is normally driving too low. As what is happening is that the main is blanketing the kite and letting it fall towards the forestay, then disturbed air coming round the leach is pushing it one way whilst the air coming round the other side is pushing it the other way. If you get one, the best bet is to pull down hard on the sheet - normally by a couple of big blokes sat at the bow. Best not to be standing, MOB is more likely that way... If that doesn't work, blow the halyard and try to unwrap it from the top... This can work if there is a filled bit of kite above the wrap. Be ready to hoist again sharpish though.

To be honest though, a good wrap is often a cause of a DNF, or at least a lot of lost places. Best to avoid by not dropping the jib until the kite is full, and/or threatening your helm with a winch handle not to drive like a lemon.

 

[awol]

As said by others, most spinnaker issues are caused by the bloke with the wheel in his hands...

Not if he is also the owner who, by the rights of "master under god" can do no wrong. It is the responsibility of the foredeck and the rest of the crew to anticipate any tactical course choices (a.k.a. WTF is he doing now?) and carry out seamless preventative/remedial actions. Get the pole back quicker next time - gets you into the death roll so much faster!

 

[sankukai]

As said by others, most spinnaker issues are caused by the bloke with the wheel in his hands...
To be honest though, a good wrap is often a cause of a DNF, or at least a lot of lost places. Best to avoid by not dropping the jib until the kite is full, and/or threatening your helm with a winch handle not to drive like a lemon.

Made me laugh! I will no doubt bring this up with the Skipper next time I see him. I am sure he will agree, and will stop blaming me at the mast. lol

Thank you all for your comments. Next time I will need to be fast on the clue and pull hard on the sheet.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Not if he is also the owner who, by the rights of "master under god" can do no wrong. It is the responsibility of the foredeck and the rest of the crew to anticipate any tactical course choices (a.k.a. WTF is he doing now?) and carry out seamless preventative/remedial actions. Get the pole back quicker next time - gets you into the death roll so much faster!

Love it!

Signed
A Skipper.

 

[Laurin]

Getting a spinnaker wrapped around a forestay is no big deal. We once got a spinnaker sheet wrapped around a buoy. That was exciting.

How about managing to get the spinnaker pole that was resting on deck just overhanging the deck slightly, to poke exactly through the eye on top of a mooring buoy? That was a little interesting at the time!

 

[boguing]

This is the easy way out:-

Get someone to act a a preventer on the boom.

Sail 'by the lee'.

It rotates the other way.

 

[Tomahawk]

If you can't keep it up....


Don't get it out!!!

 

[Stingo]

This is the easy way out:-

Get someone to act a a preventer on the boom.

Sail 'by the lee'.

It rotates the other way.

+1. Correct.
This technique has worked for me several times over the years.

EDIT: The only time this has not worked was when I turned into wind to avoid a fishing boat at night. The spinnaker wrapped itself around the mast. The spreaders on Stingo are now called "shredders" because I was able to bring the bag down in more manageable pieces.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Not if he is also the owner who, by the rights of "master under god" can do no wrong. It is the responsibility of the foredeck and the rest of the crew to anticipate any tactical course choices (a.k.a. WTF is he doing now?) and carry out seamless preventative/remedial actions. Get the pole back quicker next time - gets you into the death roll so much faster!

Excellent. A man who really understands the basics of yacht racing.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

Excellent. A man who really understands the basics of yacht racing.

Indeed so. This: http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=2zP9--1Z3-8&desktop_uri=/watch?v=2zP9--1Z3-8
Tells you all you need to know about managing spinnakers. Watch it to the very end.

 

[awol]

Indeed so. This: http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=2zP9--1Z3-8&desktop_uri=/watch?v=2zP9--1Z3-8
Tells you all you need to know about managing spinnakers. Watch it to the very end.

Thank you, Ken! Now where are those pictures I took of lives being saved by the South Queensferry lifeboat?

 

[birger.sevaldson@aho.no]

Sorry for late addition to this thread.
I am really puzzled that so few sailors know why exactly the wrapping happens and how to reverse it. Nobody on this thread knows the real causes for a wrap nor the simple trick to unwrap it. I have been flying a 85 squaremeter spinny crewed and alone and had a wrap a few times. As mentioned by others on this thread this happens when sailing to low, but thats not the real reason. Sailing to low with the main sheet to tight alows airflow along the front of the mainsail. Combined with an over sheeted or shadowed spi this results in blowing the spinakker through the foretriangle.
So now that you know this you also know the simple trick to unwrap it:
Gybe the main and sail in a low angle, creating an opposit airflow along the front of the mainsail and magically the spi starts to rotate the opposit way and unwraps itself. Done it single handed in 20 knots.
Why is this simple trick such a secret?
Happy new year!