I finally got a chance to fly the cruising spinnaker yesterday - easier than expected with the dousing sock/tube. I secured the tack to the samson post (previous owner removed forward bow cleats and installed a stainless bit and post) which puts the tack inside the forestay. My question - is this correct? There is also a kenght of line coming of the tack - I assume this would be used as a control line to allow the sail to rise up above the bow pulpit?
Curt,
If the gennaker isn't too big, or too full then flying it inside the forestay is a good solution. It is like having a genoa that you can use when needed without removing the jib. A great set up for cruising. You can jibe it inside the stay just like a jib, being careful to keep it under control and not start a wrap on the stay. On my previous boat, I had a 4' sprit which allowed gybing between itself and the stay, but took some co-ordination and quick action to complete successfully. If you fly a bigger free luff sail you may need to fly it outside the stay and gybe it on the outside, in which case you need to be careful that your sheet doesn't go under the bow of your boat. When using a sock you will have the option of furling it for the gybe, but is a lot more work and time consuming.
Hey Curt:
Windrunner has an asymmetrical jib/spinnaker that came off of a Pearson 26-27. It is made out of very light cloth, about the same as parachute ripstop. I have a spare halyard rigged off the loop on the front of the masthead.
The sail seems to set better if the luff is taught. To keep the luff tight it has to be fastened close to the deck, instead of possibly off the bow pulpit. So I fastened the tack to same place the jib goes, slightly behind the forestay.
Using the spare halyard it was difficult to tack the sail because it had to pass between the luff and the forestay. Using the regular jib halyard the sail handled pretty much like a jib. I have set the sail with and without a whisker pole. The whisker pole helps some going downwind, wing and wing. Also when going downwind, sailing slightly by the lee seems to work best. On broad reaches the sail is light enough to use without a pole.
Because the sail is light (and old) I hesitate to fly it in much more than 5-8 kt of wind.
I like the sail because I don't have to unhank (just furl) the jib to set asymmetrical jib. Usually when I set the asymmetrical jib the wind either dies completely or really picks up. Nice not to have to hank on another jib if the wind picks up.
Hope that this helps.....would like to see a picture of your sail.
regards charlie
Hey Curt or Charlie, or anyone else for that matter :) can you tell me the size in feet of the Asymmetrical Spinnakers that you are flying? Is there a range ie. longest/shortest luff & leech that is recommended for the CP-27?
Thanks
Jim
I need help with my spinnaker. I have an ATN sock with an ATN tacker. I am hesitant to try and fly alone. Just bought new (used) spinnaker. Bigger than the old one that was blown out. Gonna have to get Charlie down here one day and show me the 'ropes'.
Just measured the asymmetrical spinnaker that I have been using on Windrunner in feet.
Luff = 31.25 Leech = 29.5 foot = 19.25 If it was in a plane triangle the area would be about 276 sqft.
I hook the tack to the same place as the jib. I do not think that the luff could be much longer and still set the sail well. The luff could be shorter and attach on to a short line to either the same point as the jib or on the bow pulpit. I lose some efficiency at the tack because in interference by the pulpit.
I am not on solid ground here; but I think that the luff needs to be fairly taught, especially if trying to stretch the sail onto broad reaches.
regards charlie
ps a deployment sleeve would be handy too....had to dump the sail into the water...kept the sail up to long. Was going 5.5 kts and running out of maneuvering room, so couldn't head up. Even heading up the sail would have still gone mostly overboard since I was single handling.