Gennaker w/out a bowsprit

[jkat]

Is there anyone out there that sails their CP-16 with a gennaker and no bowsprit?  Considering other upgrades I'm investing in, Idasailor foil, lighting, panel, and battery, I'd like to fly a gennaker as my light air/downwind sail minus the bowsprit.  I've read other topics/threads on the using a gennaker, and it seems unclear to me if it would be as efficient or if I would have unforeseen problems since I don't have a bowsprit to keep the sail out in front of the boat. 
     I read one topic response (by Skip) about attaching the tack of the sail to the bow pulpit of his CP-19(?).  I'm not sure if I have it right or not.  I'd be afraid a strong blow could tear the pulpit loose.   Apparently not, if it's working for someone else.
     My 110 jib works great, and flying a colorful gennaker would be pretty cool.  I'd appreciate an experienced opinion to help me out.

-jkat

[Craig Weis]

Jkat,
So far I have never pulled the bow pulpit out of the deck by flying my spinnaker.  And note the number of 4-bolt pads on the deck for the bow pulpit. She is really firmly laid down.

All the attachment points on the pulpit are well seated and go through the glassed in plywood placed under the deck by Hutchin's when building the Com-Pac.

In fact any attachment points on the Com-Pac are reinforced. Ladder, motor mount, whatever.
That's why we bought a Com-Pac in the first place...Right?

Thanks for the comment I think the spinnaker would tear apart before the pulpit pulls out.

What is the rule of steel?
10,000 lb x the thickness of the tube [in inch decisemals] divided by 4. I think we are safe.

Now the only problem that might occur with flying the gennaker would be getting that sail to the otherside of the mast when comming about in light airs.
skip.

[multimedia_smith]

Hi... You mentioned sailing downwind... in that case you don't need any front attachment... sprit or not.  Last week I was sailing in from beating upwind all afternoon.  I got the gennaker out and ran the sheets to each side of the genoa tracks on the coaming with the sail going in front of the forestay.  This way it made a "kite" in front of the boat.  I did have to drop both the jib and main because at that angle, any sail up was blanketing the lighter sail....  it made almost hull speed all the way home on just the big foresail.... I used the time to take down the boom, sail, jib, and wrap lines... it made for less time in the trailering which was a good thing since I stayed out 'till just after sunset.
Enjoy
Dale

[multimedia_smith]

Here's a pic of what I was talking about... the straight run w/ sheeting from both sides on the Jenny tracks:

http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/com-pac/photos/view/2286?b=33&m=f&o=0

here's a pic of my sprit extension:

http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/com-pac/photos/view/2286?b=31&m=f&o=0

Hope these links work... they're from the "other" ComPac site...

Good Luck
Dale

[Craig Weis]

Sure the skipper can fly a big bulbous sail out in front of the boat and make hull speed to boot!. No secret here. It's way cool given long enough lines on the 'tac' and 'clew' of the fwd sail leading to the stern cleats. In his book Handbook of Trailer Sailing, Mr. Burgess did that in the Caribbean.  Burgess would also tie the two ends together and have a swing that carried him 'out front' over the bow. Anchored astern of course. Way cool!

But more to the point, the head sail of a non-bow sprited Com-Pac 19 is 135% while the head sail for a bow sprited Com-Pac 19 is a 155%, just a little bit more past the mast. My 155% sail ends just about at the stern of the companionway hatch when fully closed. If anyone wants to check there sail's 'foot'  [length]. skip.