Rigging a spinniker

[Shepherd]

Hi Folks,
Well I did it - my first sail in a CP-16, my first sail with a jib, my first sail... 
Well, you get the idea.  I'm very new to all this, and just having a ball.  The boat I bought a couple weeks ago is an '81 model, in quite decent shape, and just a blast to sail, so for my first outing I was very pleased with how she ran.  A little hard to make much headway going upwind in light winds, I suppose because of the keel style, but great practice in tacking!
The boat came with a spinniker, and I'm curious if anyone has any pointers for the first time I hoist that great green and yellow monster...
Thanks!  Capt. Morgan

[Paul]

Congrats on the first sail and all the firsts!!

It's tons of fun to keep practicing.  You'll find you never stop learning about sailing and all the things that go with it.  Just one more reason to love this fine sport.  Personally, I don't have experience with spinnakers, but Dale does.  I'm sure he'll chime in, soon.

Have fun!

Paul

[Rick Klages]

Spinnaker sailing is a blast, but You might want to see if you can crew a time or two on a boat already set up for it with folks that have some practice.  Symmetrical chutes can really be a hand full! basic setups can include a halyard, pole topping lift, pole down haul, 2 sheets/guys. Thats 5 lines for one sail!  Fun fun fun.

Do you have a symmetrical or asymmetrical spinnaker?

ick

[mgoller]

Hey Shepherd,
You may have an asymetric spinnaker.  They are more common now and more common for our smaller sail boats.  Pull it out and see if it has a head tack and clew.  It will look asymetric meaning all three legs of the triangle will be different lengths.
Now, if it is asymetric, think of it as a big jib sail.
Attach a permanent 1/4" sheet to the tack of about 6'.  Next time you drop the mast rig a 1/4" haul line to the top of the mast that is a little more than twice the length of the mast.  Think "Flagpole".  I leave that spinnaker haul line attached all the time.  There is a quick attaching point on this haul.
Then attach two 1/4" sheets of 1.5 X the length of the boat to the clew.  I use a really soft line for this.  1/4" is plenty strong and you'll want it light so it doesn't deform the sail by its weight.
I sail to an area where there is some wind shadow.  I attach the tack through the forward bow roller and to the bow cleat leaving about a foot and a half from boat to tack.
Then I throw the two sheets either side of the shrouds back into the cockpit.  Thread these two sheets through the stern cleats and put a figure eight knot in the ends.
Then steer a little down and off wind so the main will shadow the spinnaker.
Go forward and hoist it with the haul.  Not tight to the top, leave a little - 6" or so from the top.
Now steer downwind and sheet in the main a bit.  The spinnaker will fill up.  You may have twist and tangles.  Steer off wind andd let the main out and shadow the spinnaker so you can sort it out.
Tacking is tough.  You'll be jibing.  As you jibe let the spinnaker sheet out so the clew flies out even with the front of the boat and you will gently pull on the other sheet.
I do this single handing and it is great fun.
Don't fly it single handing if winds are much over ten knots. 
Just like everything else sailing, when in doubt release the sheets.
I have nearly overpowered the rig several times.  Releasing the sheets de-powers you in a hurry.  That's also why you want the sheets long enough.  The clew can then fly almost ten feet in front of the boat.
Practice, and you can eventually learn to reach with the spinnaker. 

[Rick Klages]

Hi Marcus, I was replying to "Shepherd".  Steppin' Up was not equipped with a chute.  Boats of the age that most of ours are were symmetrically equipped if spinnaker equipped at all!  Asymmetrical chutes are a more modern convenience. During my racing days  I  learned to to Run and Reach as well as gibe a symmetrical.  I have no experience with asymmetrical super Genoas.

ick

[multimedia_smith]

Hi Shepherd,

Marcus has it right... you have to jibe to change sides with the spinnaker.  As he said, first thing is to determine if you have an assymetrical or "cruising" spinnaker... essentially it is just a HUGE jib.  You can use it on a reach as opposed to the symmetrical spinnaker that is primarily a straight downwind use.  The bonus of an assymetrical is that you can also use it for a straight downwind run.

I made a block attachment for the masthead and I use the halyard as a continuous loop... this way I don't get a pile of line to deal with when it's up.  Also, I replaced the bolts at the stern rub rail with eye bolts and this gives me the most "sternward?" attachment point.  Initially I tried the standard two line sheeting for the clew.  I found that the slack line would get "keel hauled" under the boat while trying to tack...
What I do now is to literally walk the line around the headstay by hand and walk it back to the cockpit.  (I always wear a safety line attached to one of my old dive weight belts).  The tack is run through a block attached to the stainless band at the anchor roller or to a bowsprit extension I made if it's on that day.  When doing a straight downwind run, I don't attach a tack forward at all... but rather run both sheets (clew and tack) outside of the shrouds and to the swivel camcleats on the genoa track.  Depending on the angle of sail, I break out the spinnaker pole.  For the most part... I flake the main and jib when using the "parachute".  It's so  much fun!  And as Marcus says... what keeps it interesting is that it is always different out there and you're ALWAYS learning.  As usual with me, (I'm such a visual type) here are some pics.
For anyone else interested in a spinnaker... I found mine used and they re-cut it for me into an assymetric.
Here's the link:
http://www.mastheadsailinggear.com/UsedSailSearch.aspx

Masthead Block:
http://www.com-pacowners.com/gallery2/displayimage.php?album=49&pos=26

Halyard loop:
http://www.com-pacowners.com/gallery2/displayimage.php?album=49&pos=32

Sprit extension:
http://www.com-pacowners.com/gallery2/displayimage.php?album=49&pos=33

Sheeting points:
http://www.com-pacowners.com/gallery2/displayimage.php?album=49&pos=17

Flying the chute:
http://www.com-pacowners.com/gallery2/displayimage.php?album=49&pos=31


We went sailing this weekend with a great north wind and no waves on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain.... truly one of the best birthdays ever... camping with my daughter and her scout troup Friday night and sailing all day Saturday... much different from my birthday sail last October when we fished that soldier out of the drink and then towed his brothers in their disabled dinghy back to the marina.

Best Regards
Dale

[mgoller]

Dale,

Dude, you are a genius with the photos.  I admire your posts and the time you give us all.

Thanks!