My notion of setting a spinnaker goes something like: ready the pole,
attach topping lift, downhaul, and forward guy to the pole’s working
end, run windward sheet through the pole, adjust topping lift and
downhaul, run both sheets to the cockpit, attach the halyard, double
check all the lines, haul away, and trim. Much of that is done at the
far end of the pole, which means on most boats standing at the bow,
where you can reach the far end, and can get the windward sheet
around the headstay. When I think of doing this on a BCC, that would
mean standing out on that long bowsprit. Which throws an interesting
wrinkle into the exercise.
Hence, the dumb question. Which comes with some related dumb followup
questions, such as: How many BCC sailors use spinnakers? And if not
spinnakers, then what downwind sails? And how do you set these?
I guess I have this naive view that BCC sailors never went out on the
sprit unless they managed to get a wrap on the RF that they couldn’t
otherwise free, the resulting trip convincing them never to do that
again. Then reading something made me think about setting downwind
sails, and curious that I am … here are the dumb questions.
An symmetrical spinnaker can be set at the rail as far forward
as is practical. There is no hard and fast rule that spinnakers be set at
the
bow. Of course it would be necessary to set the chute more on the beam
reach than directly downwind. I would choose an asymmetrical spinnker
for the BCC.
This would require a tack block set on the end of the sprit. This allows
for tack adjustment to fly the chute properly on all points of its
capability.
One could rig a lazyguy to the snap shackle to facilitate hauling the tack
sheet
back to the bow. I would recommend the ATN spinnaker sock with an asymmetric
chute, the best combination for the cruising boat.
Tom D
turpin wrote:
My notion of setting a spinnaker goes something like: ready the pole,
attach topping lift, downhaul, and forward guy to the pole’s working
end, run windward sheet through the pole, adjust topping lift and
downhaul, run both sheets to the cockpit, attach the halyard, double
check all the lines, haul away, and trim. Much of that is done at the
far end of the pole, which means on most boats standing at the bow,
where you can reach the far end, and can get the windward sheet
around the headstay. When I think of doing this on a BCC, that would
mean standing out on that long bowsprit. Which throws an interesting
wrinkle into the exercise.
Hence, the dumb question. Which comes with some related dumb followup
questions, such as: How many BCC sailors use spinnakers? And if not
spinnakers, then what downwind sails? And how do you set these?
I guess I have this naive view that BCC sailors never went out on the
sprit unless they managed to get a wrap on the RF that they couldn’t
otherwise free, the resulting trip convincing them never to do that
again. Then reading something made me think about setting downwind
sails, and curious that I am … here are the dumb questions.
I used a huge 1 1/2 oz drifter a lot on our passage from San Francisco to New Orleans (via Canal). I fly it from the spinnaker halyard and it does require you to pass the sheet around the headstay. But what the heck, you're out there to hank on the drifter anyway (no RF).
But if you want to fly a spinnaker without working your way out the sprit, you can leave a turning block shackled at the headstay with a permanent 'tag' pennent passed through it to attach the tack of the spinnaker to. Similarly you can leave a short tag line doubled around the headstay and secured back in the area of the bow; you can use this tag line to haul a spinnaker sheet end around the headstay when setting up to fly that sail.
I found the drifter poled out on the whisker pole (3" X 22') as effective as a spinnaker with a lot less hastle to put up and take down. The whisker pole requires only a topping lift (due to its size and weight) and can be easily dropped to allow you to come up on a reach. And of course a poled out drifter can be left on its own with the vane steering more easily than a standard spinnaker.
I don't know much about the asymetrical cruising type spinnakers that don't require a pole, but the one's I've used on other boats seemed small for the size boat they were on.
Stan on Waxwing (hull #22)
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Asymmetrical just as symmetrical spinnakers come in sizes related to J
measurement; the distance from
the front of the mast to the bow or the bow sprit in this case. Most
cruisers carry an 160% asymmetrical chutes
not much larger than a 150% genoa as it relates to LP, but carry more
area due to positive roach as
a opposed to a negative roach or hollow on the backend of a traditional
genoa. Modern asymmetricals
also carry positive round on the leading edge a well, similiar to a
symmetrical spinnaker. The reason
most cruising spinnakers seem small is because they are. Most cruisers
are sold 160% asymmetricals
without knowing it. They are easier to handle for the relatively inexperienced
crews, and can be carried
a little longer. Symmetrical chutes on the other hand are almost always
produced at 180%. Remember
cloth weight is a consideration too. Cruising asymmetricals are usually
produced in 1.5oz nylon, for
durability and again to protect the sail against inexperienced crews.
An 1.5oz 180% symmetrical would
not be a very good light air performer, so are generally produced in
.75 oz nylon.
My advice. One can always reduce sail. But if you
don’t have enough sail to present in light air
your stuck. My choice would be an asymmetrical in a chute scoop ( ATN)
at 180% LP and .75oz nylon.
I can always fly the genoa in 25kts ( only kidding)
Tom.
Stan Roeder wrote:
I used a huge 1 1/2 oz drifter a lot on our passage from San Francisco
to New Orleans (via Canal). I fly it from the spinnaker halyard and it
does require you to pass the sheet around the headstay. But what the heck,
you're out there to hank on the drifter anyway (no RF).
But if you want to fly a spinnaker without working your way out the
sprit, you can leave a turning block shackled at the headstay with a permanent
'tag' pennent passed through it to attach the tack of the spinnaker to.
Similarly you can leave a short tag line doubled around the headstay and
secured back in the area of the bow; you can use this tag line to haul
a spinnaker sheet end around the headstay when setting up to fly that sail.
I found the drifter poled out on the whisker pole (3" X 22') as
effective as a spinnaker with a lot less hastle to put up and take down.
The whisker pole requires only a topping lift (due to its size and weight)
and can be easily dropped to allow you to come up on a reach. And of course
a poled out drifter can be left on its own with the vane steering more
easily than a standard spinnaker.
I don't know much about the asymetrical cruising type spinnakers that
don't require a pole, but the one's I've used on other boats seemed small
for the size boat they were on.