Spinnaker rigging

[DrV]

Hello there!

I am owner since 2011, and I have asymmetrical spinnaker since I bought my . Having to buy the boat for 1.5...1.7 times the US price, this is one of very few nice things I could get from Mac's official dealer here at Mediterranean.

However, I haven't rigged the spinnaker, still. Ok, so it is: now or never! Believe me, I searched the fora here, many times, since 2012, yet I can't seem to find any clear instruction how to rig a spinnaker. I need to know:
1. where to fix the clews in spinnaker to
2. how long line do I need to have
3. do I have to put an additional halyard? where?

I don't think that I am that lazy, as I DID the search here at macgregorsailors.com. Googled, too. Being an expat living here at Mediterranean, I have met only once or twice, and they couldn't give advice, too!

So, any help is appreciated, thanks. What search terms to use here at macgregorsailors.com (tried "rigging spinnaker', 'hoising spinnaker', doesn't work), and at google.com? If somebody has a ready link, I am happy!

THANK YOU!

P.S. Found some info here: http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... er#p263615 . But doesn't help much. As bwyachts.com is so far away, and don't know where to find the parrel beads here...

[mastreb]

Here's the "typical" rigging for a spinnaker:

Given that you understand there's a jib halyard that attaches at the head, and you use to hoist the sail and that the clew is attached to two sheets just like a jib or genoa that are run from the gunnels just as a genoa.

You want a spinnaker to be up in the wind, and for that reason it flies higher than a jib usually.

The tack can be set up one of two ways:

1) tied to "something" on the bow. Some people attach to a fitting on the pulpit rail, some attach to the anchor roller, and some simply cleat off to one of the bow cleats. This is very simple and on a Mac you can cleat to the bow without adding any hardware. If you tie a good hitch knot, you can just hitch a sheet to the bow pulpit rail for testing purposes. The only thing you need to worry about it making sure you can tack without getting the tack line tangled up on something on the bow such as the anchor, which is why a lot of people hitch to the pulpit rail. If you cleat or hitch, you need to make sure you tie a good knot because it's working constantly.

2) A better option is to run what's called a "tack line", which is a line fastened to the clew, and running down through a block at the bow, and then back across the cabin top to the the cabin where it's cleated off. By running a tack line, you can control the tack of the spinnaker and let it farther up and out than you can with a fixed mounting. I've seen people just run this through their anchor roller but I'm not advocating that beyond for testing purposes.

You can fix the tack line on the opposite winch as the working jibsheet.

Make sense?

[DrV]

Make sense?

Not only it does make sense, it made my day!!! THANK YOU!

So, for testing purposes, my plan is like this:

1. As I havent found (well... I didn't really try at all!) a way to rig the boom vang that I got from BWY, then I will just take the hound from the boom vang kit, and install it on my mast 18 inches higher than the genoa halyard hound. (by the way! why 18" is recommended here: http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 63#p263850? we want to take advantage of low winds, so why won't we take it up mast as high as possible???))

2. Will attach the 'front' clew of spinnaker to either the pulpit rail, or the anchor roller. (Hopefully OK for testing purposes for couple of hours.)

3. another clew will be fixed to the genoa blocks on the cockpit rails

So the only question remains - is there any solid reason to place the spinnaker halyard only 18" above the genoa halyard, or can I go all the way up the mast?

THANKS AGAIN

[DrV]

and one more question!

how to hoist the spinnaker while sailing (mailsail is in place)

1. connect the 'forward' clew to the pulpit rail, or the anchor roller
2. hoist spinnaker with halyard
3. start pulling the 'rear' clew of spinnaker with winch, until good
(using the line that goes from winch through genoa blocks to the rear clew of spinnaker)

Is it safe to do it while still going with the mainsail? Guess so, but want to double-check.

Or do we have to stop/put down motor/turn upwind? Wouldn't want unless necessary, as that means additional work with motor and pulling all the lures out!!!

thanks

[mastreb]

and one more question!

how to hoist the spinnaker while sailing (mailsail is in place)

1. connect the 'forward' clew to the pulpit rail, or the anchor roller
2. hoist spinnaker with halyard
3. start pulling the 'rear' clew of spinnaker with winch, until good
(using the line that goes from winch through genoa blocks to the rear clew of spinnaker)

Is it safe to do it while still going with the mainsail? Guess so, but want to double-check.

Or do we have to stop/put down motor/turn upwind? Wouldn't want unless necessary, as that means additional work with motor and pulling all the lures out!!!

thanks

The "forward clew" is called the "tack" --that'll make it easier to google since it's really important on a Spinnaker. You can do it with or without the mainsail as you see fit. The mainsail will tend to block air to the spinnaker and can cause the Spin to collapse if it gybes around behind it, so you probably want to sheet it in tight for good control while testing and until you get used to it. You'll want to use it "wing-on-wing" as much as possible with an assym when running.

Also, in another post Catigale mentioned that he ties the tack to the unused hole on the forward chain plate (where the forestay is pinned) --that's probably the best place to hitch the tack line. Just use a screw-pin shackle whose pin fits in the existing clevis hole and hitch the tack line to that with a bowline knot. I'd use a 1' to 2' line to get the tack up an away from the bow.

[Tomfoolery]

[Also, in another post Catigale mentioned that he ties the tack to the unused hole on the forward chain plate (where the forestay is pinned) --that's probably the best place to hitch the tack line. Just use a screw-pin shackle whose pin fits in the existing clevis hole and hitch the tack line to that with a bowline knot. I'd use a 1' to 2' line to get the tack up an away from the bow.

I moved my forestay to the aft hole to allow easy access to the forward most hole in the stem fitting. Less interference with the headstay and/or roller furler that way, and the length of the forestay remains unchanged.

[Herschel]

do we have to stop/put down motor/turn upwind? Wouldn't want unless necessary, as that means additional work with motor and pulling all the lures out!!!

In all honesty, I have not flown my spinnaker for my 26X in the 11 years I have owned my boat. Just hasn't been that important to me, so any advice I have to offer needs some additional comments from other owners that have used their spinnaker. All my experience with spinnakers was on the Ocean Sailing Team at the US Naval Academy 48-50 years ago. We sailed 44-ft Luder yawls all over the Chesapeake Bay. They carried huge symmetrical spinnakers that you hoisted with a spinnaker pole on the clew. Gibbing those suckers was a hoot. But to the point. No, you should not turn upwind to hoist a spinnaker. They are made to fly downwind or on a broad reach, perhaps on a beam reach, briefly, if caught in a luffing duel in a race where a leeward boat is trying to bring you up above the lay line to the next mark so it can get their before you. If you try to set one going upwind, it will be a mess; the wind will fill it backwards over your foredeck. The old symmetrical ones could twist on itself when in flucky wind and form an hourglass on you that was almost impossible to deal with until you lowered the sail and untangled it. Sometimes you hear sailors use the epithet "life is a spinnaker wrap"; well, that is what they are referring to as they describe a situation that has become a "hull of a mess"! I suspect even an asymmetrical one, if hoisted upwind could develop a similar problem. Don't know, don't even want to experience with that. So, you want to set the spinnaker going on a broad reach the first time out. That way the main won't be blanketing the sail, and it should draw nicely as it its hoisted. You do need to get it up smartly so it doesn't sag into the water, however. Help me out here, you young bucks that love to sail your spinnakers. Am I off base here?

[Herschel]

Correction, the tack went on the spinnaker pole. The clew was attached to the sheet.

[sirlandsalot]

I have been having a blast with my asymmetrical spinnaker this year. I put my mast hound about 22 inches up. After you put it on with a block it hangs down several,inches as well. I have heard that going much higher is strenuous on the mast. I also made a bow pulpit that bolts onto the old stock bow roller. This allowed me to get the tack line 20 inches out in front of the bow. So when the halyard comes down from the top, and and is hooked to,the pulpit, it has the same distance from the jib all,the way through to the top. Adjusting the tack line is nice as letting a bit out when running helps. And pulling it in tight helps in a reach. I have found that with my main sail up, it only works well wing on wing, others wise it is difficult to keep the spin full.

I have been learning as I go as I have never done it before, however through trial and error this summer, it is working out well, and lots of fun.

[Johnacuda]

I have been having a blast with my asymmetrical spinnaker this year. I put my mast hound about 22 inches up. After you put it on with a block it hangs down several,inches as well. I have heard that going much higher is strenuous on the mast. I also made a bow pulpit that bolts onto the old stock bow roller. This allowed me to get the tack line 20 inches out in front of the bow. So when the halyard comes down from the top, and and is hooked to,the pulpit, it has the same distance from the jib all,the way through to the top. Adjusting the tack line is nice as letting a bit out when running helps. And pulling it in tight helps in a reach. I have found that with my main sail up, it only works well wing on wing, others wise it is difficult to keep the spin full.

I have been learning as I go as I have never done it before, however through trial and error this summer, it is working out well, and lots of fun.

Do you have a oicture of your bowsprit setup?

[sirlandsalot]

Unfortunately, I don't have a pic. However I am going to the boat Thursday and I will snap a shot!

[chuck]

DrV,
Here is a Web Site that shows an extended bow sprit. Chuck

http://s844.photobucket.com/user/TheHig ... 6613679067