spinnaker setup

[maestro]

I want to use the spinnaker (which came w/ my boat but I haven''t used yet) next season on my boat. I have the chute, spinnaker pole, mast ring for pole and spinnaker halyard. What else am I missing???
I believe that I have to install a block at the masthead to run the halyard through?? And a block at the base of the mast to run the halyard back to the cockpit ( where all my other halyards run to) How about uphaul/downhaul for the pole??

Any help would be appreciated.

Mike C.
"Maestro"

[Stede]

If you have a West Marine catalog,(sorry SN!), dig it out. It has some good diagrams of spinnaker set up, sheet lengths,etc. If you don''t have a catalog, they probably have the same diagrams on their webpage under the "West Advisor section."

[Jeff_H]

Depending on the size of the boat you need a pole lift, foreguy (or spinacker pole downhaul), spinacker sheets, turning blocks at the stern of the boat and snatch blocks to use to twing the guy.

Jeff

[petercra]

My boat came with a symmetrical spinnaker, and I purchased a sock (V.F. Shaw Chutescoop) for it, as well as an ATN Tacker. The Tacker is a plastic collar that fits around the headstay, and it allows the spinnaker (symmetric or asymmetric) to be flown without a pole (the tack is attached to the Tacker rather than the pole, its just as though the pole were forward against the headstay). It allows the tack of a symmetric spinnaker to be flown at pole height (as designed) without the sail rotating to leeward as it would if a tack line were led to the anchor roller.

Practical Sailor reviewed the ATN Tacker in its August 1, 1996 issue. The article says you can fly the spinnaker from 80-160 degrees true. I''ve found that to be approximately correct, perhaps a bit optimistic on each end of the range. Inasmuch as cruisers typically only use spinnakers in relatively light air, where tacking downwind is faster, the inability to sail dead downwind isn''t much of a problem.

The lines needed with this setup are halyard, tack line, and sheet.

With a regular pole you need a guy, spinnaker pole topping lift, and spinnaker pole foreguy, but no tack line. If you want to be able to gybe on a larger boat you''ll need two more lines: a lazy guy and a lazy sheet. It''s a lot of work to get it all hooked up and manage it.

If a sock is used there is another line (typically one continuous line for up and down). I recommend leading the line aft and having some sort of quick cleating arrangement. One doesn''t want to be on the foredeck of an out of control boat trying to douse the spinnaker. You need to be able to pull it down without worrying about a gust catching it and causing the sock to ride up again. Take a look at the spirt J boats. They have a couple of cam cleats on the side of the cabin house for the sock controls.

[Jeff_H]

I have not been impressed with the need for a spinacker sock. While they work, they don''t work well enough to justify thier use on boats under 40 or so feet in length. On Boats below that length it is really easier to flag the chute and drag it down the back of the mainsail. On the J-boats that I have been on they have stopped using the socks years ago. The problem with the socks is that it hard to reliably send the sail up without an hourglass. Then you are really in trouble.

I am not all that impressed with raising the spinacker on a Tackline and restraint. One of the easiest and safest ways to gain control and douse a chute in a building breeze is to flag it behind the mainsail. You really don''t have the option of doing that with most tackline set ups. Beyond that when sailing deep angles it is very easy to get a serious wrap with a tackline (think of going close to down wind with the spinacker pole almost on the headstay).

So while it may be true that a regular spinacker set up requires more gear,IMHO, it also offers a lot more options and is actually easier to use safely.

Jeff