Spinnaker terminology and funchion

[rchiare1]

I have a 1998 CP16 that came with a cruising spinnaker.

I've yet to fly it, but in looking it over I find there is a 5" disc of white material sewn into the belly of the sail about 6' below the head of the sail. There is one disc on each side of the sail and each disc has a loop of fabric that would accept a line running vertically the lentht of the sail.
What is this disck called and what is is it's function?

[Faster]

Sounds like a "bellybutton" for a take down line.

Does this sail stow into a sock or tube on deck? If so, the take down line would lead through the sock from the cockpit, out the front of the sock and up to that attachment point on the sail. During a takedown the tack , sheet and halyard are released and the sail sucked into the sock with the take down line.

Perhaps that's what you're looking at. I'm not familiar with that boat design.

EDIT: just took a look at what a CP 16 is - you probably won't have the sock/tube, but the take down line can still be used if you don't have a snuffer, or if you have difficulty dousing the sail without it.

[nolatom]

Faster's right, you can rig a line to these, they make the sail a little easier to take in since you're collapsing it from the middle.

But if you don't want to rig two extra lines to tangle with your pole (it's a symmetrical spin. with a pole?) just take it down the old fashioned way--let the pole forward, ease out the guy while you grab the clew on the sheet end and gather the whole foot in your arms so the chute is collapsed in the blanket of the main. Then someone lets the halyard off gradually as you stuff it into the bag, turtle, cockpit, cabin, or whatever.

If it's an assymmetrical "Gennaker", tacked down to the bow, essentially same deal. Main thing is to get it blanketed by the main, so it's not drawing while you're trying to douse it. Then your job is easy, it's just cloth, with no force on it.

Apologies if you already know all this. But it is the "Learning to sail" topic.