Spinnaker with sock...

[eMKay]

I have this:


It has a short line and a plastic u-shaped thingy attached to the tack, two long lines attached to the clew, the head is up in the sock of course. On the boat there is a block on the port side of the bow pulpit, and two stand up blocks near the stern, one on each side. Now, I know the head gets attached to the spinnaker halyard, and the sock hoisted. The P.O. showed me how to work the sock, but I forgot what he told me about where everything else attaches.

[Faster]

It almost looks like he added a block to the pulpit that may have been intended for the tack line.... but I'd suggest you not use that if so.

You can attach the tack line to the same fitting for the jib tack, mount a block there and run the tack line through the block and back to somewhere within reach of the cockpit. This will allow you to raise and lower the tack of the sail as you vary your apparent wind angle (lower closer to the wind, higher as you bear off)

The plastic thingy attached to the tack (corner marked "T") is meant to go around the forestay with a furled headsail as the support for the tack. These collars are pretty standard on these sails, but some prefer to fly the tack free off the deck as you can get more projection that way as you go deeper downwind. You can probably look into that once you get the hang of this sail.

Otherwise, the sail attaches pretty much like a headsail, tack to the bow, sheets aft to the cockpit. Your spinnaker halyard should lead fairly and be above the forestay so that you are not chafing the halyard on the exit box in the mast or the headstay.

The lazy sheet should also go around in front of the headstay so you can gybe the sail in front of the boat.

Enjoy!

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by eMKay

I have this:


It has a short line and a plastic u-shaped thingy attached to the tack,

The line is a tack downhaul and the plastic thing is a tack sleeve that is designed to go around a furled headsail usually, and allows the asymetric spinnaker to work much like a oversized genoa. The ATN Tacker is a commercially sold version of that plastic cuff.

two long lines attached to the clew, the head is up in the sock of course.

The two long lines are the sheets, and they go around the front of the forestay, and the asym is basically gybed around the outside of the forestay.

On the boat there is a block on the port side of the bow pulpit,

Probably for the tack downhaul.

and two stand up blocks near the stern, one on each side.

for the asym spinnaker sheets.

Now, I know the head gets attached to the spinnaker halyard, and the sock hoisted. The P.O. showed me how to work the sock, but I forgot what he told me about where everything else attaches.

[pfatyol]

What about the Sleeve control lines?

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by pfatyol

What about the Sleeve control lines?

Those I have figured out.

Thanks for the info guys!

[Plumper]

Everyone has mentioned that the sheets go ahead of the forestay but have failed to point out that there are two ways to do that. One way is between the sail and the forestay and the other way is ahead of the sail. Putting the sheet between the sail and the forestay pulls the sail through the gap on a gybe. That is normally the lighter winds setup. Putting the sheet ahead of the sail is the heavy air (and more experienced sailor) setup. That allows the sail to completely invert ahead of the boat. The danger is you can run over your own sheet. Try it through the gap for the first few sets.

[JohnRPollard]

If you are new to asymmetric spinnakers, you may wish to peruse this thread:


EDIT: Sorry folks, can't seem to make the link work. Trying again:

Nope, still doesn't work.

The thread is entitled "How to fly an asymmetrical spinnaker (or even spell it correctly)", posted by Pub911 on 1/16/2008. Should be able to find it with a search.

FINALLY, thanks to SailingDog:

LINKHow to fly an asymmetrical spinnaker (or even spell it correctly) - SailNet Community

[sailhog]

This month's Cruising World as a pretty extensive article on it as well.

[sailingdog]

JRP-

Make it a link but use your own text to link with... and use a word that the sailnet autolinking doesn't pick up, and convert the url using tinyurl.com.

LINK

[vabuckeye]

I cannot let this die yet. I don't have a tack sleeve to attach my spinnaker tack too since I don't have a rolled furling. How do I attach this to the bow? I was going to try with a leader long enough to clear the railings and see how I faired. Or attach it directly to the bow? Not really ready to start flying the spinnaker yet as I am still learning the basics, but I have wondered on this most of the winter.

Jim