Spinnaker thread

[rak772]

Could someone direct me to a post, or an article about getting a spinnaker rigged on a cat 22? I know i need a pole and a spinnaker but what else? And could i stinall it all by myself?

Thanks
rob

[jackdale]

The main issue - do you have a halyard that exits the mast ABOVE the forestay?

Try this site: Spinnaker How-To

[rak772]

NO, but I can buy the bolt on one from the catalina shop, and just shimmy up and bolt it on, right?

[jackdale]

Or it might easier to install when you lower your mast. You will also need to install:

1) An attachment point for the pole on your mast (this could be an adjustable track).

2) A pad eye on the foredeck for a downhaul.

3) Another block on the mast below the forestay for the spinnaker pole topping lift.

4) Attachment points for the sheet blocks near the stern.

5) Attachment points for twings (if desired).

6) Fairleads for the additional lines.

[bobmcgov]

Er, no. Drop the mast, eh? It's a Catalina 22. You can drop the stick in five minutes. You will need one of: a mast-sheave exit box; a mast crane extension (which many C22s have, IIRC); or a swivel block on a beefy terminal strip. I like the last option, myself. External halyards run free and hoist fast, which is helpful on a spinnaker. Exit sheaves sometimes require a hood below them to prevent the halyard chafing from lateral forces.

You will need at least one mast ring for the pole. Some boats have two at different heights, or one ring on a track so the height can be adjusted. You will need a pole equal to your J dimension.

You will need a topping lift with cleat, and a mast-mounted block (or bullseye fairlead) near your spreaders to lift the pole. You will need a foreguy and cleat, and a block (or turning link) somewhere near the mast base to keep the pole from lifting. These paired controls may or may not require bridles -- other C22 sailors can tell you this. Our SJ21 pole is stout and only 8' long, so the topping lift and foreguy just clip to padeyes at the middle.

For sail controls, you will need lightweight or tapered (but strong) line, either two pieces or one, long continuous piece. Ends will tie to the spinnaker corners with bowlines. Do not use shackles or carabiners because they will smash your skull like a pumpkin. You need strong blocks attached as far aft and far apart as you can can put them -- lashing them to stern cleats is one option. These blocks experience tremendous loading. Some people use ratcheting blocks, but you should not need those. The sheet/afterguy runs from the corners of the sail, thru the aft blocks, then forward to winch and/or cleat.

Mad spi trimmers use twings and stuff. You can forget those for now.

It's nice to have a turtle, wide duffel, or laundry basket to launch and retrieve the chute. It's nice to know what you are doing, but that will come with time. Be aware your C22 will behave like a different boat under spinnaker: PFDs are mandatory, harnesses are advised, and wearing a diaper the first couple times you fly it might save embarrassment. Cheers!

[rak772]

thank you very much... may stick with the working jib and main for now... guess ill rig up a spinnaker eventually!

[GeorgeB]

I sailed with spinnakers on my C22 (1972 vintage) for thirteen years on SF Bay/ Nor Cal, so if I can do it, certainly you can too. I had all my lines lead aft to the cockpit and I could single hand the sail or have a crew up to four. It is not that hard or complicated. The boat is small so you do “end-for-end” gybing and you only really need one sheet tied to each clew (no need for guys!)

The rig: Again, the boat is small, you can get away with using small blocks and lines. The line size is mainly dictated by it’s “hand” or how comfortable it feaes in your hands, for me, that was 5/16 inch. You need a small swivel block at the masthead for the halyard. My boat had a clevis pin up there already that I could use. I did not need a mast crane on my boat. The halyard was ran aft to the cockpit. I had a small track on the mast for the ring slide. You could get by with a single padeye. You will need another block near the spreaders for the spinnaker topping lift (holds the pole up). I had a bulls-eye fairlead mounted half way between the mast and bow for the fore guy (holds the pole down). The spinnaker pole itself had a “bridle” that would attach to both the foreguy and topping lift. In the stern, I had a pair of eye straps where I mounted turning blocks. My boat had marlon mooring cleats and I wouldn’t recommend them for the turning blocks. If you do want to use your cleats, swap them out for metal ones, use backing plates and attach them using something like amsteel line. The block’s shackle will tend to gall a mooring cleat. Ratchet blocks are fantasic! (I would remove them when not in use). Most of the time you will only use these to trim the sail and not the winches. When mounting the turning blocks, make sure you have a fair lead to both your cockpit winches as you may want to “cross sheet” them at some time. You will need two spinnker sheets at about 44’ feet long for each of the sail’s clew.

Flying the kite is simple. I would launch directly out of the turtle without any banding or sock. Sometimes I would launch out of the main hatch if I was doing more than one spinnaker run that day. Gybing was really easy. Just head down wind, unclip the pole from the mast, clip it on the sheet (“new guy”), unclip it from the other sheet (“old guy”) and clip that end back on the mast. To take down, “blow” the “guy” (the sheet that the pole is attached to) and gather in using the “sheet” as you drop the halyard (in a controlled fashon). I would gather and stuff it all down the main hatchway. On bigger boats this technique is called a “letterbox” drop (with some modifications. I used small snap shackles for the sheets and halyard for convience. Don’t worry, they won’t be much of a headknocker danger

Kite flying is fun. Heck, when I was courting the future Mrs B, I would fly the kite with just the two of us. She loved it! It was only after we moved up to bigger boats that she developed a dislike to them (You round up and/or broach twice in one year and they never let you forget it!)