Drifter

[brokesailor]

Skaliiwag is set up as a double head sail yawl. The drifter attaches to the spare groove on the headsail furler. There are two wisker poles. One for the headsail which I would attach with the sail rolled up and then unfurl with pole out. How do i do the drifter? And what do I do once the drifter is set up and the wind pikes up and I need to put it away in a hurry?

[okapi3]

I am very interested in your double headsail rig. I, too, have a double grooved foil on my roller furler but have never done the double headsail thing because I only own one whisker pole (and no drifter). I have spent many hours ghosting along in light downwind conditions pondering how to get more power.

So how doyou douse the drifter going downwind when the wind picks up? I suppose you could put the engine on and accelerate to bring the sail over the foredeck.

Is the power/speed a lot more than wing on wing with a genoa and main? The other option I have considered for running in light air is using my cruising spinnaker as a symmetrical spinnaker with a pole. I would have to buy or make a true spinnaker pole since when I did this with my whisker pole and the wind picked up the thin segment of the pole got slightly bent and now it doesn't telescope easily. I don't want to risk ruining my whisker pole. I have also run dead downwind with my AS out in front without a pole, tackline and sheet way out with the mainsail down, but it wasn't very satisfactory--the luff kept collapsing and then you don't have the main up to block the wind when you want to douse it.

I guess what I am thinking is: I like playing around with different sail combos and would love to magically have a drifter and 2 whisker poles but money and space are definitely an issue, so is it worth the cost and the extra storage needs? Or would I be better off just getting a solid spinnaker pole and using my AS (which is in great shape) out in front (maybe more of a pain to set up but probably easier to get down, with its snuffer)?

Any thoughts?

[brokesailor]

Hey Paul: The PO told me to try furling both headsails with poles attached. I would have never of it but can't think of any reason it would not work. I guess I'll try it on a moderate downwind sail and see how it works. Both of my poles are stored on brackets on the lifeline stanchions so they are "out of the way". Did you get my emails?

[okapi3]

I guess I'm being dumb. Am I understanding correctly that you roll both headsails up together onto the one furler? Sounds messy. And I'm still wondering how you would change from the double headsail to a single headsail while underway. Would you furl them both up, then head upwind, unfurl them and drop one onto the foredeck? I guess I'll just have to go sailing with you, Jorge, to figure this out! Yes I got your emails.

[SVPrairieRose]

As the wind picks up tack over so the drifter gets backed onto the genoa then peel it down. Easy as that.

[brokesailor]

Not so easy Prairie Rose, they would both have a whisker pole attached. Okapi, hurry on back east, we can try and figure it out together. I haven't tried yet, boat still at Zahnisers waiting to be worked.

[okapi3]

Oh I see, no problem, just remove the pole from drifter and then do as PrairieRose says. Besides, judging from PrairieRose's avitar photo, he knows all about carrying lots of sail downwind! Brokesailor, just be sure to clip the outboard end of the pole, jaws up, on the sheet, not on the clew of the sail; then it is easy to remove.