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Self Launching Spinacker Pole

3K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  sandboy 
#1 ·
I have seen something about the spiro self launching spinacker pole my understanding is this system is a little light for my yacht a santana 22 I already launch my kites out of the companionway\cockpit from a purpose built bag which when not in use slides forward into the cabin on lines attacked to the cabin sole I have my spinacker pole attached to my boom from where it can be slid forward to attach to an eye on a car attached to the mast when we drop the kite I have a line attached to the same point and when pulled from the cockpit is quickly stowed I'm now tring to design a method to self launch the pole like they do on dinghies any idea's cheers Kerry
 
#2 ·
I like the lifting eye on some of the bigger cruising yachts. Could it be possible to add a downhaul and topping lift to a car mounted on a vertical track attached to the eye similar to the cruiser configuration in your design?
It would facilitate a launch from either side and partially lifting the car to facilitate clearing the forestay while swinging the pole to make a gybe a bit easier assuming you just use the lazy sheet as the guy like I do. To make singlehanded gybing a bit sexier, a line to the tack end of the pole to unclip the lazy sheet sooner to prevent wrapping so the kite stays filled while you run up to move the pole to the new sheet half way through your gybe.
I read elsewhere about end for end gybing, but haven't tried it.
 
#3 ·
Because my pole is already self launching except clipping it to the eye on the front of the mast it alway's stay's on the same side of the boom as far as gybing we end to end much simplier on a small yacht drop pole gybes belong to larger yachts also being a small yacht we only need 1 set of sheets where the one flying the kite is the sheet then when you gybe they swap names when it goes onto the pole it becomes the guy you only need two set when your drop pole gybing not sure what a C20 looks like but she can't be that differant to a Santana 22 end for end your pole its so easy O by the way we no longer race Santana 22 as a class hence I'm not controled by any class restriction's in fact I have extended my mast by 1.5 meter's so I can fly an Etchell kite a lot more exciting than the class restricted one and I race in a mixed division I even have a Asy \reaching kite off a 16ft skiff amazing how quick you can push a 38year old design
 
#4 ·
I have now seen the spiro system on a 505 skiff and now know how it works not only does it self launch but retrieves it as well plus when you gybe you just fire the kite off the pole it retrieves itself back along the boom you already have the guy in hand you clip it on the pole self launch the pole on the opposite side never needing a foredecky to go forward of the cockpit I'm going to the importer to Australia as it look's heavy enough for my yacht but I'm surprised a heavier version has never been made as the system is so simple and would work on all small yacht's like mine
 
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