There was an earlier thread on this topic that you should probably try to find but in a brief summary, Cruising spinackers do help a when sailing at high wind angles. They are not really down wind sails in the same way that a symetrical chute is a downwind sail. They are at their best at true wind angles between 90 and 150 or so degrees. A conventional symetrical chute would be more effective (and easier to fly)on a boat like the Coronado 25.

A couple pointers on going dead downwind. Most people do not ease their mainsails enough. Going dead down wind is about projected sail area not shape. The boom should nearly touch the shrouds and you should have reasonably high vang tension. In a slightly contradictory point ease the outhaul and mainhalyard slightly. Get yourself a good whiskerpole and pole your gneoa. If you have a knotmeter, in lighter winds, see of pointing up maybe 15-20 degrees does not yield a significantly faster speed through the water (Typically a knot or more on a more modern design). If so it may really make sense to "tack down wind" in lighter winds.

Regards
Jeff

 

Jeff: This is off the subject, but I feel your probably up to it!! What experience did you have when you were gtrowing up in the Sarasota area with trips to the keys?? After
3 mo''s in the Bahamas and another in the Keys.
Sometime very early in Aug.(weather providing) I''m ready to bring T.P.III home to Bradenton. I can take up to 3 weeks. I''m
single-handing it??
Gene

 

Thanks so much Jeff for taking the time to reply to my posting. I put some of your suggestions to use today and they have proved very helpful. I find that making adjustments with the tack and sheet lines can be very effective also. It''s fun to fly and such a pretty sail. Thanks for the help

Bill