Spinnaker Performance

[sailor141]

I am interested in purchasing a spinnaker for my . I was wondering how well they perform and how fast anyone has been able to go while using one. I was also wondering what extra hardware I will need to purchase.

[Scott]

In Stout wind we got 8-9 knots, regurlarly at 7+ and once in a gybe (sheeted too tight) 11+

[Inquisitor]

I also always like to hear about top speeds. However, with Mac’s (with rare exceptions) it invariably tops out at the same ole hull-speed with or without spinnaker, with or without Jenny, with or without Blue hulls, with or without … well… you get the point.

What really is significant about a spinnaker, though, is what it gives you in improvement over what you could get without it!

I was on the BEER cruise last year and a friend of mine left the anchorage in an X in really light wind. Using a whisker pole (Harbor Freight 16’ aluminum flag pole $39) I set the 150% Genoa wing on wing with the cruising spinnaker. When I went by him, his GPS read 1.3 knots (did I say the wind was light?) I was doing 4.2 knots!

In the same group there was a 40 foot cat-rigged boat. I was able to keep up with her for several hours until the wind shifted enough that I couldn’t maintain the 150% Genoa on wing.

Another friend with a Hunter 260 who tromps my ass on any other point of sail, never caught me that day. (Aside - He made up for it this year as this same leg was an up-wind duel. http://macgregorsailors.com/phpBB/viewt ... 15#p156141)

As far as extra hardware… The stock spinnaker, I got from Bill at boats4sail came with lines. I needed one stainless steel bolt to tie the tack to the bow pulpit. I raise it with the jib halyard. I have the 150 Genoa on a Furler so I can fly them at the same time. If you don’t have a Furler, you’ll only be able to raise one or the other unless you rig a second halyard. I also have the home-made whisker pole… that I can use on the spinnaker or the on the 150 Genoa. I also strongly recommend getting a Chutescoop… it makes it so easy to launch and dowse the spinnaker, I have no qualms about single handing her with the spinnaker! Otherwise, it can be a real hand-full.

[skeedaddy]

I purchased a '92 Mac 26 Classic last year. It came with a beautiful spinnaker rig that appears to have very little use or age on it...

and the boat, came with extra halyards, a chute, and a whisker pole, so it is my assumption that I have all the required gear...

But my problem (one of many i'm sure) is that I don't know how to rig and run it.

I am a fairly experienced sailor, but have never had the opportunity to run a spinnaker.

does anyone have photos posted that I can view of thier spinnaker in action? I am sure that just looking at a boat that is rigged would give me enough ammo to get started and maybe even get into some trouble....all while having a blast

[Inquisitor]

What blocks do the sheets pass thru in the cockpit. Do you use the same that you use for the Genoa. I remember reading somewhere that you can use the Jib blocks?

I’m not sure what is normal for configuring an X… In fact, I’m not really sure what the norm is for my M, since Bill ran all my lines back to the cockpit for single handing. So I’m not sure what’s stock and what’s Bill’s. On my M, there are tracks on the sides of the cockpit (same kind as the jib tracks). I think these are stock and I don’t recall the X having them. In addition to the things described below, I have the Bimini on this track.

BUT…

I, personally, run single handed a LOT… even with the Admiral on board, I’m basically single handing. As a result, I found it real inefficient to leave the helm to even go to the wenches. So, the blocks that slide on these “Genoa tracks” have been replaced with cam cleats. I optionally run my head sail or spinnaker sheets through these cam cleats and don’t double them back to the wenches. I just man-handle the sheets directly from the helm. I’ve since added a second pair of these same cam cleats to the tracks so I can have sheets for both the Genoa and Spinnaker mounted so I can wing-on-wing them as I described above.

With the 150 Genoa whisker poled out wing-on-wing with the spinnaker, it presents a pretty balanced sail plan for going strait down wind plus or minus ~30 degrees. (I’ll take some pictures the next time I fly it) Whatever energy the Genoa can’t absorb directly from the wind, it funnels it directly into the spinnaker and makes it more efficient. This along with raising the dagger board and one rudder and shifting weight forward to lift the blunt transom out of the water and you have one serious advantage on non-spinnakered boats. Until the winds are strong enough to run you at hull speed, you can at least double the speed of a non-spinnakered boat.

[Inquisitor]

I am a fairly experienced sailor, but have never had the opportunity to run a spinnaker.

does anyone have photos posted that I can view of thier spinnaker in action? I am sure that just looking at a boat that is rigged would give me enough ammo to get started and maybe even get into some trouble....all while having a blast

One question... Is your spinnaker a symmetric or asymmetric?

From what I hear, its FAR HARDER to fly a symmetric spinnaker and I don't have any experience with them. So I can't comment on it. The assymetric ones that MacGregor sells for the M are brain-dead easy. Bolt the tack to the pulpit where the mast pin during trailering and run the sheets the same (with one exception) back as you would for your head sail. The one difference is since the sail is jybed in front of its luff, you need to run the sheets so they go around forward of your forestay and the spinnaker's luff.

[skeedaddy]

It's assymetric.

I think I understand. I have a mental picture of the sail as in use. This leads to some questions.

1. Did you mean that the tack would be attached to the pulpit? I'm thinking you mean to attach it where the mast normally pins during trailering.

I understand that sheets would need to be run to the clew and that they would require running foreward of the forestay (genoa furling stay) and foreward of the spinnaker luff itself.

2. But where does the chute come to play? I am now imagining it as a sleeve with it's own halyard. The luff remains attached to the pulpit and mast at the clew and head... and the chute is lifted up the luff by a halyard...or lowered by that halyard to allow the spinnaker to be in use... so, when not in use, the halyard is slack and the chute is hanging around the area of the clew. Is this at all accurate?

As always, thank you "Inquisitor" for your help!....for whomever chimes in....

Skeedaddy

[Inquisitor]

It's assymetric.

I think I understand. I have a mental picture of the sail as in use. This leads to some questions.

1. Did you mean that the tack would be attached to the pulpit? I'm thinking you mean to attach it where the mast normally pins during trailering.

Skeedaddy

Ooops... yeah, got them backward. Tack bolts to the bow pulpit where the mast pins for trailering.

(I corrected it in the above post.)

[Scott]

I would mount the tack to a tack line run back to the cockpit, this is as crucial in spinnaker flying as having adjustable sheets.

[Inquisitor]

It's assymetric.
2. But where does the chute come to play? I am now imagining it as a sleeve with it's own halyard. The luff remains attached to the pulpit and mast at the clew and head... and the chute is lifted up the luff by a halyard...or lowered by that halyard to allow the spinnaker to be in use... so, when not in use, the halyard is slack and the chute is hanging around the area of the clew. Is this at all accurate?

As always, thank you "Inquisitor" for your help!....for whomever chimes in....

Skeedaddy

Yes, I think you have it mostly right. Hope this will make sense... You pack the sail (off the boat). The sleeve (~8" diameter tube of very thin rip stock nylon). It has a stainless steel ring sewn into the bottom holding the opening open. It has a small block attached to the inside at the top. There is a small line that connects to the ring goes up inside the nylon tube over the block, goes outside the nylon tube and then goes all the way back down and re-ties to the ss loop. Basically the head of the spinnaker is fed up through the tube and is connected at the top (up with the little block). With the sail inside the nylon tube, the big SS ring will be "snuffed" around the Clew and Tack... one big, long 8" tube.

When you attach it to the boat... you...
1) attach the tack to the bow pulpit.
2) run the spinnaker sheets from the clew (one going around the forestay) and on to your cleats.
3) tie your jib halyard to the fitting at the top of the Chute (that holds the head of the spinnaker and block).

When you launch the spinnaker...
1) you pull the spinnaker up (still in the chute) using the jib halyard. Its a little baggy, so you probably wouldn't sail with it in this position during up wind work.
2) Now the line thats built into the chute acts as a up AND down haul for the SS ring. Pull the line on the outside of the chute down and it pulls the SS ring up releasing the spinnaker. At this point the nylon chute will be all bunched up at the top on top of the spinnaker's head... and you go like stink down wind!
3) Pull the line the other way and it pulls the SS ring (w/ chute) back down over the spinnaker, snuffing it.
It is possible to snuff (dowse) the spinnaker when under full load. You don't have to ease sheets and let the spinnaker flap in the wind before pulling it down.

Hope the words form the right pictures...

[Inquisitor]

I would mount the tack to a tack line run back to the cockpit, this is as crucial in spinnaker flying as having adjustable sheets.

Scott, I need some education...

I assume the line connected to the tack goes through a block connected to (the bow pulpit??? or in the second forestay connection point???) and then back to the cockpit. What benefit would I get having this spinnaker tack line?

Thanks.

[Scott]

When you fly a spinnaker, the further off the wind you get the higher you need to fly the tack. On an upwind sail (jib, genoa) you keep the leading (luff) edge from luffing. On an A spinnaker you keep the trailing edge (leech) from collapsing. You accomplish both of these by pulling in or letting out the sheets. On an A sym it is easier if you raise the clew with a tack line when you are broad or running.

Broad reach



Close reach



Poor mans Tack line (works excellent)
I just have a snap shackle on a rope between the cleats. I run the tack line through this and back to a stanchion mounted cleat next to the cockpit.

[Inquisitor]

Cool! Another rope to play with... or confuse with the others.
Have to die it a different color.

[Scott]

Yup, Notice all of the different colors I had there

Oh yeah, Ropes are fer cowboys.

[Hamin' X]

Oh yeah, Ropes are fer cowboys.

Nice Line.

~Rich