bbenkert26x wrote:. . . connected the one end of the spinnaker on the fore deck behind the anchor locker in the middle............. so when I have time, I am going to lower the mast and do just what you have done, where do you attach the bottom of the spinnaker to?
That eye strap is for the mast raising system (MRS) for raising the mast, aka the 'gin pole'. Use the extra hole in the stem fitting, next to where the forestay terminates. I moved my forestay to the rearmost of the two holes (same radius, as it's both further back, and lower), and use the forward hole for the tack pendant or block (if running the tack line to the cockpit).
You can also use parrel beads or an ATN Tacker to hold the spinnaker to the furled headsail, in addition to the tack line or pendant, but I don't.
Best case is that
everything is in front of the furled headsail, which means the halyard is above the forestay (most folks mount the second hound 18" above the forestay/jib halyard hound), the tack fitting is anchored in front of the forestay (bottom of furler, since I believe you have one), and the sheets are outside of
everything, including and especially the shrouds. You need long sheets if tacking the spinnaker around the forestay, by the way, as the lazy sheet has to take the long way around.
You don't have to have an adjustable tack, and a short pendant will do, but it's easy enough to run one using plain eye-type fairleads clamped to the lifeline stantions and a small cleat at the cockpit. I have a cleat clamped to the lifeline rail. My halyard terminates at the mast, on its own cleat, as with a snuffer (or chute) it's only used to raise the whole mess to working position and left there, while the snuffer's line is used to fly and douse the spinnaker, which you can do while standing in the vee berth sticking out of the hatch, if you prefer.
Use the genoa blocks on the cockpit rail, as someone already stated, or get a pair of ratchet blocks to connect to the stern rail, which will be even further back. I'd start with the genoa blocks, which are the spring-loaded stand-up type, and see what works for you before investing money.
Like a lot of things in sailing, it's often best to try a few different methods of doing something before spending cash to fix on a configuration. That's one of the reasons I keep a small collection of blocks and hardware - you never know what you'll need until you try it, and even if it's kludgy, you can prove (or disprove) a concept, then go for the similar but more integrated or elegant permanent solution.
Oh, and Blue Water Yachts (usually just BWY on this here forum) has the mast hound for cheap, including the through bolt for the mast, and the small one for the block. Use an inexpensive block with a swivel - you don't need a ball bearing block for this (hoist the sail in its snuffer and cleat it off at the mast), but the spinnaker does have to sweep more than 180 degrees potentially when you tack, so the block needs to be able to orient itself to minimize wear on the halyard.
And use lightweight sheets, not big ol' 3/8 yacht braid. It's a light air sail, and weighing it down with heavy line is both a waste of money, and won't let the sail fly as high as it wants to.
The hound is BWY p/n 3453-1V0.
http://www.bwyachts.com, and go to 'repair parts' in the Parts and Accessories window, then 'find my part', then fill in the p/n in the search window. $20. Looks like the price went up.
Still cheap for a hound, though.
