Re: Asymmetrical tack fitting

Mac Davis (mcmd@innet.com)
Mon, 5 Jul 1999 10:04:07 -0400


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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JJ Falkanger is rumored to have mumbled....=20
=20
I just received my new Asymmetrical Spinnaker. What do I use for a =
tack fitting? I have a jib downhaul I could use, or do I just tack the =
tack like a jib? I can't find anything specific in the West Marine =
catalog for this. What to do?=20
=20
And Rye Gewalt replied: <snip> Don't forget to attach the single =
piston hank at the tack over the forestay. It slides up and down the =
forestay --- otherwise the sail get a bits hard to handle when you let =
out the clew.=20

Which prompts me to say: NO NO NO. The advantage of an assymetrical =
spinnaker over a drifter stems to a great degree from the ability to get =
the tack out in front of the boat. The tack position should be freely =
adjustable with the tack line. I lead mine through a block on the =
anchor roller, aft to a jam cleat in the cockpit. As you sail with the =
wind further aft, let out the tack line and the sheet to allow the sail =
to find the best position. For example, with 10-12 knots of wind aft of =
135=BA, I find that flying the sail with about 4 feet of tackline out in =
front allows the sail foot to rise up even with the top of the pulpit, =
assume a stable filled shape and make the boat haul !@#. As you ease =
more downwind, you can use a whisker pole to push the tack line to the =
side opposite the main (a la a true spinnaker) and still move out =
smartly. If you fix the tack to the forestay, you might as well have a =
drifter - a good sail but not as versatile as an assymetrical spinnaker. =
If you get overpowered and do nothing about it, the P19 will initially =
heel to about 35=BA, then round up gracefully as you run out of rudder =
and return to level to await your next move.

A bit of personal sailing philosophy: anyone of the belief that the =
P19 is a vicious, unstable craft waiting for the opportunity to turn =
turtle without warning probably shouldn't be experimenting with oversize =
sails like an assymetrical spinnaker. If you don't care how fast you =
don't go, it's not the sail for you.=20

Regards,

Mac Davis, Kelpie, WWP19#804, Aripeka, Fl

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-----
JJ Falkanger is = rumored to have=20 mumbled....
 =20
I just received my new Asymmetrical Spinnaker.  = What do=20 I use for a tack fitting?  I have a jib downhaul I could use, = or do I=20 just tack the tack like a jib?  I can't find anything specific = in the=20 West Marine catalog for this.  What to do?=20
 

And Rye Gewalt replied:  <snip> Don't = forget to=20 attach the single piston hank at the tack over the forestay.  It = slides=20 up and down the forestay --- otherwise the sail get a bits hard to = handle when=20 you let out the clew.=20

Which prompts me to say:   = NO NO=20 NO. The advantage of an assymetrical spinnaker over a drifter = stems to a=20 great degree from the ability to get the tack out in front of the = boat. =20 The tack position should be freely adjustable with the tack = line.  I lead=20 mine through a block on the anchor roller, aft to a jam cleat in the=20 cockpit.  As you sail with the wind further aft, let out the tack = line=20 and the sheet to allow the sail to find the best position. For = example,=20 with 10-12 knots of wind aft of 135=BA, I find that flying the = sail with=20 about 4 feet of tackline out in front allows the sail foot to rise up = even=20 with the top of the pulpit, assume a stable filled shape and make the = boat=20 haul !@#.  As you ease more downwind, you can use a whisker pole = to push=20 the tack line to the side opposite the main (a la a true spinnaker) = and still=20 move out smartly. If you fix the tack to the forestay, you might as = well have=20 a drifter - a good sail but not as versatile as an assymetrical=20 spinnaker.  If you get overpowered and do nothing about it, the = P19 will=20 initially heel to about 35=BA, then round up gracefully as you run out = of rudder=20 and return to level to await your next move.

A bit of personal sailing=20 philosophy:  anyone of the belief that the P19 is a vicious, = unstable=20 craft waiting for the opportunity to turn turtle without warning = probably=20 shouldn't be experimenting with oversize sails like an assymetrical=20 spinnaker.  If you don't care how fast you don't go, it's not the = sail=20 for you. 

Regards,

Mac Davis, Kelpie, WWP19#804, = Aripeka,=20 Fl

 

 

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