To fly an assymetrical spinnaker as a "poleless spinnaker" as I do, requires
an adjustable line attached to the tack. For poleless operation, this line
passes through a block ahead of the forestay as far as possible. I have one
attached to the end of the anchor roller. From the block, the line leads aft
through fairleads to a camcleat on the stbd cockpit coaming. The head of
the sail goes to the masthead, and 2 sheets twice the length of the boat are
required. The sheets must be led outside of all rigging. Hoisting is
simply a matter of getting the head up to the masthead before the sail fills
(keep plenty of slack in the working sheet). After the sail is hoisted,
adjust the tack line and the sheet together to get the fastest shape
(experimenting required.) The tackline allows the tack to rise up as the
sail fills, and also to carry out ahead of the boat (farther away from the
main in better air.) Gybing this rig (you can't tack with it) requires that
the clew pass ahead of the forestay, or a !@#$% is guaranteed. On Kelpie,
it's a 2 person job. After a gybe, the opposite side of the sail is exposed
to the wind (lessens the wear :-) .) Takedown is not difficult, I just
blow the sheet and haul in the tackline until I can get a handful of cloth
and start wadding it up. When the clew is aboard, blow the halyard and
stuff the whole mess down the foredeck hatch. Leave everthing connected and
shut the hatch. That way if you need to rehoist there will be no wraps.
An innovative use for the sail was developed by the Kiwis. It involves a
short pole, pivoted on the bow ahead of the forestay, through which the
tackline is reeved. This pole requires another line ["guy"] to pull it aft.
When flown in this manner, the tack is well out from the centerline
athwartships, and thus the sail is less influenced by the shadow of the
main, allowing you to sail nearly dead downwind with a sail which is cut
flat enough for use (sans pole) on a close reach. Just pop the pole from
the tack line, haul in the tack line and you are reaching.
Disadvantages for a P19: You do have to go to the bow, and the steersperson
must be reliable.
Advantages: Much better performance downwind, and it looks way cool.
I will now leave it to Rye to describe the "balloon genoa" option.
Regards, and hope this clarifies rather than muddies,
Mac Davis, Kelpie, WWP19#804, Aripeka, Fl
----- Original Message -----
From: J.J.Falkanger <gatorjj@mindspring.com>
To: <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 1999 8:30 AM
Subject: Re: Asymmetrical tack fitting
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> On Wed, 07 July 1999, Rye Gewalt wrote:
>
> > Now I am a bit confused. You say that your new Cruising Spinnaker
doesn't have a little piston hank at the tack.....? Maybe Mac is right --
or at least partly right. Perhaps your sail isn't made to run up and down
the forestay. I suspect that there may be some geometry differences in the
designs of cruising spinnakers so that some can be flown with a loose
>
> Rye, that's how I intended to run it. You have me a slight bit concerned
in that you've said if it doesn't hank on the forestay it can get out of
control pretty easily. I, like you, put stuff on and try and figure out how
it works. This will be another one of those things! I'll try it just on
the tack line, if it ever cools off enough to go sailing. Seems like it
would be easier to douse into the cockpit or cabin with a free tack line.
I'll play with it a bunch of ways, and see what seems to work the best, then
stick with that until someone who knows better points out what I'm doing
wrong.
>
> > Reading the list is one of the high points of my day and I certainly
don't want to ruffle any feathers. It hurts me to see the occasional flame
wars that erupt since I know that we all have a common interest and desire
to enjoy our boats. But then they didn't expect THE SPANISH INQUISITION
either!
> >
>
> NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION! Or should we call it the POTTER
INQUISITION?
>
> Stay cool,
>
>
> J.J. Falkanger
> Cary, NC
> P-19# 792 "Fozzguppy"
> __________________________________________________________
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