Hi all

Just chasing a bit of advice

On my Sailmaster 845 there is a spinnaker but I did not think I had any sheets or blocks to run it

Today I was having a dig around in the bottom of the sail bins in the bow and I found 2 sheets (single only) with snap shackles on them and also blocks with shackles that will mount on the toe rails at the rear of the cockpit to lead the sheet/brace on to the winches

I have 4 winches in the cockpit and there is a topping lift on the mast and a block mounted on the deck just in front of the mast that I can use for the down haul

On the spinnaker pole there is a shackle on the top and bottom of one of the end fittings and I assume that the topping lift and down haul would attach to them

I think that if the other end of the pole was attached to the ring on the mast the pole would be short enough to dip behind the forestay to gibe the spinnaker (see photo below)

Now my question is if I want to gybe the spinnaker I know I have to drop the pole off the brace/sheet, steer directly downwind to keep the spinnaker centred to the bow, dip the pole under the forestay and then clip it on to the brace/sheet on the opposite side but I am not sure how I can clip the end of the pole on to a sheet that is loaded and supporting the spinnaker

If I had a lazy sheet//brace on each side of the spinnaker I can see how I could disconnect/connect the brace without any drama but I am not confident I can get everything to line up with only a single sheet without unclipping the other end of the pole from the ring on the mast as we do with the boat I race on where the pole is too long to dip behind the forestay ( the topping lift and down haul on the race boat are attached to the centre of the pole so we end for end it)

Any adviice on how this is supposed to work without unclipping the pole from the mast would be appreciated

Regards Don

This is a bit hard to describe in text.

Copy book spinnaker handling uses sheets and braces. Sheets fixed to the sail usually with a bowline and braces onto the sheets with a snap shackle and two poles.

On smaller yachts this is not often possible or practical so therefore we have a single pole that is parrot beaked each end and we have sheets attached to the sail with snap shackles.

The snap shackles with a lanyard allow one to depower the sail by snapping the shackle on the windward side and gather in the sail on the leeward side of the main sail.

Usually with a double ended pole you have a wire strop from each end top and bottom with a ring in the middle to which you attach your up and down hauls.

Then you will have a lanyard between the pins of the parrot beaks to release either end.

The principle is that the windward sheet (pole side) is a brace. The idea of this set up is that you do not have to touch up or down haul during a gybe.

I have never had the opportunity to do this but here goes.

Method:-

1. Steer directly down wind.
2. Ease the brace to take pressure off the pole.
3. Unsnap pole from mast and snap that end onto the new brace.
4.Ease that brace to take pressure off and attach other end of pole to mast.
5. Steer to new course and trim brace and sheet.

If you are racing and have a couple of spare deck apes you could probably accomplish this manouver.

If it is just ye and she who must be obeyed, I would just douse the spinnaker, go below, take a valium and get her a glass of red if she is still in the cockpit.

Hi Cisco

What you describe first is how my Spacesailer was set up with the double line on each corner of the spinnaker and what you describe last is basically what we do on the race boat with the single line at each corner but the problem is that the Sailmaster pole does not have the wire strop from end to end top and bottom to attach the topping lift and down haul to but just a shackle at the top and bottom of one of the end fittings so I imagine that the pole has a dedicated end to attach to the mast and a dedicated end (the one with the shackles fitted) to attach to the sheet/brace so I think that when you gybe the spinnaker you leave the mast end attached, dip the pole behind the forestay and then somehow clip the end of the pole on to a tight sheet

I can't see how I will be able to line the sheet up in the end of the pole without unclipping the pole from the mast

Regards a Don

So why not rig the pole with the strops and rings??

I forgot to add this to my last. Guy does it on his own. Lots more on google too.

Select to expand quote

cisco said..
So why not rig the pole with the strops and rings??

I forgot to add this to my last. Guy does it on his own. Lots more on google too.

?rel=0

Hi Cisco

I could add a couple of strops to the pole but obviously the spinnaker has been set before with out needing them

To me it looks like the bloke in the video clip has a double line to each corner of the spinnaker so he can clip the pole onto the limp one and then tension it up to set up the pole

Regards Don

To dip pole, you will need a brace and a sheet on each clew of the spinnaker, as in the video.

For your yacht, end to end gybe is best. No need for the brace. The pole is handled at the mast keeping the weight back. And also the topping lift can be left untouched during the gybe meaning one less task in the pit.

Is it normal to not have a top and bottom bridle on the pole as my pole just has a top and bottom shackle on one of the end fittings that I assume the topping lift and downhaul attach to

Regards Don

On some yachts the pole has a saddle top and bottom in the middle of the pole. I wouldn't recommend this as it creates a weak point where you least want it.

It is possible the shackles each end of your pole are attachment points for strops and rings.

For a boat of this size end for end pole would be the go, unless you have a full crew to handle all the lines etc. Reduces the cockpit clutter as well.

End for end needs 1 line to each clew that is either sheet or brace depending on which gybe you are on

Its hard to gybe a kite end for end with less than 3 people,
1 helm and main
2 trimmer floating the kite etc
3 Bow man handling the pole

When I have been doing end for end, I released the pole from the outboard end before releasing it on the mast. Its not in the books, but it does have the benefit that you never end up with a pole connected to the kite thrashing around if the kite collapses

The helmsman should be watching the bowman and bear away a touch just as the pole is being clipped back into the mast to release some pressure off the kite.

You can get way with 2 people if your helmsman can float the kite, but this is unusual

Dip pole gybes really need an additional 4th person as mast man to do it easily, to trigger the outboard end of the pole from the mast and guide the pole into the bow man who is sitting in the bow with the lazy brace hoping it all works out

For 2 up sailing above say 15knts, it mostly best to use Ciscos advice and do a quick drop of the kite on the deck, gybe the main and re-hoist on the new gybe. This has been my strategy sailing with the family.

The pole setup of a bridle for topping lift and kicking strap is the best setup for maintaing the strength of the kite pole and gives you options for dip pole or end for end gybes, but can get tangled easily when stored on the deck.

Well it sounds like I had the theory right but as I said I have never had the opportunity or sufficiently experienced crew to put it into practice.

I have done a some spinnaker sailing but only when there was a long reach or run to do. In those conditions it is possible to build up quite a bit of speed.

I am a cruising sailor but that does not mean I prefer slow sailing. On the contrary, speed sailing is my passion.

If any of you have done land sailing you would know what I mean. Sailing at three to five times the wind speed is a total buzz.