Yesterday I got a chance to try something I have been thinking about.
Worked perfectly, so it will become my go to downwind light air rig.
Gary

Thank goodness Gary, for a minute there I thought you'd installed a second dunny.
Cheers, Graeme

Hi Gary,
Is your love affair with the wind boundless?
I have two spinnaker poles on 'Spindrift my Davidson 32 so I am presuming it was a regular form of sailing for them. I have a MPS which I haven't tried but will soon I hope?
I wonder when excessive force is put on the mast? Certainly not with the wind in your video.
I alway enjoy your posts. Thank you.

Hi Gary,

Many thanks for the very interesting video. I've been reluctant to experiment with different rigs for light, downwind conditions when single handed and have continued to use a poled-out genoa and full main in a goose-wing configuration believing, perhaps mistakenly, that the best place for a spinnaker is in the garage. Your video challenges my prejudice.

A few questions:
1) Is that an assymetrical spinnaker? I inherited 2 with the boat.
2) What does the spinnaker sheet come back to in the cockpit? My guess is the unused primary or a secondary.
3) The pole holding out the genoa has a halyard off the metal ring that runs up to the spreaders. What purpose does this serve?

Thanks again for making me rethink my approach to sailing.

Cheers,
Kinora

Yes, my thinking was along similar lines as yours.
It's mostly single handed sail for me these days.
It looks like a lot of fun so I am going to try it.

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wongaga said..
Thank goodness Gary, for a minute there I thought you'd installed a second dunny.
Cheers, Graeme

So did I!

Hi Kinora

RE: have continued t ouse a poled-out genoa and full main in a goose-wingconfiguration believing, perhaps mistakenly, that the best place for a spinnaker is in the garage. Your video challenges my prejudice.

A few questions:
1) Is that an assymetrical spinnaker? I inherited 2 with the boat.
2) What does the spinnaker sheet come back to in the cockpit? My guess is the unused primary or a secondary.
3) The pole holding out the genoa has a halyard off the metal ring that runs up to the spreaders. What purpose does this serve?

A/ use a poled-out genoa and full main in a goose-wingconfiguration
I have a small main so this is what I use after about 10 knots, Then a reef or two and some reduction on the furler.
I always rig a gybe preventer. Mine is a strong exercise bungee at the boom end a line that goes forward to my bow mooring cleat.

B/ 1) Is that an assymetrical spinnaker? I inherited 2 with the boat.
Mine is an asymmetrical sail . You can see how the tack is low and the clew is much higher.
Get you oldest one out an play with it. You will be surprised even on a very broad reach it is a killer sail in light winds and not that difficult to handle.

C/What does the spinnaker sheet come back to in the cockpit?
I only rig one sheet at a time ( in the video setup) the port sheet is clipped onto the pulpit and ready to go. The sheet come right back to near the end of the toerail ( about 30cm from the stern) goes through a small block and wraps around a small winch. The winch has those old rubber WHINCHERS that are 30 years old and still work well, so I call them my self tailers. I gybe by hauling the snuffer down, flipping the sail across in front of the forestay,, clip on the new sheet and unclip the old. Then just hoist up the snuffer and trim. I can do this quite easily solo in light winds.

D/ 3) The pole holding out the genoa has a halyard off the metal ring that runs up to the spreaders. What purpose does this serve?
That is a spinnaker pole topping lift. There should be one at the bottom as well but,,, . The purpose is to hold the pole in a secure position (ideally horizontal) . So the pole becomes a rigid spar like your boom. Not a like a swinging baseball bat.

RE: Bundy
I wonder when excessive force is put on the mast?

I hope to never ever find that out.

Gary

Its a bit of a shock.
We were flying a spinnaker and fortunately the mast fell forward.
The only damage was to my wallet.

Its a bit of a shock.
We were flying a spinnaker and fortunately the mast fell forward.
The only damage was to my wallet.

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garymalmgren said..
Hi Kinora
I always rig a gybe preventer. Mine is a strong exercise bungee at the boom end a line that goes forward to my bow mooring cleat.

The best way to rig a gybe preventer. I had a preventer that went to the sidedecks that was just too sharp an angle. We blew the fuse, admittedly on a badly timed gybe, but a bit too easily for my liking, so I ran one to the bow.
It was much better, longer length, better angle. Didn't break the fuse after that.

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Kinora said..

A few questions:
1) Is that an assymetrical spinnaker? I inherited 2 with the boat.
2) What does the spinnaker sheet come back to in the cockpit? My guess is the unused primary or a secondary.
3) The pole holding out the genoa has a halyard off the metal ring that runs up to the spreaders. What purpose does this serve?

Thanks again for making me rethink my approach to sailing.

Cheers,
Kinora

Flying an asymmetrical from a Currawong singlehanded is not difficult. I only ever used it in breeze less than 12 to 15 and never gybed so only needed one fairly light sheet that went to a turning block on the toe rail near the pushpit. Tack line went to a block on the anchor roller frame and led back to the cockpit. Launched the sail out of a bag clipped to the guardrail at the bow. Recovering the sail I would bear off and collapse the sail behind the main. Haul the sail in under the boom while simultaneously easing the halyard and tack line and stuffing the lot down into the cabin. Poling out the headsail I used the top section of a windsurfer mast and found I never needed topping lifts etc. Sailing short distance like entering the river I would just goosewing with no pole. With the Currawong this was OK but needed concentration. It's much easier with the SS34. The rig is a lower profile than the Currawong and the headsail will stay out with no pole at weird angles. I will make a light weight pole just the same. I had two poles on the Currawong and I left them in the shed for 10 years!

Many thanks, Gary, Shaggy and Ramona! Something else to try now.

K.

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Bundeenabuoy said..
Hi Gary,
Is your love affair with the wind boundless?
I have two spinnaker poles on 'Spindrift my Davidson 32 so I am presuming it was a regular form of sailing for them. I have a MPS which I haven't tried but will soon I hope?
I wonder when excessive force is put on the mast? Certainly not with the wind in your video.
I alway enjoy your posts. Thank you.

Back in the olden days a two pole gybe was practiced on some boats.
Hey do it proper and fly a blooper!