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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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A question about flying a spinnaker

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/31/2006 : 19:29:35

I have not had the money to buy an Asym spinnaker this year so don't know much about flying them. I was sailing dead downwind yesterday and was wondering if I'd be able to do a wing on wing with the jib AND a spinnaker if I had two whisker poles? Sailing wing on wing yesterday was a feat of timing. I don't have a whisker pole and do not have a line rigged to keep the boom out so I had to sail down this three degree coridor to keep the jib full and the boom from jibing. I was making 5.1 knots. Cheers.

Dennis
No Boat
S.E. Michigan

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 10/31/2006 : 19:38:42

You probably could sail dead down wind or very at least very close. A lot of old timers fly a spinnaker and a blooper to do this on cruiser/racers. It isn't very efficient however and you'll get better speed by going a bit off the wind.

If the wind is blowing half way decently, you will want something other than a whisker pole on the spinnaker. Also, if you want a quick method of holding the boom out, switch your vang to a snap shackle on the mast end. Then you can take it to the rail rather easily without additional work or rigging.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 11/01/2006 : 07:32:51

Dennis,

Dead down wind with an asymetric is impossibble without getting the sail out in front of the boat with a sprit. I am looking at that possibilty as you know. As for wing on wing with an asymetric, yes, but it is as much a balancing act as with a jib/genoa. A preventer would be useful for safety but since you must sail off wind anyway, a wisker pole would most likely get in the way of things. I know you single hand so unless you are on a long, long run, I wouldn't bother with the pole. I'm not saying it wouldn't work for you. I'm saying that the effort put into setting everything up and getting it working for you may not be usefull on a short run. My best advice,

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Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 11/01/2006 : 09:12:19

Hey Dennis,

On really light days (less than 5 knots of breeze) if I want to sail dead downwind I'll rig my 1.5 oz 150% drifter poled out with the whisker pole on one side of the bow and then fly the assym on the other. If I sail so that the drifter is slightly by the lee the spinnaker stays filled nicely. I don't hoist the mainsail at all. Just the two headsails. It works great and I'll pass just about everyone on the water.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

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wmeinert@kconline.com
Past Commodore

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USA
353 Posts

Response Posted - 11/01/2006 : 09:57:00

Dennis, I agree with Bill, the trick to going wing and wing on our boats is getting the main out of the way. In really light wind, I sheet my main dead center and let the head sail do all the work because my 150 is much bigger than my main. When I use my double head foil, I can actually use a 100 and 150 on the same foil to go wing and wing without my main and I never use a wisker pole or you will rip the hell out of one sail or the other real easy.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5909 Posts

Response Posted - 11/01/2006 : 10:45:04

Dennis, until you get a asym spinnaker, you can make your mainsail and jib work better downwind, even without a whisker pole, by putting a little more tension on both the jibsheet and the mainsheet.

When you're sailing wing and wing, some of the wind flows directly onto the jib, and some of it flows onto the mainsail, and then pours off the luff of the mainsail and onto the jib. By trimming your sails so that wind flows in that manner, you get added drive out of the wind that pushes on your mainsail.

If your mainsail is trimmed too far forward, against the shrouds, then the wind will pour off the surface of the mainsail around all sides of it. If you trim it a little more aft, the wind will pour off the luff and onto the jib. Because the jib is bigger than the mainsail, you get more benefit out of the wind that blows on it than the mainsail.

If your jib is trimmed too far forward, the wind that is pouring off the mainsail onto the jib will spill out over the leech of the jib, causing the leech to collapse. When that happens, the jib will collapse, and when the wind fills it again, it'll fill with a snap. During that time, your jib won't be driving at all. If you trim the jib a little further aft, the wind will be much less likely to spill over the leech of the jib, causing it to collapse.

The next time you're sailing wing and wing without a pole, try trimming both sails just a little more aft. Adjust both sails in and out a little bit until you find that the jib is staying filled more of the time. It also helps to keep the jibsheet uncleated, and whenever you see the leech of the jib start to curl, pull on the jibsheet a little bit. It will often prevent it from collapsing.

Also, when sailing wing and wing, always sit on the side that the boom is on. Heeling the boat even a little bit will help prevent the boom from jibing in light air.

These techniques don't work very well in extremely light air, but if there's enough wind to keep the boat moving downwind steadily, they're a big help.

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.