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Steering from the foredeck

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/16/2009 : 10:51:58

Here's the scenario:

It's blowing 5-10 and the course will be a broad reach. I get ready to fly the gennaker (asymmetrical spinnaker).

So I've hoisted the gennaker within its sock and rigged the tack to the bow and the sheets to the spin blocks on the aft rails, and trimmed the leeward sheet that will give a nice curve when the sail fills.

Now I'm all set to pull up the sock and fill the sail. Single-handed. No autopilot. I usually hold the tiller straight with yellow rubber tubing (4 strands) that can be pushed or pulled at any time to correct the course.

The boat is turned to a nice broad reach, and I climb up to the foredeck and pull the sock up with the control line and the sail fills. Perfect! Right?

Except for most of the time when the wind shifts a little, or the boat turns a little, or something has to be adjusted and the boat steers off course. So I jump back to the cockpit and adjust course and climb back up to the foredeck and hoist the sock. Perfect. Right?

Wrong! Something else has to be fixed or adjusted or the boat swings around, and back I go to the cockpit to correct course.

I would like to set up lines from the tiller to the rail and to the foredeck where I can steer back on course for a few seconds when I need to, without leaving the foredeck. Has anyone tried this? Since the tiller is held centered with the elastic tubing, it could be pulled to one side or the other for a few seconds and then released to center again.

Has anyone rigged up tiller control lines to the foredeck to help with handling a spinnaker when sailing single-handed?

JohnP
1978 C25 SR/FK "Gypsy"
Mill Creek off the Magothy River, Chesapeake Bay
Port Captain, northern Chesapeake Bay

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2009 : 11:03:41

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JohnP
 
Has anyone rigged up tiller control lines to the foredeck to help with handling a spinnaker when sailing single-handed?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Wouldn't it be easier rig lines to set the gennaker from the cockpit?

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2009 : 11:42:41

My thoughts too, a line on the sock. If you insist, shock cord the tiller to one side and run a line from the tiller through a turning block on the other side and forward. Put a cam cleat with fairlead on the foredeck.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2009 : 12:14:45

Singlehanding, spinnakers,...You sound like a perfect candidate for an autopilot. With the autopilot's remote, you could then make course corrections while on the foredeck.

Edited by - dlucier on 06/16/2009 12:19:49

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2009 : 13:27:38

I agree with Don about the AP, it can hold your course for you while you work the foredeck. However, it doesn't seem overly complicated to run a line through four blocks to do what you want. Two on the foredeck stanchions for the adjusting end, and two abeam the tiller and the line attached to the tiller. Two clam cleats to lock down the line up on the foredeck in either direction after you've made your adjustment, and quick disconnects on the tiller end so you can just leave it cleated off up foreward. Seem pretty doable.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2009 : 13:47:55

If you shock cord it so that it pulls the tiller over with no tension on the steering line, you only need one line forward to pull the tiller to midline or past. A fairlead on a mid stanchion would keep it above the deck clutter if you need it. A stanchion block forward would work fine with less friction but more money. Micro blocks & cleats with 1/4" line should be all you need

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2009 : 14:07:36

Since it's an asym, why don't you trim the leeward sheet so that, when you raise the sock, it will be just taut enough to keep the sail from tangling, but it will be loose enough to let the sail luff. Then pull up the sock and let it luff, go to the cockpit and trim the sail. If you're sailing on the main alone, on a reach, the boat should self-steer fairly reliably with the help of a tiller tamer or similar device, so that you can raise the sail and get back to the cockpit before you trim it.

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2009 : 19:09:27

OK, so here is my next question:

Has anyone rigged a spinnaker sock line through blocks on the foredeck to hoist and douse the sock from the cockpit?

Seems to be the best thing to do. Nice idea, John R.

But what's the downside? It might be hard to see the gennaker past the mainsail, and watch for snags or crossed lines. It would be very convenient to have the adjustable tack line, the sheets and the sock control lines in the cockpit.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2009 : 11:31:36

I don't see why a single turnng block at the mast base wouldn't work to bring the sock hayard back to the cockpit and tied off on a small cleat. Since it's a double line you probably need to use a jib sheet block, which has a wider sheeve, to accomodate the two lines. Perhaps one of those mounted on a spring pedestal.

The sock halyard on my asym is the same length as the sock. I suspect yours is the same, which would mean replacing the stock line so that it reaches the cockpit through the turning block. Ninety feet of 1/4" line would probably do it.

Edited by - aeckhart on 06/17/2009 11:33:58

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2009 : 07:33:22

This would take about 80 feet of line (30' up, 30' down, and 10' + 10' back and forth to/from the cockpit) if a loop is formed and the line is tied with a knot or splice at the harness holding the spinnaker sock hoisting ring. The knot needs to be placed there so it doesn't run through a block. In this case, the knot or splice would be hoisted and doused along with the bottom of the sock. The turning blocks would be most convenient if removable at the mast step and kept with the sail. A cam cleat in the cockpit/cabin top would allow the sock halyard to be removed and stowed with the sail.

With 2 lines I would need about a 70 ft halyard and a 40 ft downhaul, or one I-dimension (mast) over the loop design.

I think I'll try it on a dry run with the gennaker sock hoisted while anchored out from the stern in a protected cove. I don't have to cut the original halyard loop before testing this. I can tie the halyard-loop to an extra halyard and an extra downhaul led through turning blocks back to the cockpit, and see how it works.

Thanks for the discussion!

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