Asymmetric Spinnaker Without a Bowsprit ?

[Troubadour52993]

I run the ATN Tacker pretty much like HUD says. I put a U-bolt on the center of the anchor roller, that I can shackle the tack block to. Bitter end of the tack line just runs back to the bow cleat rather than all the way back to the cockpit. Three feet of tack line gets the tack of the sail over the furler drum and clear of the pulpit.

If I didn't have the Tacker, the tack line would have to be run outside the pulpit as the tack of the sail would fall off to leeward a lot more. I haven't noticed any chafe.

We looked at making our own, and the cost of a good Wichard or Tylaska shackle at retail was about what I could get the Tacker for.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by svrodeorm

Interesting. I stand corrected. Guess I read too fast since I've got a symmetrical spinnaker. Never seen on of those in action and would like to see it. doesn't it move quite a bit up and down the furled headsail? To me that seems like a less than appreciated side effect.

See Asymmetrical Spinnaker and ATN Tacker

[daddle]

I never understood why one would depower an A-sail by tacking it to the forestay. Trimmed properly it should fly forward and to windward of the headstay. If you need to use an ATN tacker your sail is cut wrong or you are using it wrong.

If the A-sail won't fly forward of the forestay the boat will probably sail faster with a large reaching genoa.

If you have no stem fitting or anchor roller point to tack it to, and you mind the chafe, you can tack it to the headsail tack inside the forestay.

[Joli]

[daddle]

Joli - Looks perfect in every way. Tack at rail height. Flying forward. Nicely done.

[dergon]

Hi all -

We finally got an asymmetrical spinnaker for our 1985 Tartan 34. There's no bow sprit and the only place for a block up front looks to be an inch aft of the furling jib. This old furler has a *very* large drum btw.....hard to get a line running up to an ATN too.

We got it flying last night and it looked great .......but only on a port tack. We can't jibe it over becuase the tack line has to head out behind the furler and on the starboard it would chaffe as it rubbed across the bow pulpit.

If I rigged it differently heading out on the starboard side I *could* get the stardboard tack to work but then it would rub when we went to a port tack.

So I got to thinking ...how about twin tack lines? One port, one starboard.

I put a double block just aft of the furler and rig one line for each tack ( I think I've seen multihulls use something like this). As we switched tacks we would ease the port side tack line (that was going to chaffe) so it just goes limp while coming in on the starboard tack line.

I wanted to bounce this off the group here before I go and do something stupid and/or expensive though. Comment welcomed!

[sailingmaxx]

I added one of these Bowsprits to my Hunter and it works great. Its removable also which I like a lot. They are pretty inexpensive also.

Selden 75mm Bowsprit Kit (075-075-70)

[CharlieCobra]

Originally Posted by dergon

Hi all -

We finally got an asymmetrical spinnaker for our 1985 Tartan 34. There's no bow sprit and the only place for a block up front looks to be an inch aft of the furling jib. This old furler has a *very* large drum btw.....hard to get a line running up to an ATN too.

We got it flying last night and it looked great .......but only on a port tack. We can't jibe it over becuase the tack line has to head out behind the furler and on the starboard it would chaffe as it rubbed across the bow pulpit.

If I rigged it differently heading out on the starboard side I *could* get the stardboard tack to work but then it would rub when we went to a port tack.

So I got to thinking ...how about twin tack lines? One port, one starboard.

I put a double block just aft of the furler and rig one line for each tack ( I think I've seen multihulls use something like this). As we switched tacks we would ease the port side tack line (that was going to chaffe) so it just goes limp while coming in on the starboard tack line.

I wanted to bounce this off the group here before I go and do something stupid and/or expensive though. Comment welcomed!

I use two, just like a jib and I do fly mine forward off the sprit. Depending on my setup, I can do either inside or outside gybes.

[Cheechako]

Done it on a 44 and a 47 no problem....

[sck5]

I use a shackle to the stem fitting. Rather than having a tack line, I use the fact that 95% of the time I want the tack flying around the height of the pulpit and so just put a spectra pendant of the appropriate length on there. One less line to have to deal with and it works just fine. If you wanted you could have another pendant of a different length but the advantage wouldnt be huge. In a non-racing shorthanded cruising boat on passage, ease of use trumps another tenth of a knot or so. You can also do at least a bit of adjustment by playing with the halyard.

[Cheechako]

Yes, I used a shackle on the heavy bow roller I had and a pendant also. WOrked great! You might call that a 1 ft 'sprit I guess!

[Sofa King Fishy]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Done it on a 44 and a 47 no problem....

Cheechako ~ How did you secure the tack? Just came into an asymmetric Genny for my spritless Catalina 42.

[Donnybrook]

For those who use an ATN Tacker or similar, are you worried about flex damaging your furler foil? I used one a few times but the flex on the forestay/foil seemed excessive.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by barrett bondon

Can an asymmetric spinnaker be run without a bowsprit ?

Imagine a modern Beneteau 40 or so ,or any boat with no sprit; could I run a block off the fore deck (attached to what ? must be something there) and run a tack line through it ?

You don't need a bowsprit, particularly if your boat does not have a plumb bow (if the stem fitting of your boat is way out beyond the cutwater, your boat IS the bowsprit). It becomes slightly more important if you have a plumb bow, but an Asymm works well even if it is tacked right the stem fitting at the base of your forestay even with a plumb bow (just not for racing).

In any case it can work without a sprit.

What you need is an attachment point which is unencumbered by lights, cleats, or other things that might inhibit the movement around the front of the headstay for your tack line.

So, find a point ahead of the stem fitting (ahead of the headstay) and connect the tack of the Asymm there. Anchor rollers work well, but you need to decide if you want the Asymm inside the pulpit or outside. Where will it be most free to move around without snagging? Each boat is different.

If it works for you put a block there and run a tack line from aft through the block to the tack of the Asymm. Then you can play the tack in or out (up or down). If your sail is smallish, a pennant can be used.

Using a ATN or other tacker which goes around the furled headsail on the furler may be fine if you have a small spinnaker, but it also restricts your ability to unfurl the headsail when the spinnaker is up and I'd worry about the load on the headfoil. I would not do it.

[SailFanatic]

Originally Posted by wingssail

...
In any case it can work without a sprit.

What you need is an attachment point which is unencumbered by lights, cleats, or other things that might inhibit the movement around the front of the headstay for your tack line.

So, find a point ahead of the stem fitting (ahead of the headstay) and connect the tack of the Asymm there. Anchor rollers work well, but you need to decide if you want the Asymm inside the pulpit or outside. Where will it be most free to move around without snagging? Each boat is different.

....

This is good but I would add if you tack the asym ahead of the stem, you will be gybing it in front of the headstay, and to do that without potential difficulty, you need to be flying the asym on a true spinnaker halyard, ie a halyard hanging off a fitting on front of the mast head.

With symmetric spinnakers disappearing outside of racing circles, it seems many boats are coming with second halyards, labeled "spinnaker" but which are rigged exactly the same as the "jib" halyard in the adjoining masthead sheave. You don't want to use a halyard like this with a sail that you will gybe in front of the forestay or you may find it difficult to lower after a jibe.