Catamaran Spinnakers

[Bill Houlihan]

I am interested in Catamaran sailing with spinnakers. What weight for what wind speed, etc.
Symetrical or Asymetrical?
Max windspeed.
Any info will be appreciated.

[Harriet]

FWIW, we recently purchased an asymmetrical 3/4 oz. spinnaker. We plan to use it in 10 knots or less of wind.

We've used it a few times, but since we only have one winch, and it is not located in a good place for the spinnaker sheets, we didn't have much success. We are now putting in a bracket for a second winch in the cockpit that will help manage the spinnaker sheets.

Our boat came with an option for a 1.5 oz spinnaker, but we felt that in heavier winds we would prefer to fly the jib. I'm not sure that there's a right or wrong to this issue.

[sv_makai]

Makai carries 2 large light wind sails. A gennaker from CDI and a screecher from quantum.

The screecher works from 50 apparent down to about dead downwind and is good up to 17 knots. It is on a drum an is a furler. We use this one the most in lighter winds. It sails like a big genny.

The second is a genaker made for CDI by North sails. It is a an aysymeticral and flys like a spinaker. It comes with a sock for dousing. It works the best just off dead down wind but will sail just fine down wind. We have flew it all the way up to a beam reach. Max is around 18 knots of wind.

On the Genaker we have a block and tackle system set up from bow-to bow. The tack attaches in the middle and we can use the the blocks to move the sail from dead down wind to a beam reach with just an easy pullof the lines. It lets one person shape and manage the sail.

We bought the screecher with the boat and the Genaker from CDI based on price and quality. Many of the saillofts wanted almost twice the price for the sail. We are very satisfied.

Depending on where you sail the use will vary. In the Caribe we carried our genny for almost 2 years before we got to use it.

[Bill Houlihan]

Bil - Many thanks for your comments. My boat came with a symetrical spinnaker = 1.5oz. I've done some racing and know full well when to fly the heavy chute - but as my age approaches my iq methinks I don't wan't to be flying a chute in 20kts +.
I also have an asymetrical, with sock, 3/4 oz. Currently being test driven by my brother who is on his way to Mexico on his boat .
I am curious about wind angles, wind speeds, etc. My tendency would be to roll out the jib and hand the main downwind in any real breeze.
What do you think?

Regards,

Bill
San Diego

[sv_makai]

Agreed, We usually start to pull the screecher or genaker down and roll out the genny at around 17 knots. We find as the wind speed increases the difference in flying the sails is small vs the potiential for a blowout or the extra strain on the rig.

The genaker works bet at least 5 degrees off dead downwind. Mostly it starts to draw better and provide better lift. It does work just fine going down wind. I really can't provide any performance figures as we generally don't keep track as we are strickly a cruising boat. We try to move as fst as possible but do not like to strain the rig for an extra 1/10 of a knot. If we are sailing 7-8 knots I am generally relaxed.

That said our first log term fly of the genaker at 175 degrees off a 12 knot wind we managed to amintain a 6 knot SOG in flat and protected waters of the Gulfo de Caricao