Screecher/Code 0 or Asymmetrical Kite for cruising?

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

I was going to ask about this, wouldn't this be almost as good as a spinnaker for straight down wind?

The answer is maybe.

For a well crewed race boat looking for the last fraction of increased speed with good instruments and a tactics guy who can play wind shifts you will get there faster ziz zagging down wind. I often dive off a reef at BKH where I motor out into the wind and then sail back wing on wing with the girls sun tanning on the nets on the bow. They would go crazy if they had to dodge the head sails if I gybed.

Lets remember if the wind gets over 10 knots you really need to start paying attention to what you are doing even if you are hard core. Most folks will only have a working jib and main up if it is 15 knots unless they really know what they are doing. If they really know what they are doing they will not be asking about which sail to fly when.

Remember the whole idea of this sailing thing is to have fun. Unless you are hard core having fun often means sitting back and enjoying the sunset; not flying as much canvas as possible and worrying about how fast you are going.

No question sailing wing on wing is steady light are is a fun time; even if you might get back five minutes faster if you drove the boat as hard as you could.

[AndyBerry]

Originally Posted by Stumble

All the sails discussed here are asymetric spinnakers. They are just different types.

A Code 0 is the flattest cut asymetric that reallytakes the place of a really big genoa. It is an upwind sail that I see really designed for a true beat, not reaching. However because they are also the easiest asym to use on a furler on cruising boats theyget pressed into use as reaching sails as well.

A Screatcher is similarly to a Code0 but cut for deeper reaching. Generally a fuller cut, which gives real advantages to deeper angles but doesn't work as well on tight luff furler.

I think most people are using 'asym' to refer to an A2 (reacher) or A3 (runner). They are the traditional asymetric spinnakers that will only work on a top-down furler not a tight luff.



If you look at the chart below the key is:
C - Code
G - Genniker
A - Asymetric
S - Symmetric

Great answer. Thank you. Could I get you also to respond on the different techniques of setting and dousing these sails. You mentioned top down furler. How else are they deployed? Thanks again.

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by AndyBerry

Great answer. Thank you. Could I get you also to respond on the different techniques of setting and dousing these sails. You mentioned top down furler. How else are they deployed? Thanks again.

There are four options...

1) hoist and douse like a racing crew, this is an unbanded sail with nothing to contain it. Unless you are racing this is silly

2) Sock - this is a fabric tube that is attached to the top of the sail. First you hoist the sail in the tube, then pull the sock up. It's the traditional way to contain spinnakers.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt_G0uVc5iY

I see a nice video showing how they are used with a tracker (the piece that slides over the headsail.

3) Code furler (tight luff furler) - basically a torsion rope I see sewn into the luff of the sail, and when you furl it the sail wraps around the rope and itself. For those sails that are candidates this is a great option, but it heavily restricts the luff curve of the sail. It has to be a flat/flatish sail with a minimal shoulder to work.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CHh0ySnu7RQ

This is with a Code1, but the C0 is exactly the same.

As compared to the sock, the sail curls tighter, and can be left up sort of. For a few hours say during overnight in moderate conditions but where you don't want to take the sail down you could leave it up... but the roll isn't as reliable as a furled headsail, so in a blow it needs to be taken down, and at least bungled in place on the deck.

4) Top down furler - This is the newest of the bunch, it is similar to the tight luff furler, but the torsion line isn't sewn into the luff, as the torsion line spins it causes the top of the sail to wrap around the line first. Getting these set to the right tension (halyard tension) can be a bit tricky, but can be indexed.

The major difference is that these can be used with any asymetric sail. So an A2 runner up to a Code0 can all use the same hardware, you just need separate torsion lines for each sail.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=be09ywaHdGQ

Like with the Code furlers the sail can be left up tentatively, but needs to be dropped for long term.