Top down furler with symmetrical spinnaker

[olaf hart]

I am wondering if anyone has used a top down furler with a symmetrical spinnaker.
I am setting up an Adams 36 Traditional for two person cruising, so we have a cutter rig with a furling no 3 jib and staysail.
The boat came with several symmetrical spinnakers, and I am trying to get some extra area downwind for light airs. I can set them on a pole, but a top down furling setup looks much easier for two person cruising.
I just want to set the spinnaker from the bow, like an assy.
Rather than buy a new assymetrical sail, I would like to try the existing sails.
Has anyone tried a top down furler on an conventional kite?

[cal40john]

I can't picture how you would accomplish this. Symmetrical spins you move the pole from one clew to the other on the spin. How do you attach the guy to the furler drum. I suppose you could try to attach the furler drum to the after guy and use the fore guy to tension the furling line, but when you change tacks all that is going to free fly, and that doesn't sound good. Are you thinking of only being able to furl on one tack?

I just don't see this working.

Edit:
I missed the part about setting on the bow, noticed it after seeing your dup on the other forum that we don't talk about here.

[Stumble]

Olaf,

I can't really see this working out, but you could certainly give it a try. My concern is you would wind up spending a decent amount of money for the attempt, and if it doesn't work you now have to spend an equal amount to fix the spinnaker.

For that much invested you could probably buy a off the shelf north asymetric for the same amount and have a sail that will actually perform well at the intended point of sail.

[gjordan]

What about a sock? I would think it would be much less expensive.____Grant.

[islandplanet]

You want the tack near the forestay for reaching, not for downwind. There are some easy ways to manage a spinnaker pole short-handed. You could even run twin poles if you wanted to avoid jibing the pole.

Another way to go would be an ATN Tacker and an ATN sock. Seems a bit odd to spend heaps of money on a top down furler to fly a sail that isn't really the right sail for your application.

Why not sell off the old spinnakers and buy a proper sail? Be sure and avoid 1.5 oz spinnakers as they absolutely suck in light air. The cloth is cheap which is why you see so many of them.

[Privilege]

Olaf, did you ever get an answer on this? Did you try it? The concept seems sound to me. With a top-down furler, the tack or guy doesn't need to go to the sprit. The system furls from the top and only the torsion line is connected at the sprit. The clews run aft as normal.

[olaf hart]

I chickened out and used a sock, still be interested if someone wants to try it.

[Vagekennis]

Actually considering to buy a selden gx 15 furler for our 100m2 symmetrical spinnaker. Providers told me "can not" but I think that if you look at a sail that normally flies, connected to the top end of the mast AND held by 2 sheets. A top down furling process will work going down wind.

A sock is not a good option in hummid Singapore. And as we have light winds all the time we need a solution. Pole-ing out is nbot as we have a crew of two and may be a few guests.

It puzzles us why a ATN tacker (attachment to the forestay for one of the spinnaker clews) would work, thus creating a luff. but ,...

but connecting the clew upwind to the adjustable tack would not?

I would consider to add two small lines to both clews or even a small cleat or hook or such on the adjustable tack so we can pull the sail on the upwind side and as such creating a luff close to the spinning center line.

In case nothing works? they do sell asymmetric sales. But to be honest I give it a pretty good chance of working.

Our biggest problem is in fact to get the materials into Singapore.

I will post if we get further, currently things seemed to have sold out in Europe.

Regards,
Walter