Asymmetrical Spinnaker Wind Speed Rating

[captmikem]

Originally Posted by Pete7

You have confused me, why is there a guy on an asymmetrical spinnaker?

I have always just blown the tack then lowered the sock before dropping it.

Pete

Yes, Tack is the Guy on an asymmetrical chute.

I usually end up putting it on a pole anyway. But either way blowing the guy/tack makes it easy.

Sorry about the confusion.

M

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by Pete7

You have confused me, why is there a guy on an asymmetrical spinnaker?

I have always just blown the tack then lowered the sock before dropping it.

Pete

you're right...technically it's a tack line, but because it goes to the corner opposite the sheet some folk would still call it a brace (or guy)...perhaps they just like using the expression 'blow the guy' ? sounds more interesting than 'blow the tack line'...

cheers,

[44'cruisingcat]

when we see around 12kts apparent, I either bear off or sock the kite.

I use a very cheap sheet rope, which acts as a kind of "fuse". It usually snaps when apparent goes much above 12kts.

[Tmacmi]

This got me to thinking.

I've never had an asymmetrical spinnaker (or any spinnaker for that matter).

Do you run the tack line all the way back to the cockpit? Its currently run with a short line, running through its block and to the anchor cleat on the foredeck.

[Discovery 15797]

Tip...on a cruising boat douse the kite way before you think you need too. (Sort of like the rule of thumb...reef early; reef often.) Even if it is 1.5 oz. cloth...putting a sock on a kite becomes more challenging as wind speed and sea state grow.

WRT to the tack line...I run mine all the way back to the cockpit. Ideally on an asymmetrical the tack should be parallel to the clew.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Tmacmi

This got me to thinking.

I've never had an asymmetrical spinnaker (or any spinnaker for that matter).

Do you run the tack line all the way back to the cockpit? Its currently run with a short line, running through its block and to the anchor cleat on the foredeck.

I don't, but on a cat foredeck work is so easy.

We've found it's always easy to sock the spinnaker if you have the mainsail up. Often we'll have it double reefed, and it's only there to help sock the kite.

Turn deep downwind, ease the mainsheet way out, and the spinnaker colapses, the sock comes down virtually under its own weight.

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by Tmacmi

This got me to thinking.

I've never had an asymmetrical spinnaker (or any spinnaker for that matter).

Do you run the tack line all the way back to the cockpit? Its currently run with a short line, running through its block and to the anchor cleat on the foredeck.

yep...definitely all the way back, through a clutch and led to a winch

actually we have two tack lines...one to each bow...that way we can move the sail to the windward side if running deep

but then we don't have a prodder...

cheers,

[lk240]

fwiw, I found the link here useful when I was learning how to use my asym. spinnaker.

https://www.quantumsails.com/getatta...spx?lang=en-US

I found myself wanting to adjust the tension of the luff of the sail and rigged a line aft that I could winch in. Also have an adjustable line connected to the base of the headstay that was fixed in length once underway such that the tack of the sail could be set.

One thing I need to figure out is a piece of hardware that will mount in front of the headstay on which to attach the fixed line and connect a a fairlead to run the tack line (Blue line) aft to blocks. I made a homemade attachment that worked ok as a prototype but I would like to figure something better.