[C320-list] Mast Cranes and Asymmetrics.

[Scott Thompson]

That sounds like a port tack launch, since typically you hoist the sail 
on the leeward side of the boat, while sailing on port tack.  Or am I 
missing something?

I've generally had better luck with inside jibes (i.e. jibing the clew 
between the luff and the headstay like a jib rather than in front of the 
luff).  Rigging for outside jibes seem to often result with a spinnaker 
sheet under the boat in my experience.  What's the trick to preventing 
this?  My assymetrical came from another boat and I have no instruction 
manual, let alone a CD.

Scott Thompson
Surprise, 653

Robert E. Sloat wrote:
> Irv-If you get an asymmetric make sure the sail maker gives you a CD or 
> a detailed instruction manual on its use.  UK gave me both a VHS tape 
> and a CD which was indispensable.
> 
> Below is the drill used with my UK Flasher, ATN Tacker (which hold the 
> tack to the forestay near the anchor roller bail) and their Stacker (sock):
> 
> When not in use, I keep the spinnaker halyard attached to
> a small cleat on the port side cabin top track to stay out the way of the
> furling gear at the top of the forestay.  When launching the spinnaker on a
> starboard tack, I walk the spinnaker halyard around the front of the
> forestay, connect the spinnaker to the halyard on the starboard side of 
> the boat, launch
> and then tie the sock control lines to a cleat on the starboard cabin top
> track.  This keeps the halyard in front of and above the forestay and
> exiting the mast without touching the forestay.
> 
> With my setup having the idle spinnaker halyard cleated to the port side of
> the boat, if you forget to walk the spinnaker halyard around the front of
> the forestay for a starboard launch and instead walk the halyard in 
> front of
> the mast through the foretriangle and launch on a starboard tack the
> spinnaker halyard goes out of the mast exit above the forestay, down
> through the forestay triangle, exiting on the starboard side of the 
> foretriangle and the halyard will rub on the back side of
> the forestay and furling gear which can cause chafing and possible more if
> there is a lot of wind.  If you then jibe from starboard tack the 
> halyard will
> wrap around the front of the forestay and furling gear making lowering 
> the sock very difficult and
> making it very difficult to impossible to lower the halyard on either tack.
> 
> Since you do outside jibes with the spinnaker tack line attached to the
> anchor roller bail, the sail goes around the front of the boat on a jibe 
> and
> the spinnaker halyard when properly set up just follows the sail above the
> forestay to the new tack.
> 
> When dousing with the sock, if required, I move the dousing lines around 
> the
> front of the forestay to the side the spinnaker is flying from and easily
> bring the sock down.  The no-brainer once the spinnaker is properly 
> launched is to launch and douse from the same side.  If not possible, 
> just walk the sock control lines around the front of the forestay to the 
> side the sail is coming down on.
> 
> I installed folding pad eyes for the spinnaker blocks per Catalina's 
> deck plan which are on deck at the rail lateral from the primary 
> winches.  Some folks install more than one on each side to fine tune the 
> sail, but I am into high performance crusing rather than outright 
> racing, so I only used one on each side.
> 
> Get the sail, learn the drill of setting up all the lines, launch and 
> dousing from the sailmakers instructions, get a little nervous preparing 
> for the first use, have three people aboard for the first few uses and 
> then enjoy the pride of going fast down wind and showing off a little.  
> Pick an interesting color patten as you trademark.
> 
> Bob Sloat
> Savannah Hull 894 (2002)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Irv Grunes" <igrunes at comcast.net>
> To: "C320-List" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
> Cc: "Seiden, Bob" <theseidens at earthlink.net>
> Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 11:52 AM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Mast Cranes and Asymetrics.
> 
> 
>> Bob,
>> What a relief to know that the halyard exits above the forestay.
>> Thanks for the reply.
>> Irv Grunes #851
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
>> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com]On Behalf Of Robert E. Sloat
>> Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 12:27 PM
>> To: C320-List
>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Mast Cranes and Asymetrics.
>>
>>
>> Irv-I have benn flying a UK Flasher asymmetric and there is no problem 
>> with
>> the halyard crossing the forestay on jibes. I don't have a crane and 
>> after 4
>> seasons of fairly regular use there is no chafing of the spinnaker 
>> haylard
>> of any of the
>> spinnaker gear.  If you were using the spinnaker for days at a time, 
>> there
>> may be some benefit in using a crane and the additional equipment to keep
>> the sock away from the mast and
>> possibly prevent chafing of the halyard.
>>
>> The spinnaker halyard exits the mast above the forestay fitting so the
>> spinnaker halyard clears the forestay if properly connected to the
>> spinnaker.  The key when launching is to make sure that the spinnaker
>> halyard is in front of the forestay and does not pass through the
>> foretriangle.
>>
>> For the folks who added a crane, did you have to install an exit hole and
>> fitting in the mast for the spinnaker halyard going to the crane block?
>>
>> Bob Sloat
>> Savannah Hull 894
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Irv Grunes" <igrunes at comcast.net>
>> To: "C320-List" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
>> Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 10:03 AM
>> Subject: [C320-list] Mast Cranes and Asymetrics.
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> We are still looking at Asymetrics.  Looking for any comments on my 
>>> scheme
>>> below to eliminte the need for a crane.
>>>
>>> Found this Quantun website:
>>>
>>> http://www.quantumsails.com/pdf/asymmetrical%20trim%20guide.pdf
>>>
>>> I sent this to my sailing partner:
>>>
>> ============================================================================ 
>>
>>> ===================
>>>
>>> BUT the Quantum article says:
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------
>>> What equipment do I need?
>>>
>>> . Spinnaker halyard that is above
>>>
>>> the forestay.
>>>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> I am not sure of this BUT
>>>
>>> I think that our forestay goes to the top of the mast.
>>>
>>> I think the sheave for the spinnaker halyard is below it and lets assume
>>> that it is on the port side.
>>>
>>> Then flying an asym on the port side, the halyard would not be in 
>>> contact
>>> with the forestay.
>>>
>>> Then if jibeing the asym to the starboard side, the halyard would 
>>> have to
>>> cross over the forestay and would probably chafe.
>>>
>>> As I think about it, I think the solution would be something like our
>>> backstay adjuster that has the ball on the line to keep the thimble from
>>> pulling up into the sheave.  If a stopper ball were put on the 
>>> halyard, a
>>> knot on the halyard to hold the stopper ball, and then 8 inches or so of
>>> chafe guard were put on the halyard and then the shackle to the halyard.
>>>
>>> Then the sail would be hoisted that 8 inches or so lower, but when 
>>> jibed,
>>> the chafe guard would protect the halyard from the forestay.
>>>
>>> This would eliminate the requirement for a crane and allow us to use the
>>> spinnaker halyard safely.
>>>
>>> I will bounce this off the list to see what response we get.
>>>
>>> Irv
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Bob Seiden [mailto:theseidens at earthlink.net]
>>> Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 8:18 PM
>>> To: Irv Grunes
>>> Subject: Re: Asym's
>>>
>>>
>>> Bob
>>>
>>> Requesting quotes from a lot of the lofts.  Will keep you posted on the
>>> quotes.
>>>
>>> Saw this at the quantum website.  See for setting and dousing
>>>
>>> http://www.quantumsails.com/pdf/asymmetrical%20trim%20guide.pdf
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> READ IT!
>>>
>>>
>>> We want it for running in light air.  That would seem to mean the middle
>>> sail.
>>>
>>>
>>> The diagrams seem to suggest that the head of the asymmetrical comes 
>>> well
>>> below the top of the mast.  Especially with a sock, that should keep the
>>> head of the sail well away from anything it could chafe on.
>>>
>>>
>>> Quantum says absolutely nothing about a crane.
>>>
>>>
>>> me
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
> 
>