Anyone ever use or see one of these?

Padiunka · Post by **Padiunka** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 2:05 am

I am looking at getting one of these for Andante to make handling the cruzing spinnaker alittle easier. Anyone ever use or seen one of these in action? We would still be using the regular spinnaker the good old fashion way.

http://www.atninc.com/atn-spinnaker-sleeve.shtml

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:27 am

I have a cruising spinnaker and a sock on Destiny.
Mine is a UK Flasher. I love it!

Notice the yellow sailbag on the port deck and the white sock at the top of the sail!

Trick is to not fly it in to much wind. Use the main sail to put a wind shadow over the spinnaker while raising and lowering the sock!

Here is me alone aboard Destiny. I am the lump standing on the cockpit on starboard side! Destiny was making good time that day! LOL!

Padiunka · Post by **Padiunka** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 5:30 am

May I ask how you gave the tack rigged on your setup? Looks like you are around the headsail?

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 6:26 am

Yes, that is part of it.

The tack does have a line through a block at the front of the boat. This tack line is used to control the height of the sail. Then there is a collar that goes around the forstay for stability.

Here is a great video that I studied when I first got the sail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UfYUe6M74s

It takes a bit of practice to rig the thing but is very easy once you've done it. I use the autohelm to hold a heading when I raise the spinnaker sock. It is an awesome set up. If you are a hotrdder kind of guy, the spinnaker is akin to adding a blower to a small block chevy! The ride is AWESOME! As you can see in the photo, there were no whitecaps that day yet Destiny was making some serious speed!

If you get the setup PLEASE get some photos or even videos!

Scott

Padiunka · Post by **Padiunka** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:26 am

I love running the asymetric spinnaker! Like you say, it is quite the rush with the amount of speed you can get in low wind. Thus far I have been running it with the tack afixed to a rigging track I have running down the centerline of my fordeck. I also use this rail to afix a "big boy" trisail when running a regular spinnaker, or running on a broad reach with the genoa. Kinda fun having three sheets to the wind even if it does not make that much difference with the speed. Would you recomend changing the anchor point off that rail and up onto the forstay, or dont you think it would make that much difference?

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:15 am

If you plan on tacking the asymetrical forward of the forstay, you should have a tack point forward of the forstay. This is how I currently do it. It requires very long sheets though! If you tack the sail between the forstay and mast then the tack point is just aft of the forstay.

I put a block as far forward on my anchor roller as I can. This is my tack point.

Keep in mind the halyard also. If we are tacking forward of the forstay your spinnaker halyard should come out above or forward of the forstay.
I have a crane to hold my spinnaker halyard block at the top of the mast forward of the forstay!!

Scott

Padiunka · Post by **Padiunka** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:57 am

You make a really good point about tacking. Typicly this isnt something I do because we are on long distace runs going up and down the bay in between ports. But considering I am also upgrading my ground takle and looking at installing a bow roller, I will have to look into this because tacking would be a nice option. Andante has a spinakker halyard forward of the forstay as well as a port and starbord jib halyards, so that wont be an issue. I do belive my existing spinnaker sheets should work because the are extreamly long, always way more than enough left in the cockpit even what sheeted out with the way I have been running it.

Thanks much for the input Captain, I will keep you abreast of how she pans out come May when her bottom sides are wet again and we head North for the summer!