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Home , Guy (sailing), Rounding up, Sheet (sailing), Tack (sailing), Tack (square sail)

Ex-Merchant Navy officer and Fellow of the Institute of EXPERT ON BOARD Navigation, John Goode owned Southern School for 25 EXPERT ON BOARD years and is an RYA Examiner What goes where? TH EA H

NE End for end pole XI A If you haven’t flown a

MS: M MS: before, you and your crew will put A R to sea with a lot more confidence if AG I D you work out where everything goes, Fly your spinnaker de. and that it all works, while still tied to oo the dock. Choose a berth with a light End for end n g n wind on the quarter and take as long pole with oh double as required to set the rig up to the sheets and pre-hoist stage – and even better if guys the wind is so light that the spinnaker

all PHOTOS: j PHOTOS: all can be hoisted and dropped as well. with confidence Note that although the bottom two Advice from John Goode on corners of a spinnaker are labelled ‘’ and ‘clew’, these names change hoisting, trimming, dropping when the is gybed. Throughout this article, the tack is always named and packing your kite as the corner of the spinnaker being hauled back by the pole – and the n light conditions, a spinnaker should give clew the corner that’s attached to above: Before flying a spinnaker for the first time, I advise better downwind performance than any the working . practising setting it up before leaving the dock other sail. This is worth bearing in mind given that last summer’s winds were often IForce 3 or less. Being able to add even one Setting up double sheets and guys knot of boat speed while on a light airs passage is always welcome. A spinnaker also On a mid-sized which requires the leeward sheet and , leading directly from adds a bit of colour and excitement to our doubling-up of sheets and guys to enable a the , are connected to the clew – and off-wind sailing! controlled gybe (see p41), they are led outside the weather sheet and guy, led via the end of Despite the spinnaker’s much publicised the stanchions and shrouds, back to the the pole, to its tack. When ready to hoist, the advantages, many cruising sailors are wary cockpit via sidedeck turning blocks. tack is hauled to the end of the pole. of flying one. But with a light following wind, The guy, which will take the most load and To prevent twists and enable easy plenty of open water ahead, and perhaps require a more downward pull on the pole, is attachment, all lines connected to a spinnaker an additional crewmember aboard to lend led through the forward turning to the require an easily tripped swivel and a a hand, I’d encourage you to at least give it primary . The sheet, which will be under plastic ball to prevent their ends jamming in above: Tie down a go if the opportunity arises. less of a load when trimming, is led through blocks or the pole’s jaw. the bag, or turtle, Although of different sizes and layout the aft turning block to the secondary winch. With a double sheet and guy set-up, the on the lee foredeck. will have a diversity of spinnaker handling kit, Before we’re ready to hoist, the spinnaker’s sheet is led over the pole-end and connected RIGHT: The the basic principles required to hoist, trim and turtle is tied down on the lee foredeck with to the spinnaker with an easily tripped, weather sheet and drop this big sail are very much the same on its led outside of the (over-sheeted) swivelling snap shackle. The guy is led through guy are led via the all of them. Only after first gaining confidence headsail and connected to the head. The the pole’s jaw, to the sheet’s snap shackle. end of the pole with these three sequences is it time to move on to gybing – as illustrated in the last part of Double sheet and this article. While the technique for gybing will guy set-up differ slightly from boat to boat, it can be quite straightforward provided everything is taken slowly and one step at a time. Please bear in mind that the old adage of ‘different ships, different long-splices’ applies to quite a lot of what’s shown here. Things might be done differently, for example, on a more racy yacht, with an experienced kite-flying crew. above: The primary winch above: A swivel shackle prevents twists. A plastic takes the guy’s heavier load ball prevents it jamming in the pole’s jaw

Fly a spinnaker at the boat show An ‘end for end’ pole Following the success of last year’s cruising chute more advanced spinnaker techniques for racing As its name suggests, an ‘end for end’ pole has demo at the London Boat Show, Yachting Monthly sailors. While the fans are off there will be clinics identical end fittings, with the plunger of each jaw and Hyde are again supporting this popular on packing a spinnaker, connected by a trip line, so that they can easily be feature at the show from 6–15 January at ExCeL. a furling chute and swapped between being attached to the (height This time, as well as running a repeat of the more top racing tips from adjustable) fitting and the spinnaker’s guys. cruising chute demo, the team from Southern experts. So that the pole can be raised and swung from side Sailing will show how to hoist, trim, gybe and to side during a gybe, the is connected drop a spinnaker confidently in easy stages. Scan this ‘QR code’ with to the middle of an upper bridle. The , The realistic simulator, designed by John Goode your smartphone or visit which is led from a turning block on the foredeck, is to resemble the rig and deck of a typical cruising www.yachtingmonthly.com/ See the video connected to the middle of a lower bridle. The load on above: Our popular cruising chute yacht, with huge fans generating wind to fill the cruisingchute to see a video For instructions the downhaul can be considerable, so we’ll have more above: An ‘end for end’ pole has above: The topping lift is connected to an upper demonstration at last year’s boat show sails, will also be used by Sunsail to demonstrate of the cruising chute demo see News, p8. control if it’s led aft to a coachroof-mounted winch. identical end fittings and jaws bridle and the downhaul connected to a lower bridle

34 www.yachtingmonthly.com JANUARY 2012 JANUARY 2012 www.yachtingmonthly.com 35 EXPERT ON BOARD EXPERT ON BOARD Hoisting the spinnaker 1 Furl headsail and tidy 7 With our boat on a broad reach, set the rig up control lines up as shown on the previous page. Take With the pole braced back and the sheet roughly plenty of time to make sure that the trimmed to keep the spinnaker full, roll in (or spinnaker’s turtle is tied down beneath the drop) the headsail and then linger awhile on the (over-sheeted) headsail and that a sheet initial hoisting run. Take time to ensure there or guy hasn’t been inadvertently led over aren’t any lines trailing over the side (which can a guardrail. Check, too, that there are no easily be drawn into a spinning propeller if it stopper knots in any of the spinnaker’s isn’t locked off) and generally tidy up around – which we must always the cockpit and deck so that all sheets, guys and be able to let run free instantly. are tangle-free and ready for instant Leaving the As well as creating a lee, the set headsail headsail set above: After a final check to see that everything use. Once accustomed to being towed along by above: Lightly taping-up the will eliminate the risk of the spinnaker should prevent a is in the right place, and that our well-briefed the spinnaker, we can then start to improve its headsail’s sheets can keep the wrapping around the while forestay-wrap crew are standing by their designated lines, the shape and stability. above: Watch for any trailing lines once the sail is hoisted foredeck uncluttered it’s being hoisted. spinnaker is now ready to hoist Hoist in the wind shadow of main and headsail Trimming the spinnaker Luff just Still on the hoisting , don’t sheeting in hard or bearing away from curling 2 3 4 worry too much about fine-tuning the the wind. Cruising yachts on passage spinnaker beyond the rough rule-of- often accept a fraction less speed by thumb of keeping the pole level and slightly over–sheeting the spinnaker so aligning it (and the ’s ) at that a can be maintained without right angles to the wind. having to constantly trim to the Basic sail trim (like that of a headsail) ever-shifting wind direction. is achieved by playing the sheet until the luff just starts to flutter. On a spinnaker this is indicated by its luff just starting Rght: Keep the spinnaker trimmed by to curl inwards. If the wind heads you, playing its sheet so that the luff is just a collapse can be prevented by quickly starting to curl inwards

Too high and the spinnaker will tend Adjust height of pole to swing and roll the boat to leeward in Along with trimming the spinnaker’s sheet stronger winds. Too low, and it’ll swing and the alignment of its pole to the wind, and roll to windward. At the correct adjusting the height of the pole – so that height, you’ll find the sail will pull the tack is level with the clew – will have evenly and help keep the boat upright the sail drawing nicely. in a lively seaway. above: Take the slack out of the sheet, then above: With the sheet secured and the guy above: Keep hoisting the spinnaker quickly tension the guy until the tack is pulled to the around a winch ready to be hauled, hoist away (there should be very little load at this stage) pole too high pole too low correct height pole-end and the pole is just off the forestay on the spinnaker halyard as quickly as possible until it’s all the way up, then secure its halyard Haul the pole back smartly to set the spinnaker 5 6

Haul in the (green) guy and ease the downhaul

The load will start to be taken by the pre- secured (red) sheet

above: Haul smartly on the guy and ease the above: Keep winching away on the guy, while above: If the pole is too high (the tack higher above: If the pole is too low (the tack lower above: With the pole at the right height (tack downhaul as the pole is pulled back. Be ready carefully easing the downhaul, until the load is than the clew) the sail will tend to swing and than the clew), the sail will have a tendency and clew level) the spinnaker pulls evenly and for the increased load as the spinnaker starts to taken up on the secured sheet and the strongly roll the boat to leeward in a stronger wind to swing and roll the boat to windward helps keep the boat upright in a lively seaway fill as it’s dragged out of the wind shadow drawing spinnaker is fully set in clean air

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Running Broad Dropping the spinnaker 1 Trimming contd Dropping a spinnaker is essentially a reverse of the reach sequence in which it was hoisted. By once more From a run to a reach putting the boat onto a broad reach and taking When from a run onto a advantage of the mainsail’s wind shadow, the broad reach, and then a beam reach, the spinnaker can be instantly de-powered by tripping pole is gradually eased forward until it’s its tack – allowing it to flag harmlessly to leeward – solidly braced just off the forestay. As before being gathered into a tight ‘sausage’ the apparent wind increases – and a and then lowered down into the cabin through larger area of spinnaker comes clear of the main companionway. the mainsail’s lee – the combined load Because the spinnaker is kept full right up to the on pole’s guy will be considerable in all instant it’s tripped to leeward, there’s no risk of it but the lightest wind. wrapping around the forestay, hence no need to Turn onto a If the wind is fresh as we make the turn re-set the headsail before the drop. broad reach before dropping it’s particularly important to prevent the To ensure that the trip works smoothly, it’s pole from shooting skywards – potentially important that the snap shackle is fitted with an causing a – by ensuring that easily gripped trip-cord. And, because there’s Right: Put the boat on a broad reach with the guy is eased very carefully and, likely to be quite a load on the guy-tensioned the pole eased forward and, if necessary, with simultaneously, the downhaul is taken pole, always stand on its leeward side so that it its end lowered so that it’s braced (guy and in and constantly kept under tension. above: Before turning from a run onto a reach, doesn’t spring back and cause injury when the downhaul secured) just off the forestay with be aware of the tendency for the pole to rise above: When brought round onto a broad snap shackle is released. the tack’s trip cord within easy reach Set up for a (and potentially induce a broach) if the guy and reach, keep hauling in on the downhaul as the downwind run downhaul aren’t kept under constant tension guy is eased to allow the pole to move forward Trip tack and let flag in lee of mainsail Beam reach 2 3

Allow the spinnaker to Ease (green) guy flag to leeward and tension (red) Ease pole forward sheet as you turn... On a beam reach, the load ...until the on the guy is at its greatest, pole is held with the lead of its fixed just off the turning block often such forestay that the tensioned guy can bend stanchions or put undue strain on the weather shrouds. To get a better lead on this point of sail, clip a snatch block and lanyard onto the guy – or simply use a short line and above and inset: Trip the tack with a sharp above: Haul in on the sheet while the spinnaker – to haul the pull on the sheet’s snap shackle trip-cord flags downwind in the lee of the mainsail guy down to a further forward/outboard above: Coming onto a beam reach, ease the position (see right). guy and keep tensioning the downhaul until Gather in foot and lower down below the pole is braced just off the forestay 4 5 6 Beware of increase in apparent wind ‘Move sheet lead forward and lower pole as apparent wind freshens’

above: As the apparent (or true) wind upwind fORCE 5 downwind fORCE 3 rises, flatten the spinnaker to lower its centre above: With the sun shining and a gentle breeze blowing us along of effort, reducing its tendency to roll the nicely, don’t be taken by surprise by a rapid increase in the apparent boat, by lowering the pole and moving the wind strength when we round up onto a reach sheet-lead slightly forward above: Gather in the spinnaker’s foot, make a above: Continue lowering the spinnaker while above: We can now re-set the headsail and ‘sausage’ behind the mainsail, then lower away stuffing the ‘sausage’ down the companionway repack the spinnaker in the cabin

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Gybing End for end – with double sheet & guy Gybing End for end – With a practised and sufficiently numerous crew, the time, the risk of a collapse or forestay wrap can be coordinated gybing sequence of a spinnaker – with greatly reduced if the mainsail is kept centred – Running with a with single sheet and guy double sheet and the mainsail kept drawing until it’s gybed during allowing clean air to keep the spinnaker full and more guy set-up On smaller, more lightly crewed the last part of the manoeuvre – can be conducted easily controlled – throughout the whole sequence. boats, with correspondingly smaller without incident in a much more flowing sequence While it’s important to keep the sheets trimmed to spinnakers and the size of gear required than illustrated here. prevent a collapse, the key to success is to take each to handle them, the dimensions and However, when gybing a spinnaker for the first separate stage of the gybe one careful step at a time. loads are often such that the gybe can Single sheet and be executed without having to double guy set-up up on guys and sheets. It is important Running dead downwind to make sure that the single lines from With the load on each of the spinnaker’s bottom corners 1 2 both sheets, unclip the pole are within reach and that the pole can be transferred from one to the other without destabilising the sail. With this set-up, a useful tip worth remembering is that a sheet can be quickly changed into a (more forward positioned) guy with the use of a snatch block and lanyard – as we have already above: The sequence is the same as with double lines, seen on p38. but ensure you can swap the pole without problems

Gybing Dip-pole, with double sheets & guys above: On a dead run, haul the mainsail in flat to funnel the wind above: With the load on both sheets and as the boat tracks dead evenly. Take the load of the spinnaker onto both sheets, then ease the guy, downwind, carefully unclip the pole from the mast. Leave the jaws at the Dip-pole gybing with an extra sheet and guy While the spinnaker is kept flying on the two topping lift and downhaul to create some working slack for the pole outer end of the pole clipped around the old working guy follows the same basic sequence as that shown sheets, this time during the gybe one end of the on the opposite page, but is generally better pole will remain fixed to the mast, as the other is suited to larger yachts that have more crew to pulled inboard and dipped below the forestay, using 3 4 5 handle the heavier equipment. the end-of-pole topping lift and downhaul.

With the pole-end hanging just above the foredeck and with the new working guy in hand, the old working guy is unclipped. Then, taking care to feed it into the pole’s jaws the correct way (as shown above), the new working guy is attached before the pole is raised and pulled back until it once again takes the load on the spinnaker. Pre-gybe set-up Dip pole below Gybe completed Slackening the new lazy sheet and guy above: With the pole clipped around the old above: Swing the uphaul-supported pole above: Clip the end of the pole onto the new forestay then completes the gybe. working guy and hanging from its topping lift, carefully across the boat towards the working guy. Note that at this stage both guys swing it across the boat towards the new one new working guy are still attached to the ends of the pole

Unclip the Take up the load old working on the new sheet Packing 6 guy 7 and guy To ensure a loosely packed spinnaker runs up smoothly, remove any twists Thanks to or tangles and leave its three corners (marked head, tack and clew) n Southern Sailing sticking out of its bag, or turtle. Here School, Southampton we show it packed on deck but it’s Tel: 01489 575511 best done below, out of the wind. Website: Find and tie up the sail’s head, or www.southern.co.uk ask someone to hold it. Then ‘chase’ n Hyde Sails, each side down to the tack and clew. Southampton Keeping these corners separated Freephone: and starting at the bottom, stuff 0800 389 9254 sail into the bag. Leave its three Website: above: Swing the pole inboard again and unclip it from the old working above: With the pole back on the mast and slack taken out of the topping corners protruding, ready to take Tie up the head and ...by ‘chasing’ down each Bundle it in with the www.hydesails.com guy. Then lead the end of the pole back towards the mast attachment. lift and downhaul, take the load on the new working guy and sheet. Ease the halyard, sheet and guy. W remove any twists... side of the sail corners protruding Stand by to readjust all of its control lines the mainsail to starboard, slacken the lazy sheet and complete the gybe

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