A useful guide for anyone interested in cruising with an asymmetric spinnaker
Asymmetric Spinnaker, Cruising Chutes and Gennekers
Essentially they are different types of asymmetric spinnakers, cruising chutes tend to be smaller and have a snuffer, a genneker is cut slightly differently so can be sailed closer to the wind.
The asymmetric spinnaker is a sail made from very thin nylon cloth and normally used when the wind is aft of the beam, although a genneker can be sailed on a close reach. The sail is like a large jib that allows the boat to keep sailing in light airs. Unlike a symmetric spinnaker the tack is permanently attached to a bow sprit or just in front of the jib, making it easier to handle with a small crew, as there is no spinnaker pole. Head
Leech – Trailing edge of the sail Foot - Bottom of the sail Head – Where the halyard is attached Clew – Where the sheets or guys are attached Leech Luff Tack – Where the sail is attached to the boat
Sheet – used to fly the spinnaker Clew Tack Foot
Set up
The sail flies outside of the boat and so all lines should be rigged and led outside the shrouds, forestay and stanchions. The spinnaker bag is attached to the leeward guardrail behind the genoa. Lead the tack line from the cockpit through a block on the bow, or through the bowsprit, and attach it to the tack, making sure it is let back to the cockpit. If using a snuffer the sail can be hoisted in front of the jib.
Lead the sheets from the clew, outside everything, to a block on each quarter, then to a winch. Ensure the windward sheet is led outside of the forestay. Lead the halyard to leeward of the genoa and attach to the head of the spinnaker. Tack line led aft
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Hoist or unsnuff
Head onto a broad reach so the main and headsail shelter the sail as it is hoisted. Adjust the tack-line until the tack is about 1m from the stem head block or bowsprit. Secure the tack line.
Put a couple of turns around the winch of the leeward sheet, leaving plenty of slack. Quickly hoist the halyard to the top of the mast, pull in on the sheet as the sail starts to fill, then furl the genoa away. If using a snuffer simply unsnuff and pull in on the sheet as the sail starts to fill.
Trimming
Using the tack line, the luff can be tightened when close to the wind and eased when off the wind. Ease the sheet until the luff starts to curl, then tighten until it stops curling. If the spinnaker is over trimmed the boat sails slower and weather helm will increase. Check by easing the sheet.
To sail on a reach pull in the tack-line to straighten the luff and sheet in. In stronger Airs this helps depower the sail
To sail further off from the wind, ease the tack-line and sheet allowing the sail to move in front of the boat providing more forward drive and less heel. In lighter airs it should be eased to increase the power of the sail.
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Tactics
Asymmetric spinnakers get blanketed by the mainsail when running downwind so the preferred tactic is to broad reach and sail downwind in a series of gybes. Whilst the course is longer, the speed is higher and both mainsail and asymmetric work efficiently. Don’t forget you boom preventer!
Gybing Bear away onto a broad reach. Ease the tack-line to give greater space between the luff of the asymmetric and the forestay. Take up the slack on the new sheet and ease the old sheet to pull the clew through the gap between the forestay and the tack line.
Gybe the main and trim the new spinnaker sheet accordingly.
Dropping Bear away on to a broad reach. Unfurl the genoa to reduce power in the spinnaker. Take hold of the lazy sheet from under the boom and gather the spinnaker as the halyard is eased. You may need to ease the tack line as the sail is lowered. Stuff the sail down below deck through the companionway hatch. If using a snuffer simply lower the snuffer and lower the sail on deck.
Although they might seem daunting they are surprisingly easy to handle with a small crew, if you have a snuffer make sure you practice dropping the sail without it as you may have to
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