Asymmetric kite

[storm petrel]

Hi Diana,

I have only use an asymmetric with a crew member aboard, but I have seen single handers use them with a sock it light breezes. There are a bunch of places that sell stock sizes so they are not too expensive ( about $800) for a small boat like a Top Hat. You would only use it in light winds, but it could get a bit exciting if the wind came up quickly and you had to get it down on your own. They are pretty big. The one I bought is actually bigger than the my symmetric spinnaker ( though my symmetric it is a heavy weather kite).

I would suggest you have a sail on a yacht with an asymmetric and a sock and see how easy/hard it is to use. I do not use a sock because I usually have a slave on board, but you would definitely need a sock for single handing.

Regards,
Mark

[TimothyH]

Hello Diana

I regularly sail single handed when Merelyn has other commitments and often use the asymmetrical spinnaker. It's relatively easy to use once a routine is set up ie go on a broad reach, furl the jib, connect the auto pilot, put on a PDF, attach the spinnaker bag between the port and starboard lifelines, attach the tack and halyard, bring out the clew and sheet to about the first leeward stay then hoist quickly behind the mainsail, dash back to the cockpit, set, and go for a ride! I flew mine comfortably at the weekend in 10-15kt westerly and reached out of Broken Bay at 5.8kts.

Asymmetrical kites are available 'off the shelf' (ie set dimension and colours) for $990, or custom made to your boat rig and requirements for $1300; I'd recommend the custom made option, its worth the extra to get what you want.

You are welcome to venture out on Pippin and have a try with the sail; are you returning to Mooney once sea Lady is ready?

Cheers
Timothy

[storm petrel]

Diana, you can get them even cheaper. I got mine online from i-sails for $713(about 1/2 the price the local sailmaker quoted). It arrived 6 days after I ordered it and it looks well made. I only intend to use it for cruising so I was happy to just go with a standard kite. If I had the money I probably would have paid the extra and, as Timothy suggested, got it custom made but there are other things I need to spend the money on at present. I Will let you know how it goes.

Cheers,
Mark

[SeaLady]

Thanks Tim.

Once Sea Lady is ready?

What a silly concept.

Still finding more things wrong.

Now the windows leak.

Ugggggghhh

She will have everything new!!!


If my mooring in Parsley Bay is ready I will go straight there.
But at this stage I am no1 on the waiting list aod if that is still the situation then I will go back to Mooney Mooney.

I can't wait to get her back in the water.

[storm petrel]

Dan,

If you are out there, can you answer a few questions? How do you attach the tack on your asymmetric ( I was going to use a tack lone attached to the anchor roller)? Do you fly it inside or outside your pulpit? Finally do you use inside or outside tacks with your spinnaker?

Cheers,
Mark

[TimothyH]

Hello Mark
If it helps, in answer to the questions you posed to Dan -
we use a rope strop around the bow roller and attach the tack outside the pulpit with a snap shackle at rail height; we gybe the asymmetrical (ie not tack)outside so it keeps as clear as possible from the forestay.

Cheers
Timothy

[storm petrel]

Thanks Tim, that is what I have set up also. I worry about the lazy sheet. Do you ever end up with one of the sheets under the boat?

Cheers,
Mark

[admin]

Mark

My tack has a wire-rope 'leader' of around 6inches long that i attached via a stainless U-bolt/shackle at the point i normally tack the genoa. I had pondered extending this so as to raise the height of the tack, but never quite got around to it.

I dont have a furler, nor a spinnaker halyard (pulley at top is crapped out and i dont fancy a trip to the top) so fly it from the headsail halyard. Not a race winning combination but works for me when solo.

Tacks/gybes are outside

Cheers
dan

[TimothyH]

Hello again Mark

Re sheet under bow, no problems yet; Doyle have sewn a clever little doohickey at the tack which juts out about 15cm, the lazy sheet sits on this - it looks like a narrow piece of batten sewn into a canvas sleeve- you can just see the white catcher to port of the tack.

Cheers
Timothy

[storm petrel]

Thanks Tim. That looks like a cleaver solution to the problem. I do not think my cheap sail has this, but I will take a closer look next time I go to the boat. I have not had a chance to use the new spinnaker yet.

Cheers,
Mark