tophatyachts.com

Finally got round to ordering an asymmetric to complement my symmetric kite. The reach down to Sydney last week was the straw that convinced me to part with my hard earned. Went for a 43 square metre kite with a 9.9 m luff and decided to use my turtle bag rather than buy a sock as I think a sock would really be overkill on a 25 ft boat. Should have the kite in a couple of weeks and will let you know how it goes. I am looking forward to setting a kite without having to muck about with a spinnaker pole, which I have found rather testing in a seaway on the Top Hat. Is anyone else, apart from Dan, using an asymmetric on their toppy?

Cheers,
Mark
Storm Petrel

Mark

Enjoy that kite, from memory we did pittwater to syd (head to head) in 3 hours without needing to mess around with poles; 2 souls onboard. There is a video on youtube somewhere of it, great run

Pick your weather though, she gets quite heavy when the wind picks up!!

Dan

Thanks Dan. What sort of breeze can you manage with your kite? My symmetric gets a bit of a handful in anything over 15 knots.

Cheers,
Mark

Have had it up in close to 20...just a passenger at that point!!


15 it starts to become more than a handful, partucularly when solo

Mark i had one made for Calypso it was a huge powerful sail and even though i could be scared of it, it was so nice to have it on board, i made a rule as soon as it was approaching 15k it came down, money very well spent, just a thought one of those clip release on the clew like the crack racing teams will depower it quickly, some of the most enjoyable sailing is very light winds and big sails, will only need that engine rarely

Do you need any sort of bow sprit for the asymmetric? or just put a block on your pullpit? I must admit I really like the idea.

A bow sprit will give the sail more clear air from the main, but you do not need a bow sprit. I added an asymmetric to my sail wardrobe because it was too difficult setting my symmetric kite when short handed. I guess I could have gone to a sock on the symmetric but I thought the asymmetric would give me more flexibility.

Hello Mark

I recently had an asymmetrical kite custom made by Doyle; the luff is 10.1m with a an area of 41sq m (which is actually more like 47 when flying.) I have an adjustable strop attached to the bow roller so I can tension the luff when close reaching; it's a great sail, rather like a turbo charger, and I agree with you -perfect when single handed.

Cheers
Timothy
Pippin
Broken Bay

Yes, I have a smaller, old, heavy weather asymmetric that I have only used a few times but set it up the same way with an adjustable strop off the bow roller and I intend to use the same set up with my new 43 sq m one.

Cheers,
Mark
Storm Petrel

I don't have a kite at all and sailing solo most of the time it is just too difficult.
However an asymettric kite could be nice for very light winds.

How much do they cost to have made and in reality how easy / difficult are they to sail with single handed.