WANTED genakka or asym spinnaker

[rob.lovelace]

some sort of cruising Shute would be nice, the sym spinnaker is such a hassle setting up single handed.

[Phillip]

Rob,

I fly mine as a free spinnaker without the pole.
I have a Halyard to the bow so I can raise and lower the foot while
I have a sheet which goes around the front stay, so it is long, and I take them
back to a blocks on each side at the stern before coming forward to the winches.

I tack the spinnaker around the forestay.

[storm petrel]

I have an asymmetric kite that I find great. I usually sail with at least one crew member and consequently have no trouble rising and lowering it. If I was solo sailing I would probably get a sock for it. I have only rarely used my symmetric since I bought the asymmetric. I just got a ready made asymmetric kite online from one of the big sailmakers.

Cheers,
Mark

[rob.lovelace]

more info please Mark, how did you get the size? how much? and where do you fix the tack? a sailmaker told me I had to put one of those bowsprit things on.

yeah Phil I've played a bit and find the leading edge collapses a bit

[storm petrel]

Rod,

Buying:

I bought a size 2 asymmetric spinnaker (43 square metres!) from isails. Click the Aussie flag on their online site. They cost $713(A$) and I bought a turtle bag from them as well, which was very nicely made with velcro tabs and straps in all the right places ( But you could easily make one yourself - I made one from those recycled shopping bags to use with my symmetric kite that worked fine). The size 2 seems just about perfect for a Top Hat as its tack sits about 1m above the stemhead fitting. There is a You Tube video of Storm Petrel flying the asymmetric, a search of 'Storm petrel Top Hat' should bring it up

Flying:

I have a dedicated spinnaker halyard for the head and fix the tack with a length of line that I pass through one of the rollers on the stemhead fitting. Like Phil, I tack the kite by using the lazy sheet to pull it in front of the forstay. To drop it, I just release the tack and pull the kite in under the boom using the sheet while simultaneously lowering the halyard. To do this smoothly really requires a crew member to help and if I sailed alone I would look at investing in a sock. Note the tack line is adjustable to tweak the trim. When it sets well it pulls like an elephant and makes for exciting sailing - well for a Top Hat.

Cheers,
Mark

[jjvvss]

Asym is the way to go. The bigger the better. My tack sits right on the bow roller. I have learned that an asym can be sailed directly downwind. You need to goose wing the main and MAKE SURE that your windicator is pointing ever so slightly to leeward (yes slightly by the lee). Use a long thin line (6mm spectra) as a boom preventer attached to the main sheet boom bail and running forward outside to the first staunchion back from the pulpit then back to the cleat on the coach house . I have sailed this way directly downwind in gusts up to 15k true (8-9k apparent). You must be vigilant when its windy as it is quite easy to get into a chinese gybe. In light breezes 5-10k it is a fast and easy way to sail downwind with little to no chance of rounding up or chinese gybing. I have boat speed of 5.5k in 8k true.

[jjvvss]

Sorry one last thing. The clew of the asym must be equal to the clew of the main. As in perfectly balanced to sail goose winged downwind.