Asymmetric Sailing

[jjvvss]

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SV PETASUS. Sailing with my son off Coffs Harbour. First use of new asymmetrical kite. As you can see its BIG! Pierre Gal the local sailmaker measured up and delivered this beauty. When asked to what wind speed I could keep her up he said until my pants turn brown. We hit 6.7knts in 10knts of breeze broad reaching to South Solitary. Fun day. I'm looking forward to heading north in April. This photo is one of a sequence taken by Terry Accadia on his S80 EXTRA DRY. We went through him like a rocket with the photos to prove it

[Phillip]

So how have you set it up?

Looks like you have no sheet to the foot, is that correct?

Any problems lowering it?

Must say it looks good. As a solo sailor I have always been to scared to put my spinaker up like that [sans pole].

[storm petrel]

I use a similar sized asymmetric on Storm Petrel. I just run a sheet through one of the anchor rollers on the stem head fitting to the tack with a quick release shackle. To bring the kite down I put the headsail up to shadow the kite, run more downwind, release the shackle on the tack Of the kite and pull the sail down under the boom with the clew sheet while simultaneously lowering the halyard. Easy with two or three aboard. Single handed you would be better off getting a sock to snuff it unless you are very quick or have three arms.

Beyond 15 knots it is a handful, but in 10-12 knots on a broad reach or reach it will pull the boat over the hull speed and is great sail for these conditions.

[jjvvss]

I have a quick release snap shackle at the tack which is attached to the pin of the stem head fitting. For one up I would definitely have a sock in anything above 10knts. Below that a quick release and let go halyard as pulling down/in from the clew would be fine. My sheeting arrangement is one continuous sheet. To gybe you have to take slack out of lazy sheet before you start the gybe to stop it going under the boat. Learnt this the hard way 1 hour after this photo.