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OWNER'S MANUAL

Selden's crew guide to flying a symmetric spinnaker: which of the three pole systems suits your boat, how to stow the sail, and the step-by-step hoist, gybe and drop for each method.

DocumentSelden Using a Spinnaker Owner's Manual
FormatPDF · 16 pages · 7.1 MB
LanguageEnglish
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Choosing a MethodStowingSailingGybingLoweringProducts
Selden Using a Spinnaker — Owner's Manual

Three Methods

Method Pole rigging Suited to Crew
1 – End-for-end Topping lift and down-haul to the centre of the pole Spinnakers under 50 m2 (550 sq.ft); boats up to 25 feet LOA Helmsman and two crew
2 – End-for-end Topping lift at the centre, down-haul at the outboard end Spinnakers under 80 m2 (850 sq.ft); fractional rigs to 40 feet LOA, masthead rigs to about 33 feet LOA Helmsman and four crew (two minimum)
3 – Dip pole Topping lift, foreguy, pole heel lift, separate sheets and guys (L = boat length x 1,5) Spinnakers over 80 m2 (850 sq.ft), larger boats Helmsman and six crew (three minimum)

Simple Stowage

  • Flake each leech/luff separately but simultaneously from the head, letting the bunt hang.
  • From about 50m2 (500 sq.ft) upwards it helps to flake the foot too.
  • Bunt in the turtle with the leeches on top; leave head and clews projecting and tie them together with light line.

Stopping

  • Elastic bands round a plastic pipe of 9 - 12 inch diameter (a bucket with the bottom cut out works).
  • Feed the sail through head first, leeches untwisted, sliding a band off about every three foot.
  • Hoist stopped; the bands break when sheet and guy spread the foot. A sock (snuffer) is an alternative.

Trimming (all methods)

  • Keep the pole horizontal and at right angles to the apparent wind.
  • Set pole height so the clews are at about the same level.
  • Ease the sheet until the luff is just about to curl.
  • In heavy weather use the leeward Barber-haul to reduce rolling and the risk of a broach.

End-for-End (Methods 1 & 2)

  1. Square sheet and guy so the clews are equally eased (mark the sheets).
  2. Foredeck crew, astride and facing forward, unhooks the pole from the mast and clips it to the new guy.
  3. Takes the pole off the old guy (now sheet) and hooks that end to the mast fitting, calling "READY".
  4. New guy hauled in; mainsail gybed. In ghosting conditions keep the main amidships; the helm keeps the boat dead downwind.

Dip Pole (Method 3)

  1. Haul in the guy to take the strain off the pole guy; release the inner forestay.
  2. Trip the outboard end to free the windward pole guy; take the new pole guy forward of the forestay.
  3. Lower the pole by easing the topping lift and taking in the foreguy so the end dips under the forestay.
  4. Clip in the new guy (a trip-trigger end stays open until the new guy is inserted); hoist the pole and haul in the new guy; gybe the main.
  5. In heavy weather consider two poles, so you need not dip and undo the inner forestay.

Lowering

  • Set the genoa first.
  • Collect the foot under the lee of the mainsail while easing the guy (or unhooking the windward clew at the pole end).
  • Stand to leeward of the pole when the clew is released – the pole end can recoil.
  • Lower the halyard at the rate the crew gathers the sail; sheet in the genoa and stow the spinnaker without delay.

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