Mullingar Sailing Club

index
6.0     Reaching / Flying the spinnaker


Setting Spinnaker Pole Height

As a rough estimate the clew and the tack of the spinnaker should be the same height. Ease the sheet and observe the luff of the spinnaker.

Where is the luff breaking?

If the spinnaker luff breaks above the centre the pole is too low, raise the pole.
If the spinnaker luff breaks below the centre the pole is too high, drop the pole.

That is the luff of the spinnaker should curl in the middle of the sail. 

Generally as it gets lighter, (wind) you will have to drop the pole.

Spinnaker height

On a heavy day the spinnaker should be hoisted to the top of the mast. In all other conditions ideally it should be flown about 4 inchs from the top.

Flying the spinnaker

As a loose rule of thumb the spinnaker pole should be in line with the boom. The luff of the spinnaker should be curled. The worst thing you can do with a spinnaker is to oversheet it.
On a reach the spinnaker sheet should never stop moving, easing the sheet out until the luff curls and gently sheeting back in.

Gusts

When the spinnaker guy or sheet gets heavy this is the first indication that a gust of wind is coming.

Ideally a boat should bear off before or as the gust hits. As the spinnaker flyer is the first person to receive this information you should be feeding it to your helm.

Equally, as the wind lightens the sheet and the guy will feel ‘lighter’. When this happens the boat should be hardened up closer to the wind. This information also needs to be called for your helm.

As the wind becomes lighter the apparent wind shifts so you will be able to get your pole around, off the stay. This is hugely important in terms of off-wind speed. As the wind gusts again you may need to ease the pole slightly as the apparent wind shifts back.

Pumping
Pumping is used to maximise the effect of a gust or a wave and if carried out correctly and at the right time under certain conditions can get the boat plannning.

To pump a spinnaker you must pump both the guy and the sheet at the same time with a sharp short pump.

It is critical when pumping that it is done at the correct time (relative to a gust or wave) and that the main is pumped at the same time.

If you pump the spinnaker on its own you will close the slot between the spinnaker and the mainsail, back-winding the mainsail and stalling the boat. You are better off not pumping than getting it wrong. Be conscious of your movement in the boat when you pump.

Remember the rules on pumping;

1 pump per gust
1 pump per wave

                ……………………..any more than this is illegal.

Boat trim on a Reach

Where should the crew sit on the reach?

Light Winds; crew should be to windward on the stay, (as far forward as possible). Helm sitting to leeward on deck or on inside seat.

It is important that you flatten the boat as you gets puffs or gusts of wind.

Medium Winds; In medium wind the crew may need to move in a bit to allow the helm to sit up to windward.

Heavy Winds; As it starts to blow both helm on crew on the windward side. (it is important to get your weight back in the boat to stop the nose of the boat diving. ( In planning conditions its not unusual for the crew to get both feet back behind the thwart.

Close reaching

This is a difficult condition to sail. In light or medium winds ensure the spinnaker is not hoisted to the top (4 inches).
It is critical that you don’t oversheet the spinnaker.
Put the centreboard down an extra bit.
Keep the boat flat especially on the gusts.
Ensure you call the ‘light’ and ‘heavy’ for your helm.
Keep an eye on the wind and if it gets too tight, drop the spinny!!!!

Sailing High or Low ?

Generally dictated by three things;

1) Proximity to other boats
2) Tide
3) Wind

Gybing (Reach to Reach)

This is the more difficult of the two types of gybe, (gybing through 90 degrees).

While reaching the pole can exert a strong push against the mast, making it physically more difficult to gybe the pole.

Preparation for the gybe

1)    New windward twinning line set.
2)    Ensure centreboard is at the correct setting.
3)    Preset jib.

In some conditions you won’t be able to do these things before the gybe and so will have to do them through the gybe.

Gybing

1) When gibing in medium and heavy wind make sure and pull the boom in the gybe.
2) Release leeward twinning line.
3) Let off the jib.
4) Need the pull the new sheet to stop the spinnaker blowing around the front of the boat.
5) Gybe pole.
6) Fly spinnaker
7) Reset jib

When is the best time to gybe?

Be conscious of whats going on around you. Will you have to sail high after the gybe to sail over someone else or to protect your wind. This will impact on how you will fly your spinnaker out of the gybe.

Where is the wind?    Tide?

next