Solo Spinnaker Sailing aboard Emigre near Quindalup, Western Australia.
One of my favourite pastimes, other than sailing, is reading through posts on various sailing facebook groups. Last night I came across a post made by a couple who had experienced an out of control situation when sailing with their asymmetrical spinnaker short handed. It got me thinking about how I fly spinnakers short handed and how It could be made easies, safer and more fun.
The couple in mention were flying an asymmetrical spinnaker from the bow of their yacht 37ft Alberg. This should have been an easy task with the spinnaker being handled by a sock or ‘snuffer’. When the wind picked up to 15 knots the spinnaker became overpowering and difficult to handle. As expected, on person went for the retrieval line on the snuffer and the other helmed the boat while easing the sheet however the snuffer was jammed at the top of the mast.
What next?
The crew would have eventually lowered the halyard and eased the sheet, pulling the spinnaker back onto the foredeck from the tack. That sounds like hard work and fairly overwhelming with the spinnaker making one hell of a racket.
I’m fairly knew to the art of shorthanded spinnaker sailing however I thought i’d share a few things that make it easier for me.
Aboard Emigre, I only have a large symmetrical spinnaker, rigged in the conventional manor for a 1980’s IOR sailboat. I have the usual controls to contend with. The sheet, brace (guy), pole topping lift (kicker) pole downhaul and halyard. My boat is not set up with Barber-haulers (Tweakers) or reaching hooks.
I have no snuffer, furler or any other sail handling devices.
A couple of things that I consider essential for shorthanded or single handed spinnaker sailing.
Either two people on board or a good autopilot.
Spinnaker halyard lead back to the cockpit.
A quality spinnaker bag, clipped to something on the deck.
Keep the main up. ALWAYS. particularly when its’ windy. Reef it if necessary.
Always hoist the spinnaker with a headsail set, this will de-power the sail, making it easier to hoist.
Rigging The Spinnaker Aboard Emigre
When setting up for a singlehanded hoist, I clip in to the jack-lines, go forward to the mast and set up the pole. I clip the topping lift and downhaul to the bridles and connect the beak of the pole to the mast ring. The other end of the spinnaker pole rests on the deck inside the pulpit.
At this stage the main and headsail are set and the autopilot is steering.
The next step is head back to the cockpit and grab the two long sheets. I make two trips down either side of the yacht, threading the sheets through the spinnaker blocks on the stern quarters of the yacht and taking the to the bow, outside of all rigging and lifelines. The windward sheet (brace) is threaded through the beak of the pole (Still on the deck), taken around the outside of the genoa furler and tied to the lifeline on the leeward side of the yacht. The leeward sheet is run from the block on the stern quarter, straight to the same point on the leeward lifeline.
Next I retrieve the spinnaker from the cabin, ensuring that it has been repacked into the bag correctly and the ‘tapes have been run’. ‘running the tapes’ simply means running your hand around the entire edge of the sail to ensure that their are no twists in it before hoisting.
The spinnaker bag is then attached to the foredeck on the leeward side, allowing the spinnaker to be hoisted out of the bag and under the genoa.
Next I attach the sheets and halyard, ensuring the halyard is on the correct side of the genoa furler.
The Hoist
For this crucial stage, I head back to the cockpit and ensure that both sheets are flaked in the cockpit. I transfer the genoa sheet off the leeward winch and onto a cleat. Both the sheet and brace are loaded onto the primaries. Next I raise the spinnaker pole using the topping lift at the mast so that it’s parallel to the deck, around shoulder height. I will then secure the pole downhaul.
When back in the cockpit, I turn the boat onto a broad reach using the autopilot, easing the main but only slightly easing the genoa. (This is important!)
I then pull the brace back so that clew of the spinnaker is in touching the beak of the pole and the pole is about three feet off of the genoa furler.
Next I go the the mast and hoist the spinnaker as quickly as possible, temporarily making it fast on a cleat on the mast.
I move quickly back to the cockpit and sheet the sail in, often bringing the brace (pole) further aft at the same time. Once the sail is set (behind the genoa) I un-cleat the genoa sheet and furl it 2/3 in, leaving a portion of sail out sheeted tightly. This small sail reduces the likelihood of the spinnaker hour glassing around the furled genoa.
Immediately after the genoa is furled, I pull the slack from the spinnaker halyard into the cockpit and make it fast on the secondary winch. I then un-cleat the halyard at the mast, lowering the sail slightly and taking the weight on the cockpit winch. Make sure to flake all lines at this point. This will save you if things go wrong.
The Drop
Okay so now I’m getting close to shore or the wind has built making the yacht over powered.
Time to take the kite down.
For me, this is much easier than hoisting the spinnaker.
Firstly I steer the boat onto a deep broad reach, let the main out and unfurl the genoa.
I check, double check and triple check that both the halyard and the brace are properly flaked.
To drop the spinnaker, I release the brace, taking it off the winch completely, allowing it to run through the block and through the end of the pole. The spinnaker will now be flying like a flag behind the mainsail and genoa. Next ease a large amount of halyard very quickly, so that the sail is mostly parallel with the water. Pull the spinnaker directly into the cockpit using the sheet.
Ensure that both the brace and sheet are onboard before starting the engine!
Usually at this point I throw the sheets and the sail into the cabin to be squared away at a later stage. While sailing slowly on the broad reach, I take the halyard back to the foredeck and lower/stow the pole. Job done.
“But what do you do if you are using an asymmetrical spinnaker?"you might say.
That’s even easier.
The Hoist - Asymmetrical Spinnakers
Set your spinnaker up at the bow. attaching the sheets, and halyard.
Rig the tack line through the tack point on your boat (bow roller, bow sprit, etc) and run it back to a cleat in the cockpit. (this is the important step) Make sure the tack of the sail is close to the tack point when you hoist the sail.
Steer onto a broad reach, hoist the spinnaker. (if you are using a snuffer, unfurl the spinnaker now)
Head up onto your course, filling the spinnaker. Furl away 2/3 of the genoa.
Happy sailing.
The Drop - Asymmetrical Spinnakers (When your snuffer doesn’t work or you don’t have one)
Unfurl the genoa and head onto a broad reach.
Ensure the halyard and tack line are flaked.
Release the tack line and let it run through the bow roller, turning the spinnaker into a flag.
Ease a lot of halyard quickly so that the spinnaker is mostly parallel with the water.
Pull the sail into the cockpit with the sheet.
Make sure all lines are out of the water before starting the engine.
That’s how I’ve done it in the past. I’d be interested in your suggestions.
Thanks to @CruisingMaya for the inspiration.