Can I fly this?

[Neo]

Hi Gents,

There's a local guy selling a 2nd hand Spinnaker .... Would it be Ok to fly this on my 26M?
Luff 8.1M
Leech 6.6M
Foot 4.1M
Tri Radial Cut 3/4 oz Nylon Ripstop

All the best.
Neo

[Seapup]

For us yanks thats 26.6' x 20.3'x 13.4'

"standard" mac issue spinnaker is 27'-0"; Leech 25'-6"; Foot 17'-6

[Neo]

Thanks Seaup .... So is that YES ...or NO ......

[Tomfoolery]

It will fit, but it's a bit small. With the shorter foot, you may be best served by using the genoa fairleads rather than ratchet blocks from the deck cleats, which would be further aft.

I would also add a second hound, about 18" higher than the forestay hound, though it is possible to fly it off the jib hound.

[Neo]

It will fit, but it's a bit small. With the shorter foot, you may be best served by using the genoa fairleads rather than ratchet blocks from the deck cleats, which would be further aft.

Sorry Tom you've lost me?

I would also add a second hound, about 18" higher than the forestay hound, though it is possible to fly it off the jib hound.

Like the one in your picture ...


It seem that my rigg has never had a Jib. It only has the one forestay hound (that the Genoa/Furler attaches to) so I'm not sure where that would go?

Your picture above comes from a 3 year old thread "26X Aysmmetrical Spinnaker rigging help" (http://www.macgregor26x.com/forum/viewt ... =7&t=21863). The thread seems to be locked out now but it was very interesting to read what mastreb wrote

As a fractional rig, the portion of the MacGregor mast above the top hound is unstayed and could be subject to bending under serious load.

I'm so glad I know this now

[Tomfoolery]

Jib and genoa attach to the same hound, either by hanking onto the forestay, or with the furler. It's the hound to the right in the pic.

The one to the left is 18" higher, and is used only for the spinnaker. I added it, as it's not something the boat was supplied with. But it is identical to the jib/forestay hound.

The fairleads I was referring to are the genoa sheet stand-up blocks on the coaming in the cockpit. A full-sized asymmetric spinnaker is bigger, with a longer foot, than a genoa, and a fairlead even further back on the cockpit coaming is normally used, though the Macs aren't supplied with one. I just use a block on a short bit of line to bring the sheet all the way back to the cleat rather than further forward at the track. But with the smaller spinnaker, the genoa sheet fairlead on the track, moved all the way back, is probably perfect.

[dlandersson]

Reminds me of Kostner's kite in Waterworld.

It will fit, but it's a bit small. With the shorter foot, you may be best served by using the genoa fairleads rather than ratchet blocks from the deck cleats, which would be further aft.

I would also add a second hound, about 18" higher than the forestay hound, though it is possible to fly it off the jib hound.

[Judy B]

It will fit, but it's a bit small. With the shorter foot, you may be best served by using the genoa fairleads rather than ratchet blocks from the deck cleats, which would be further aft.

I would also add a second hound, about 18" higher than the forestay hound, though it is possible to fly it off the jib hound.

Tom is on the right track here.

What is the area of the asymm? Area-wise, the asymm is significantly small for your boat, but as long as you add a second hound 18" above the original, it will fly. As Tom says, the sheet blocks will need to be significantly further forward than usual. Experiment!

BTW, not all Asymms have similar shapes and are used for similar purposes. Some are built for all-purpose, some are for close reaching, some are for deep reaching, some are for high winds (small area, flatter shape), some are for light winds, some are easy to keep trimmed and flying nicely (cruising asymms) and some are harder to keep trimmed and flying nicely (some racing asymms).

Judy B

[Neo]

Thanks Judy.... This kind of information is always invaluable.

[Patbrogan]

I was able to get a Catalina 27 symmetrical spinnaker and want to use with my 26m. It is 30'x16.5'. In planning this, we would add a new halyard above the current hound or at top to avoid fouling with CDI. I thought we would first try to fly it as a symmetrical with sheets and tweakers (twangs-do Macs use thes?h but no pole or sprit in ,ignited air. The luff is 3' larger than the asym Mac specs, but we would hoist higher with new halyard so I am hoping to not have to cut it down.
Ext step would be to try a mini sprit like sold at blue water, as an asym. Or try Wisher pole sold by BW and fly more as a symmetrical kite. Thoughts?