Mac 26M Cruising Spinnaker

[Semper Fi]

I recently purchased the factory Mac 26M cruising spinnaker. It came with no instructions on how to fly it. I purchased it from bwyachts. It came with a 60' halyard, a short "12 inch" rope and snap shackel, two small blocks/pulleys and no sheets. There were no instructions with the sail or in the Mac owners manual. Anyone know how to rig and fly it?

[Beam's Reach]

You'll find lots of threads here using a search, but it's pretty simple to set up. Mine is an X, but wouldn't be much different assuming it's the asymetrical spin..

The short line and shackle will attach the tack of the sail to the bow tang that the forestay or furler is attached to. I use a longer line and adjust it by wrapping it around the foreward cleats to get the best height above the deck depending on the wind and angle.

The halyard will be attached to the head of the sail and the sheets will be tied to the clew just like the jib/genoa. My spin has a red line on the leading edge of the sail to help determine which corner is the tack. With the red line facing foreward, the tack is at the bottom.

There should be a small clip or shackle sewn into the bottom of the sail bag. Clip this to a lifeline as far foreward as you can. Attach the halyard and run the sheets aft on either side to the genoa track block. Some use a separate set of blocks further aft if available. Keep the three corners of the sail at the top of the bag, and have them sticking out a little with the bag slightly open when you're ready to raise it.

As you raise the halyard, the spin will be pulled out of the bag attached to the lifeline.

Use the spin essentially the same as a genny, but gybe instead of tacking. Assuming you are using the halyard block mounted at the point where the forestay or furler is attached to the mast, the spin must cross inside the forestay/furler. If you have a block mounted at the top of the mast, the spin can cross outside of the forestay/furler.

I've only used mine a few times and it was a little confusing at first, but once I got it up, boy is it satisfying! It just looks and feel great!

There are others here much more experienced than I, so if I've forgotten anything, they can help out.

[Richard O'Brien]

I'll try to add a bit to beam's suggestions. 1. Identify the tack by the "Doyle" logo in that corner. Find the center of the 60' sheet, fold it, stick it in the Clew grommet, pull it through. directly. Remember that these two lines go outside the pulpit, outside the shrouds, & outside the stanchions back to the furthest cleat you have (probably the genoa cleats). When you attach the halyard, and hoist it, keep it free and in front of all other encumbrances. I don't use a bag, just the front hatch.

[Beam's Reach]

Good tip about running the sheets outside of everything...not sure about the pulpit though...unless you have a bowsprit.

Pulling the spin up through the forehatch and stuffing it back down would be easier, but I'm afraid it might catch on something and tear. I prefer the bag. I just sits on the bow with all lines attached and I can raise it whenever the time is right.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I think the 60' line is the sheet, not the halyard. You use the existing jib halyard to hoist the sail. As said the short line at the tack.

You want the sheets as far back as possible, some even run the sheet through the aft dock cleat then back forward to the winch. This will give you the widest sheeting angle possible.

Of course the easiest way to hoist and drop the sail is with a sock, but that costs extra.

[Trouts Dream]

Another expense that you may want to consider is a spinnaker chute. Not necessary but what a great additio especially when dousing. I raise the spinnaker in the chute and then check everything is okay before lifting the chute about 1/2 way. Let it fill and if there are any problems I can adjust before the whole spinnaker is full.
Ran with spinnaker only at 5.5 to 6.2 knots and when it came time to douse, I go forward and when I have the dousing lines ready my crew throws off the sheet and I can douse quickly regardless of wind. I don't even worry about lowering the spinaker until I get to the marina if the wind is bad.
I also found that being able to raise or lower the tack easily from the cockpit means i will use the spinaker a lot more than if I have to go forward to set it all the time. I ran a 1/4 line from cockpit to a pulley attached to a line tied between the front cleats. and attached to the tack. The 1/4 line uses the port jam cleat that is usually used for the genoa.
I have flown the spinaker 7-8 ft off the deck on runs and have had it all the way down on a slightly closed reach.
good luck

[Richard O'Brien]

I prefer the bag. I just sits on the bow with all lines attached and I can raise it whenever the time is right.

Hmmm! Do you have something that secures the bag to the bow Beam?
I'm pretty sure that I'd sweep it off when tacking with the jib or genoa? I've never hooked on the hatch latch (did you catch that rhyme? ), but it has been a concern.

[Semper Fi]

Thanks for all the tips. I now understand how the spin attaches and works.

[Catigale]

The bag clips nicely to the mast raising eye aft of the hatch on an

[Beam's Reach]

The bag clips nicely to the mast raising eye aft of the hatch on an

Yup. Either there or to the lifeline. That way it's off to the side leaving room to walk foreward.